At the scene the next day, Nolan was already sitting at the table, and Emma Thomas was also sitting on his right. Emma is Nolan's wife and producer of multiple films. When the two attend the same occasion, they always treat each other as guests. For example, Emma seldom gets close to her husband, she just stands in the distance and looks at him with a smile, like a partner who doesn't fight for the limelight. Even Emma didn't even change her surname to Nolan.
And Christopher Nolan, the British gentleman who is regarded by countless fans as the most talented director today, looks ordinary and even has a rusticity that is not commensurate with his fame: an old black suit that is not stiff, and the collar of his shirt collapses weakly. In the jacket, a pair of red socks untimely emerged from the mud-stained shoes, and a shiny red badge commemorating the British soldiers who died in World War I was pinned on his chest. His hair is messy, his face is slightly tired, but he has a modest smile, and his pale blue pupils are so clear that he dare not stare. Therefore, I realized that facing such a director, one should not dress well; and given that he himself has a strong affinity, the series of stressful demands are actually a spontaneous restraint of awe.
"Interstellar" is an affectionate gift from Nolan to his four children. As the only in-depth media interview with Nolan’s first China trip, I was also fortunate to listen to him face to face with his behind-the-scenes stories and creative heart sutras. This 44-year-old man used visual images to convey the most cutting-edge scientific theories, allowing millions of ordinary people to see the appearance of black holes for the first time. However, the technical methods he used are as basic as he himself: to photograph spaceships and robots, It’s really built a spacecraft that can fly and a robot that can walk; if you want to photograph cornfields, sandstorms, and icebergs, you will really travel around the world to find real scenes; if you want to photograph wormholes and black holes, you use computers to follow the science The theory simulates the picture, and then it really appears outside the portholes of the actors. Not only that, he also continues to serve as a staunch supporter of film movies, and a fierce resistance to 3D movies and digital movies. He said, "If there is no choice in the future, it would be a shame." He also encourages new screenwriters, "As long as mankind continues to survive, we must believe that there will be a steady stream of good stories."
About "Interstellar" : There
are two different challenges from "Batman". Even the cosmic problem ultimately comes down to love.
Sina Entertainment: The "Batman" series is built on the basis of existing works, and "Interstellar" is your return to the original script , Which is more handy when creating?
Christopher Nolan: The advantage of the "Batman" series is that it already has a complete structure, so the audience knows the background very well, but I really have to respect the original character setting. "Interstellar" is another challenge. We define ourselves and want to make the film scientifically feasible. So I invited scientist Kip Thorne to serve as a consultant for this film, and we have been discussing various scientific details together. Every movie has its own limitations, depending on how much the creator wants to achieve.
Sina Entertainment: The protagonists in your works often do not have a complete family. The protagonist in "Interstellar" bears the burden from "lost of home" to "lost of home". Why should such a setting be made? Are you a pessimist?
Christopher Nolan: Home is the most important thing for everyone, and what we usually do will be related to home. I don't know if I am a pessimist overall, but "Interstellar" is still optimistic about the future of all mankind, and the protagonists are also very optimistic.
Sina Entertainment: Your wife served as the producer of the film this time, how did you help each other? Including that you have also co-written with your brother many times. Does working with your family make you feel more comfortable?
Christopher Nolan: I like to work with familiar people, whether it is family members or long-term partners, because I am very familiar with each other and easy to communicate and understand. For this reason, I still chose to cooperate with Warner this time. I don't have to worry about some other issues. Everyone uses their energy to tell a good story.
Sina Entertainment: I think the difference between "Interstellar" and many of your previous movies is that it takes a lot of space to depict the emotions between people, especially between father and daughter. Does this have to do with becoming a father yourself?
Christopher Nolan: I think it will matter. I have four children. There is a private side to Cooper's fatherhood, which is also the starting point for me to make this movie. This is a long journey full of emotions.
Sina Entertainment: Do you really believe that love is the ultimate answer to everything, even if it is a grand question such as the ultimate in the universe?
Christopher Nolan: There is no doubt that love is the ultimate solution to all human problems. I think an interesting issue discussed in this movie is that science has yet to interpret and quantify human emotions. I always think that the big and the small can be combined, because no matter how big the problem is, it will eventually return to the simple questions of who we are and how we are to maintain each other.
Regarding technical persistence:
Many movies are made in 3D. It would be a shame to use only digital and no film.
Sina Entertainment: "Interstellar" involves the most cutting-edge science and technology, but you use more traditional technical means to present it. Why still reject CG?
Christopher Nolan: I think no matter how complicated the special effects are, they can't replicate the real feeling. In terms of cost, CG is actually more expensive. The real scene is very helpful when shooting, and the actors can truly feel the situation at that time.
Sina Entertainment: You can find locations on Earth, but what about outer space? After all, there are some sights that cannot be truly found and observed yet.
Christopher Nolan: We really need to transform the complex theory of the universe into visual images that the audience can understand. Therefore, with the help of scientists, we use computers to simulate what they should look like, and then render them, just like reality. The same. For example, a black hole, we wrote a thick stack of paper, because no one has presented it so accurately before.
Sina Entertainment: How to balance scientific rigor and visibility for the audience?
Christopher Nolan: It is impossible for ordinary audiences to understand these theories in depth at the first time. We can only hope that the audience will feel the effect. For example, when you watch the explosion scene of 007, you don't have to understand the principle of the explosion, you only need to know the power of the explosion. I believe that the audience can feel the world we have built without knowing how it works.
Sina Entertainment: When you filmed "Inception", you rejected the filming party's suggestion to release a 3D version. What about this time? Why is the best way to express the universe and space is IMAX instead of 3D? Now 3D movies are particularly popular in China.
Christopher Nolan: 3D is more about shrinking the space, so that the audience feels like they are in a small movie theater, and everything comes to their eyes. But for a very grand universe, 3D is not a good choice, but 2D can make you feel larger. I think IMAX can present the most screen content. Whether to shoot in 3D or not depends on the movie. For now, it is a waste of many movies to shoot in 3D.
Sina Entertainment: I heard that you also went to various movie theaters to test the effect of IMAX?
Christopher Nolan: I think as a director, you must know what the movie will look like in the eyes of the audience. You can't just watch it in your small studio, you have to go to the cinema in person, sit with the general audience, and see how the effect is.
Sina Entertainment: Do you think film will withdraw from the stage of history?
Christopher Nolan: I think film should not disappear in history, because it is already a mature technology and is completely different from current digital imaging. At least the two should exist at the same time. I think it would be a shame if there is no choice in the future.
Sina Entertainment: There are still some directors in the world who insist on filming, such as you and Quentin Tarantino. Have you talked to Quentin about film issues?
Christopher Nolan: We talked about it. We were discussing this matter just a few months ago because we wanted to prevent Kodak, which produces film, from going bankrupt. Turning to numbers is completely wrong, but unfortunately most people have done so in recent years. We hope to continue film technology so that people who love film can continue to create.
About story creation:
Don’t separate the structure from the story. The success of the movie keeps me creative.
Sina Entertainment: Are you interested in physics? Do you take the initiative to study black holes and the like?
Christopher Nolan: Actually, I am not interested in physics. There are scientists to help me present the details. When I was young, I was interested in how the solar system works, but I didn't go further. I think it is better for directors to keep a distance from other professional fields.
Sina Entertainment: All of your works are difficult to define in a certain genre, so you have no interest in shooting genre films?
Christopher Nolan: Genre films are a very convenient way to bring the audience into the plot, allowing the audience to have a clear expectation, but I do like to mix the elements of different types of films, hoping to give everyone a different experience.
Sina Entertainment: What is the acceptance of new genres of movies by mainstream American audiences? Even the Oscar selection is often biased towards mediocrity and conservative.
Christopher Nolan: I don’t know. People often talk about the tastes of the college, but I don’t know what tastes the college has, because I am also a member. I only know my own preferences, not the preferences of the other 6000 members. Oscars are different every year, and the results cannot represent the choices of all members.
Sina Entertainment: Why have you always attached great importance to the innovation of narrative structure? Now that film technology is more and more developed, good stories seem to be fewer and fewer. If you were asked to provide some advice to a new screenwriter, what would you tell him?
Christopher Nolan: If I were to make suggestions, I would say that the structure should not be separated from the story itself, they should be integrated. I have seen many movies with fancy structures and messy stories. There may be only a few cores of all stories in the world, but the format is ever-changing. As long as human beings continue to survive, we must believe that there will be a steady stream of good stories.
Sina Entertainment: Many directors say that as the scale of film investment increases, it may become more and more difficult for them to shoot the movies they want, but they will be subject to the constraints of the producer, box office considerations and other reasons. Have you ever had this kind of confusion?
Christopher Nolan: Not yet, because my film investment is getting bigger and bigger, based on the premise that my films are very successful. I have always been free in creation, so when I face opportunities that I can play casually, I will also be very excited to achieve the best.
Regarding the taste of the movie: I
can’t avoid talking about the great "2001: A Space Odyssey". The most appreciated Chinese movie is Zhang Yimou's "Judou".
Sina Entertainment: Which movies have inspired you to create this "Interstellar"?
Christopher Nolan: I can’t avoid talking about Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. When conceiving a movie, I can’t pretend that it doesn’t exist. It is indeed a very great work, for me and many directors. There are many inspirations, such as Spielberg's "Third Type of Contact". One of my earliest memories of the movie is that my father took me to watch "2001: A Space Odyssey" and saw human beings marching towards the farthest part of the universe. At that time, I thought, if I had a chance, I would make a film about A movie of universe exploration. "Space Pioneer" in 1983 also had a great influence on me.
Sina Entertainment: At the press conference, you said that the most appreciated Chinese movie was Zhang Yimou's "Ju Dou". Why?
Christopher Nolan: I am very impressed by the colorful pictures of this movie. There is also the funeral scene, a scene that has never been seen in the Western world, and it lingers in my mind.
Sina Entertainment: Have you discussed the technical issues of shooting space with Alfonso-Caron?
Christopher Nolan: He is not the same as me. As far as I know, he uses a lot of CG. Before he won the Oscar for Best Director, I told him, I'm sorry I didn't watch "Gravity" because my own new film on space theme is still in progress. He also expressed his understanding, haha.
(Text/He Xiaoqin)
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