With writer-director J.J. Abrams Super 8 opening tonight, I was recently able to interview the cast in London for our partners at Omelete. While Abrams likes to keep his films under wraps while they’re in production, by now you know Super 8 takes place in the summer of 1979 and it’s about a group of friends that discovers something not from this world while making a super 8 film. Mix in that it’s produced by Steven Spielberg, uses his Amblin logo (which should clue you into what kind of movie this is), and you’re got a great coming-of-age story that I think audiences are going to love.
During my interview with three of the kids (Joel Courtney, Riley Griffiths and Ryan Lee), we talked about trying to keep the movie a secret, their reaction to seeing the finished film, filming the train sequence, what films did they watch before filming, how they got to help write and direct the super 8 zombie film within the film, and a lot more. Hit the jump to watch.
Joel Courtney, Riley Griffiths and Ryan Lee
- What has the promotional tour been like for them
- What was more challenging: filming the movie or keeping the secrets
- Did anyone pull them aside and tell them they really can't talk about Super 8 to anyone
- Were they asked to watch any movies before filming began
- They talk about writing/directing the zombie movie in the movie
- Was "production value" in J.J.'s script or their script
- What was it like to film the train sequence
- What was it like to see Super 8 for the first time
- What was it like to work for Steve Spielberg and did the energy on set change when he was there
- What was the hardest part of making Super 8 and what was the most fun
