With director Sam Raimi’s fantastic prequel to The Wizard of Oz, Oz The Great and Powerful, now on DVD, Blu-ray, and Blu-ray 3D, I recently landed an exclusive video interview with VFX Supervisor Scott Stokdyk. As most of you know, the film centers on a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics (James Franco) who finds himself transported to Oz, and drawn into a battle between the three witches Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams). Loaded with incredible visuals, amazing 3D, and a beautiful world created by production designer Robert Stromberg (Alice in Wonderland, Avatar), Oz is the type of movie I believe families will watch together for years to come.
During the interview, Stokdyk talked about his early work on Starship Troopers and The Fifth Element, collaborating with Sam Raimi, what he learned on Oz that he can apply to future work, the technical challenges, what made him nervous when he first read the script, the Easter Eggs, future projects, and the next big advance in technology that will help all movies. Hit the jump to watch.
- Talks about his work on 5th Element and Starship Troopers
- Was there anything he learned on a previous project that helped him get ready to make Oz
- How early on was he working on Oz before filming began
- What was the biggest challenge he saw when he first read the script
- Talks about collaborating with Sam Raimi
- Talks about being on set and what does he remember most
- Did he learn anything new on Oz that he can apply on a future project
- The challenges of making Oz in 3D
- Did he "borrow" anything from set
- What was it like filming in Michigan
- Talks about "the classic" and asking Raimi how it would get into the film
- Future project talk
- What is the big next advance in technology that will help all movies
