Another round up of the interviews, press articles and whatnot that keeping popping up here there and everywhere.
Michael Bay’s Film Weekly Podcast
This interview comes from The Guardian’s “Film weekly” interview with Michael Bay and was posted to the official Michael Bay site.
Bay is not quitting Transformers
Some interviews recently spun the “I’m taking a break” stance Michael Bay has on Transformers 3 to give the impression he was quitting the franchise altogether. This is not the case and in all likelihoods Michael Bay shall direct Transformers 3, due for release in 2012.
GM provided 67 vehicles for Transformers 2
USA Today have a short article on the Transformers/GM relationship and an interview with Michael Bay.
“They were responsible for building the cars, and I was trying to get my check because we built the cars, fronted them the money, and they were late on paying us,” Bay says. “I was like, ‘We better get our check fast before they go bankrupt.’
Chevy won’t reveal what it cost to provide cars, but spokesman Steve Janisse says 67 vehicles were used, and 52 of those were “non-salable,” specially built prototypes used for testing, engineering and display.
[...]
Bay says the cars themselves become like celebrities, something he witnessed while shooting in a remote part of the Middle East. “The money they spend is pennies for the amount of goodwill. Bumblebee is one of the most famous cars in the world,” the director says. “Literally, we’re in this poor little town in Jordan, and all these kids surrounded (the car). They all knew Bumblebee’s name.”
Nascar 18 wrapped in M&Ms and autobots
Number 18 has been covered in an M&Ms and Transformers themed coat – full gallery available at Joe Gibbs.
Shia has “The Touch”
Shia performs a rendition of Stan Bush’s “The Touch” to much amusement and pain.
Obama in Revenge of the Fallen
The movie in some way includes Obama, to which Bay comments, via Digital Spy,
Bay said: “The Obama thing? I met him in an airport where he was carrying his bag by himself and we talked about movies and apparently he likes my movies. So I figured we’ll just put him in.”
The director joked that he was able to include the up-to-date reference because he had only completed making the film last Wednesday [June 10th].
Michael Bay in Guiness Book of World Records
Michael Bay is now in the record books for the largest explosion filmed whilst actors are present. It was shot in New Mexico. The NZ Herald, from whence this news came, offer up and expansive overview of Transformers 2 and have some tidbit interview comments from Megan Fox and Shia as well,
“If Michael Bay can make me look that good in shorts, then I don’t mind if people think I’m being exploited. And it gives me an advantage because even if I do a mediocre performance, people don’t expect anything of me, so they’re impressed.” And incidentally, although she is adorned with tattoos, claims to be bisexual, and does her best to come across as “dangerous and dark” a la Jolie, she insists it is not calculated. “It’s more of a curse than a blessing to look like Angelina,” she says, straight-faced. “Seriously, there are a lot of films I’ve had to pass on because I don’t want people to think I’m trying to emulate her.” (Apparently she was offered the next Tomb Raider but turned it down for this reason.) As for Lebeouf, an edgy leading man and an example of the core audience of a film like this, says, “Transformers is escapism in the same way Star Wars was for its generation. If you want magic tricks, theme park rides, the roller coaster vibe, Transformers is for you.”
Film Journal talks with Orci and Kurtzman
After recovering from the Star Trek press tour, Orci and Kurtzman answered some questions from the folks at Film Journal. Points include the story’s emotional core, the strike and the inspiration for the sequel.
“For us, the action always emerges from the characters; the audience tunes out random action scenes that don’t move the plot forward or take the characters in some new direction,” Kurtzman says. “So in Revenge of the Fallen, there are several sequences that we pitched to Michael in detail as part of the characters’ stories and he ended up shooting them almost exactly as we pitched them. Of course, he also comes up with great ways to embellish the sequences and no one is better at that than he is.”
That information will come in handy as the duo makes their long-planned transition to directing. “The plan is to find the right film for us to direct in the next couple of years,” Orci reveals. “We’re happy being the guys that write the words, but we want to try everything. It’s possible that we’ll each direct our own projects, but we might be too jealous of what the other is doing and so we’ll both have to do it!” While neither claims to have a dream project right now, there is one franchise that Orci says he’s hoping to see realized on the big screen someday. “I’d love to see [Nintendo's] The Legend of Zelda done right.”
Video game previews and walkthroughs
More Revenge of the Fallen video game previews have surfaced at Game Trailers, including Art Director and Producer interviews, a Sideways and Devastator walkthrough and an Optimus Prime downtown walkthrough. Following these there are tow YouTube videos, including the opening scenes and a Breakaway training routine.
Human Alliance video review
Not strictly press, but not really big enough for its own post, another Human Alliance video review:
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