Legacy and the Future of Cinema

If we knew more about our sleep What would we do differently Would we go to bed at a consistent time or take steps to reduce interruptions to our sleep? with Sleep score Apple Watch measures your bedtime consistency, interruptions, and sleep duration And then, every morning it combines these factors into an easy to understand score, from one to one hundred. So you'll know how to take the quality of your sleep from o to very high Know your sleep score with Apple Watch iPhone eleven or later required? Well, first of all, honored to actually be here with you all today. This is such an honor you too. And for a film like this, for a film that reminds me why I love movies so much and like you, paying homage to these classic filmmakers, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Orston Wells, Hitchcock, I mean, it's just brilliant to see. Well one thing I love about movies is seeing movies in a theater You go during the day, you almost forget that it's daylight when you walk outside because that there's something magical about being transported. But I imagine that we all probably have moments when we were growing up where a pivotal theatrical film really us It gave us the understanding of why seeing films with an audience is important. And obviously, this film celebrates that. So I wouldd love to go through everybody's like kind of growing up and the idea of a pivotal film you saw in a theater. I think mine was probably nutty prorofessor just laughing with people in the audience or Return of the King and seeing action like that So for each of you, I'll start with you, Zoe. Do you remember a film growing up that meant a lot to you that kind of taught you the importance of the theatrical experience? It's embarrassing how much I talk about this movie, but Anchor Man. Yeah I think it's a full blown cinematic masterpiece. Great. And my number one on letterbox. I love it so much and I just remember similar to what you said, seeing it in the theaters and just laughing so hard and just that collective experience of off being with all these strangers and laughing with them and how joyful it was. So anchoran for me. And talking to friends in the lobby after you get out of a film, like breaking down your theories on it. Jesse, do you have a film that meant a lot to you growing up that was like, this Yeah, theat I just remember like we saw Forest Gump when I was a kid, but my job was to make sure my two year old sister, who we inapppriately bought We't but we didn't buy her was like quiet. And I just remember thinking, this is so amazing. I love the movie so much. and also I think the task that I had made me like even further enjoy the movie, you know, because responsible for something. Isn't that wild that you can have a core memory like that of the specifics of where you were based on the film? I feel like a lot of my life is based on a calendar of when a movie's coming out. I remember that point and that point. Alison, for you, what was that growing up for you? No, there were probably more before this, but this movie has particularly resonates with me because it was such a scary movie for me, which was Jaws. Oh yeah. And I remember who I was sitting next to. I remember the s next Rob Kerr Nobody knows.'s Rob Ker. shhot out Rob K. Rob Kerr from Dayton, Ohio. And everyone just collectively screaming you know it was just such a thrilling experience to be in the movie theater to watch that movie. It was like that pivotal turning point of understanding what that could mean for audience. It was thrilling to go, I think I went three or four times to go see it, just to be in the audience, to hear everyone scream or King the scream was coming up and that they didn't know no to hear that That was a lot of fun. And I think that feeling's coming back now. I think what's old is new again, Vinyl's back, film projection is back. L we're going back to the practical tangible things that you can't really get at home. Nothing wrong with watching films at home. Obviously, a lot of films are watched there, but there is something special about that. And Jeff, for you, I mean, it's incredible. I was thinking about this today. moovies are less than one hundred fifty years old You've been acting since the nineteen fifties and through seventies. L like thinking about like, you've basically been part of half of film history. That's something. Right. Wow, It goes fast. Yeah. Isn't that wild how youllow movies are? mine was dump, dump is that the magnificent seventh theme? Bump bump, bump bum bum Is that Marbor But anyway was anything think that's That no make differentnce. Not out to M. Yeah. I mean I played right into you know, playing cowboys, you know, I mean that was what we, you know, that's what I did when I was a kid. So that we all, you know, mayaybe I should shave my headball like youil Brinner, you know, don all those do you remember coming home from that film and how you felt? Did you think there was a spark that was put into a place of like, I kind of want to tell stories like that? Yeah, well my dad, Lloyd Bridges, you know, he was in, you know, he would come home dressed up like cowboy having been, you know, in You know, highigh noon in these different movies and I would he would come in like I said, let me put your boots on and your hat and I would walk around. Wow So yeah. I'm sitting across you right now thinking about you were directed by John Houston in Fat City and shot by Conrad L. Hall, one of the greatest DPs. I still think about the Rin Sequence of Road to Brdition that he shot with Sam Mendez. he is one of the greatest that must have been incredible to think about Jon Houston, like those filmmakers you worked with. Oh yeah, really incredible. Yeah. That's one of the coolest things about what we do is all the great people. the artists that we come together and you work with, right? And you know you have high expectations going in and every once in a while Th expectations just get totally transcended. This This one, Minions is a kind of like that, you know, because you put in your little bit of your work and then you look and you say, Oh my God, look what's happened. And you're so incredible in the film with the two characters. We'll get into that. And Bobby, for you, like was there a film that meant a lot to you growing up? that was like there was a bunch I have a very distinct memory of being a kid and seeing Annie in the theaters. When they all started singing like we got Annie, like they were so and like I got up and started I was trying to get attention. I was trying to get laugh. I got up and started screaming. We got Annie and then fell and knocked two teeth out.. it was like I had an audience, I had a movie theater full of people laughing and then they gasped immediately when I fell and broke my teeth. But I was like, I remember that It was yesterday. Like I remember that moment of like these people are laughing and then all of a sudden They weren't. But yeah, it's crazy. And then I was in the the Kavunzay Wallace Annie with Kavunenay Wallace. I was in it for like five seconds. And I just remember like right before they said action. I was like, I sa this is one the first movies I've ever seen. Very full circle and crazy thing. This business is So in the beginning of the film, we obvious see your character giving a tour. and we see like Orson Wells, we see Hitchcock And one of my favorite scenes in the film is when the minions go into the sound stage for the first time and they're kind of seeing the behind the scenes of how a scene was shot And it made me think about like if I could visit any classic movie set and have watched a scene be filmed And I think I was thinking about wings, for example, that there's a tracking shot in wings where the camera is just pushing through. It' nineteen twenty seven. You think about how they came up with shots like that, or like you know the dolly Zoom in Vvertigo or Jaws or these the thirird man with the caned angles. I mean, there's just some really cool ways that filmmaking was done If there's a set you could visit in the past, like something I referenced in this film to watch a classic scene be filmed Which set would you want to be on and what scene would it be I'll go with you Ze first I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for it's a wonderful life. Yes. for many, many reasons But that was the one that came to mind. And then I'm really this is not in the same wavelength, but I'm just fascinated by how they shot the Grinch all the Dutch angles. Yes. I just think it's so cool and different and I want to know how that all happened all That's the third man thing I was referring to. there's something interesting because it adds like a c you feel the angle. Yeah. It's a narrative decision, which I think is interesting not just to look cool, it just feels off in a way. That's interesting. I agree with you. That's a great answer too. How about for you? Ive gotta bring up Forest Gump again, which is a movie I don't normally think about two times in a day But I remember but the re the reason I say that is because we had like a DHS thing of how they made the movie. And I remember this was the first time I ever saw like behind the scenes stuff. And the main thing they showed was Gary Sneese's legs were in blue stockings.es. And I remember just being absolutely blown away J by really what I'm remembering is that the effort that went into it, the effort that went into something that' so seamless when you watch it, so casual, and now like now being in movies, you know as an adult and just seeing the amount of effort that goes into every nuance and then especially a movie like this where there's hundreds of artists working on every frame. you know think When I hear like, oh, doesn't it hurt the magic of the movies? I like not at all. It's more amazing to know the effort that went in and the artistry that went into it. I agree. It was DVD features were everything. The Lord of the Rings, like learning how they did Andy Circus and the performance capapture was like mind blowing to me. I'm with you hundredcent That was my film school. That's only reason I know how to talk about movies. You seen the video of George Lucas showing Frank Oz the digital Yoda for the first time. and Frank Oz just realizing like he's like entire career of puppetry is now on a computer? Like it's one of the craziest. Oh that was for the prequel. Yeah, yeah, it's nuts. And George Lucas has a little bit of a cameo in your film as well, which was awesome, by the way. For you, is there a film? I thought of one film and thought, no, I should think of a classic like I don't know any Hitchcock film, but I was thinking of the shot in oh now I forgot. No wait, No wait John Frabola. Satur night Fver. When hes he's walking down the street and they get his fe The opening shot was what I understand was a I sort put a camera guy on a doll and it wasn't even it was before doll. I don't know. I don't know what I'm talking about. Go over the. No the crinch. okay. Okay I know what b b They did something something to get that done. Yeah. But that scene affected you. Yeah. did. How did they do that? I wantan to be in that scene. Have you ever had a shot in one of your own movies where you were like It kind of blew your mind how it was done Mm. Probably this movie, mayions. When I know do my voice and then all a sudden I see everything come together to watch it when I watched minions and mononsters for the first time, it was just extraordinary. As Jeff was saying, just you have such a small part and you see what they've done. What all these other artists have done to make it come alive is It blows your mind. What I love about your character is even though she's introducing the story and then kind of comes back in a bit more, I hear her voice the whole movie in that way because like you really kind of set a great tone. And it's kind of a beautiful way of imerging. it. I kept thinking back, o she's telling these kids right now how this is all happening. It's kind of cool. Jeff, for you, is there a classic film set that you wouldd love to know Yeah, not one specific scene, but C citizen Kane. you know, God, that young guy twenty five man did he pulls that all didn't know any what he was doing. you know, that was so exciting. Butother thing that popped in my mind is you say that two thousand one Cer Dleay doing all that white room stuff, you known that wild That whole movie. that's one of my faves. I still watch that now and I know how it's done, but I don't understand it. ' I saw seventy mill of that recently and it's just it still holds up. all the space stuff still holds up. That's why like you look at filmmakers who are like kind of bringing back I think the Odyssey is gonna to be like a David Lean film in a way, like the Lawrence of Arabia shooting on actual sets. It's gonna be awesome I'll be for you U the Jabba's palace scene in Return of the Jedi, like I just love the idea that there's a giant puppet in the middle of the room with eight people inside of it and a bunch of a bunch of sweaty like, you know, just like, hey, put this on and get go sit at a bar and like just putting on an alien head and sitting at a table. like I don't know why I love the idea practical like makeup and all that stuff and the fact that I would to go be in that scene I agree. One of the things that I love about all of you is I know you as actors, but when you disappear in your roles, even with your voices, and I think there's something interesting about physicality and efforts that have to be done with animation. And I think people sometimes almost don't even think about how hard voice work can be to sell that performance because you only have your voice to give But there is a physicality on They film you too. That's doing it. They video you think. Huh? Yeah, and they real I saw the most embarrassing videos. Okay, they were like approvals. I was like approvals were they didn't video me. Parker, how he did his video.. He did his whole thing Yeah like this. Yeah. You have to be willing to make a complete fool of yourself. That's I wanted to ask, what is the thing that you made the complete most fool of yourself with in the voice process?? I know some people eat things to make it sound like they're chewing. Is there anything crazy you did for your efforts to make sure it came through the voice performance ten seconds into the recording of the first session, I was like, can't I can't have my shoes on. Because I would also like you're jumping around so much and I realize so within ten seconds, I look like I'm about to take a nap. you. The shoes were affecting the way you move. Well, yeah, because ye, only because like, you know, because you can hear the shoes and I need to like dance around because it's to me, I felt like I was doing terrible overacting But you'dar it back and you're like, Ohh yeah, in order to sell this, I only have my voice. So I have to do something that if I was on camera, I would be mortified by because it would be considered so extreme and broad. But no so the shoes you take shoes off, they're a little quieter and you could jump around like an idiot and no one can hear. What about for you? Isas there anything you had to do that kind of like you'd be surprised to hear you did it. I'm just such an overactor that this is a great environment for me to be in. Jesse's like, I was so big, I'm like, that's great for me. The bigger, the better. No, I think any of the like you mentioned efforts, any of the stuff that's outside the dialogue when they ask for the okay, sccream or jump you know they need to get sort of a series of different miscellaneous emotions and physicalities that you feel It fucking crazy. And it's really fun, but also you just feel like a lunatic. So I would you an effort bar sometimes. There's a bar to hold ono so you can go orort bar. Yeah., actually, I don't know. I just sa I was doing a voice overver recently and they had this bar there. I went like, this is amazing. I love this and they went Adam Driver asked for it. And I was like, what? And he was like, Adam Driver when he was needed to use And I was like, that's genius. It's really fun. helps you. You guys didn't get bars. I didn't get a barars No You guys didn't need them. It was literally just a fil or the bar he' hold on too it. What does the bar do for you? It helps you make a noise if you're making an effort. I'm not entirely sure I did have an effort. put this onto You can pull microphone in the same place but be able to like still you know' so cool. I I love stuff like this, Jeff. didid you have anything crazy you had to do with your efforts And are you talking to yourself in those scenes? Like are you I did one guy and then I did the other guy Oh But I don't know if you guys did this. I kind of do it in my acting too, because like we say, it's a communal art form here where you know you do your stuff and then you give it to the editor, and then he puts it all together. And when you're making movies, it's out of sequence. So you know, I don't really know what my best take be. So I would have You know, a performance that I thought this is the pocket, you know. But then like in photography I would kind of brack it. I would give one too you know, go too far one way and then give one too subtle because you don't know what they're going to need when they're painting it all together. So you know, that's I don't know if that's not really a physical thing.'s cool It's cool to hear that. I'll end on this because I find this interesting. One of my favorite movies of all time is Damien Chisell's Babylon And there it's in the sense of like what minions and monsters does, it's celebrating history. But there's a scene in that film where Gean Smart is talking to Brad Pitt about this silent eror ies right? And like his character is kind of grappling with this idea of like, oh, is my career over because I don't know how to get into the talkies era But she says to him in that scene, in a hundred years, someone's going to flicker back on your work and you're going to come back to life And so as I'm watching your film, there's Wrson Wells, there's Hitchcock, there's Buster Keaton, there's Charlie Chaplin. These people are still alive in a way. Same with music, I feel Each of you have a very different and incredible body of work that will live on not to be dark past our lives. I'm just curious what that means to you in terms of cinema in the sense of like in a hundred years, someone's going to turn on something you did and the story you told through your filmographies over those time Now, I mean we got AI now It's going no, it's going to change us all. forget about our movies. they'll be able to, you know, somebody was telling me, this will be available that my great grandkids will be able to reconstruct Yeah, you know, reconstruct a hologram of you. you know, you're dead. Really But they and they will be informed by all the stories that they've told about you and you'll have your voice, you know, And you'll be just sitting there and you you'll be able to talk to your relatives. or you know, Einstein can teach teach your kids with his voice. You know, Orson Wells, he'll be there, man It's not the same. No, it's not the same. But that's where it's going. Nothing's ever the same. I know. No It always changes. So it's just like the talkies. You know, there was the talkies and now there's AI. What is that gonna do to it? I finally hope people will recognize a movie I was in in two thousand five that was so funny and people don't realize it I'm so upset. Oh, it's called The Living Wake and it's so funny. And I hope in a hundred years, that's the one they discover. That's the one. Yes, I'm supporting it, but still, I'm funny. which The Living Wake All right All right, I' watching that tonight. am I? whyt you? I'm just gonna turn on I think it's so. You know when I was in New York trying to be an actor and it wasn't going so well, I thought, what else can I do? I want to do something important that's lasting that will, you know, and I thought, I'm going to be an art restorator. I thought, that's how I'm going. I to do something that preserves art or that's something I'll be remembered for. and I don't know, I think that's why I became an actor. I wanted to do something that would live on pass me that would be, you know, would be important. I'd make my mark on on Well, I love that. I think they're rapping. I wanted to I would love anybody anybody else want to contribute to that before we go