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Trailer Park: 10 Clichés Of The Indie Dramedy Trailer

Laura Aguirre — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:16:29 +0000

We watch a lot of movie trailers here at ScreenCrave, and, as we inch closer to summer with its ever-increasing torrent of new films, we’re seeing more and more previews with each passing day. As we do so, we can’t help but notice some similarities, repetitions, and clichés among them. Here at Trailer Park, we’ll be offering a rundown of those clichés, where they come from, and which trailers share them. For our first installment, we’ll be breaking down one of summer’s most ever-present previews: The Indie Dramady Trailer.

The problem with the Indie Dramedy Trailer is common; it tries so hard to be unique that it ends up being just like the rest in the genre. Let me first note that some of the movies on this list are personal favorites (ahem, Welcome to the Dollhouse), but, that said, their trailers have unfortunately fallen victim to trailer clichés. But we shouldn’t blame the indie auteurs? Is it the auteurs–it’s companies that purchase the rights to distribute and advertise these indie gems, and their marketing consultants, that screw up a good thing.

10. Hand Drawn Fonts

Used in: Year of the Dog (2007), According To Greta (2009), Submarine (2010), The Science of Sleep (2006), Napoleon Dynamite (2004), Juno (2007), Away We Go (2009)

Hand drawn fonts aren’t as cool as they use to be. Let’s thank Wes Anderson for bringing them to our attention, but also putting them in the subconscious of every other advertiser in America.

As Seen In: Juno

9. Blankly Staring Into Space

Used In: Beginners (2011), Submarine (2010), Greenberg (2010), Garden State (2004), Me And You And Everybody We Know (2005), Away We Go (2009), Hesher (2011), American Splendor (2003), The Squid and the Whale (2005)

‘Staring Into Space’ moments aren’t only a cliché, but also bad advertising. It tells the audience that there will be moments in the film when nothing is happening, just characters staring off into space, daydreaming about who knows what. Instead of previewing blank stares, wouldn’t it be better to show a cool dream sequence? (Although those can be just as cliche sometimes.)

As Seen In: Away We Go

8. Smoking Is Cool

Used in: The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004), Clockwatchers (1998), The Science of Sleep (2006), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), Rodger Dodger (2001), Adventureland (2009), Hesher (2011), American Beauty (1999), Slacker (1991), Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

This is an indie dramedy, so you know there will be plenty of moments filled with melancholia. What goes perfect with tears, breakdowns, and staring into space? Cigarettes. Who needs advertising when we’ve got the cool kids smoking grandpa pipes?

As Seen In: Adventureland

7. Cute Noises (Wink, Camera Shutter, Record Scratch, Etc.)

Used in: Cedar Rapids (2011), 500 Days of Summer (2009), Thank You For Smoking (2005), Cyrus (2010), Roger Dodger (2001), Juno (2007), Broken Flowers (2005), Sunshine Cleaning (2008), Boogie Nights (1997)

Indie dramedies are filled with cuteness, from the interesting names to the matching outfits, but when you add sound effects like winks, needle scratches, and Polaroid clicks, the cuteness becomes too much. It’s like when you get a bellyache from eating too much candy. A lot of trailers are guilty of this. One of the worst sound effects is when the trailer starts off with a needle scratch, but there is no record player in sight. What is the point?

As Seen In: Thank You For Smoking

6. The Fight Scene

Used in: Cedar Rapids (2011), High Fidelity (2000), Youth In Revolt (2009), Ghost World (2001), Sideways (2004), Broken Flowers (2005), Paper Man (2009), Punch Drunk Love (2002), Adventureland (2009), Hesher (2011), Happiness (1998)

This is just to show you that indie movies aren’t all tears and witty dialogue, there’s also some action, which usually goes like this: geek gets punched in the face by some jock at a party. The end.

As Seen In: Ghost World

5. Moving In Slow Motion (Or Time Lapse)

Used In: Safety Not Guaranteed (2012), Youth In Revolt (2009), Donnie Darko (2001), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), Garden State (2004), Sideways (2004), Thank You For Smoking (2005), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), Hesher (2011), Boogie Nights (1997), Cashback (2006)

I’ll be the first to admit that a time lapse, like the one in Zach Braff‘s Garden State, looks cool, but that movie has so many motion controlled sequences that it’s ineffective; and the trailer includes almost all of them. The whole trailer is just one indie trailer cliché after another.

As Heard In: Garden State

4. Quirky Dancing

Used In: Beginners (2011), Cedar Rapids (2011), The Science of Sleep (2006), High Fidelity (2000), Greenberg (2010), Lost In Translation (2003), Napoleon Dynamite (2004), Sideways (2004), Cyrus (2010), Punch Drunk Love (2002), Adventureland (2009), Welcome To The Dollhouse (1995)

Maybe there won’t be fighting, maybe there won’t be smoking, but by God there’ll be quirky dancing! Indie trailers always preview that brief moment in the movie when the oddball lead character shows their unique spirit by doing a quirky dance.

As Seen In: Welcome To The Dollhouse

3. Quotes Of Validity

Used In: Submarine (2010), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Me And You And Everybody We Know (2005), Welcome To The Dollhouse (1995), Happiness (1998), Synecdoche, New York (2008)

Quotes in a trailer are like meeting your friend’s boyfriend/girlfriend; your friend desperately wants you to like this person, so they tell you all sorts of great things about them, but none of that really matters because at the end of the day, you’ll have your own opinion. A trailer is already a movie’s promotion; just make the best trailer possible and skip all the quotes. If it’s good, people will like it.

As Seen/Heard In: Little Miss Sunshine

2. Jumping Into Pools

Used In: Submarine (2010), Cedar Rapids (2011), Garden State (2004), Lost In Translation (2003), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), Paper Man (2009), Adventureland (2009), Gigantic (2008), Hesher (2011), Boogie Nights (1997)

Looking through some of these trailers, I was pretty shocked to find so many with the same clip of people jumping into pools. It’s unfortunate that this has become a cliché because it can be so meaningful and beautiful when done right (I’m looking at you, Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate). It’s best to leave these out of the trailer, just so there could be a moment of ‘shock and awe’ when watching the entire movie.

As Seen In: Submarine

1. The Indie Rock Soundtrack

Used In: For Every Modern Indie Movie, There’s An Indie Rock Soundtrack

And just so you know this really is an indie movie, let’s mention the indie band doing the soundtrack. Too much? Trailers are trying too hard to be indie.

As Seen In: Greenberg

These are just some of the clichés that should disappear from Indie Dramedy Trailers.

What are some of the clichés you see? And which do you think should disappear?

Movie Releases: The Hangover, Land of the Lost, Away We Go…

Anet Hovhanesian — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:15:34 +0000

Hmmm, decisions, decisions. This week is filled with a comedy for everyone; there is the stupid-funny, the romantic-funny, the indie-funny, and then another stupid-funny that is a little more kid-friendly. The adult comedy, The Hangover, is probably your best pick for stupid-funny. The movie is about a group of guys who go to Vegas for a bachelor party, the next morning one of them is missing and they don’t remember a thing from the night before. The indie-comedy, Away We Go, by director, Sam Mendes, is a great choice if you’re looking for something that will make you laugh and cry. Then there is the romantic comedy by My Big Fat Greek Wedding‘s, Nia Vardalos, with My Life in Ruins, which will be cheesy (consider yourself warned). And finally, the outrageous Will Ferrell kid-friendly, comedy Land of the Lost, which is currently receiving mixed reviews, as Ferrell comedies normally do.

Here are the movies coming out for the week of June 5th:

The Hangover | ScreenCrave Review | Reviews | Ticket and Showtimes
My Life in Ruins | Reviews | Ticket and Showtimes
Land of the Lost | Danny McBride Interview | Will Ferrell Interview |Reviews| Ticket and Showtimes
Away We Go | ScreenCrave Review| Sam Mendes Interview | John Krasinski Interview | Maya Rudolph Interview | Reviews | Ticket and Showtimes

Watch the trailers…

The Hangover

My Life in Ruins

Land of the Lost

Away We Go

Which movie caught your eye for this week??

Movie Review: Away We Go

Mali Elfman — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:30:17 +0000

Why you should see Away We Go:

Sam Mendes directed it and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it get nominated for some awards.
Both Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski are brilliant in the film and unlike you’ve ever seen them before.
It’s completely honest and yet hilarious in unsuspecting ways.
It’s a great date movie if you’re trying to get a girl to think you’re deeper than you are.
If you’re already deep, that it’s inspiring and throught-provoking

Why you should not to see this film:

Because you just LOVED Wolverine and have to see it for the 19th time.

Keep reading for the full review….

This film has one of my favorite lines, “go away now.” It’s simple and may not seem like much, but it will…

Away We Go is a new film by Sam Mendes, which stars Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski, in a real life comedy about a couple who are about to have a baby and set off to find a place that they can call “home.” On their journey they visit a number of old friends and relatives in different places. As is commonly the case with Mendes, he quickly dissects each relationship in front of us showing us how no one is without their faults.

Although you may be quickly drawing parallels to Mendes’ recent drama, Revolutionary Road, I assure you, that this film is completely different. Yes, both films are centered around a couple in the process of change, but everything else about them is completely different. For however dark and serious Revolutionary Road was, Away We Go is equally light and funny. In this film, the story focuses on a couple truly in love who team up to fight the world instead of one another.

This film wouldn’t have been as strong as it was without the stellar performances by Maya as Verona De Tessant and John as Burt Furlander. Maya is truly beautiful in this film, inside and out. She leaves the humor to her amazing supporting cast of Catherine O’Hara, Jeff Daniels, Allison Janney, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Jim Gaffigan, and gives an amazingly strong and endearing dramatic performance. John who we’re used to seeing as the level headed, Jim from “The Office,” is zany and uncontrollable, and shows us a whole new side of him as well.

The love in the film is real, from an awkward and yet realistic sex scene between Maya and John which kicks off the movie, to the struggles that other couples have along the way; every relationship is weird in it’s own way, and none are without their faults. The truth about love is that it’s not perfect, and Burt and Verona are no exception, but it’s how all these different people deal with their imperfections that make them both interesting and hilarious.

What I loved most about this film, is that almost everyone walked out of the theater in silence, not because of the subject matter, but because the film leaves you in a near dreamlike state and makes you wonder about who you are and how your surrondings effect you. We always think that we live somewhere, but the truth is that the place often defines who we are and what we do.

After the film, not only was I ready to pack my bags and head out on an adventure, but I couldn’t help but wonder, would I be the same person in a different place, surrounded by different people? Would I ever be free enough to pick up everything and find the place that is right for me, or will I just make do with my surroundings?

Overall, this is sweet story that brings out the crazy in everyone. Everyone has their idea of what the perfect family is, what parents should be like, and what makes a good couple, but sometimes the best anyone can do, is just try to be good for someone else. Mistakes are made and no one is perfect, so why not sit back, and try to enjoy the weirdnless in life for an hour and a bit?

Check Away We Go, in theaters, June 5th. And for a chance to win the soundtrack and free tickets check out our Away We Go Caption Contest!

Check out Away We Go in theaters today, June 5th.

Exclusive Interview with Sam Mendes

Mali Elfman — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:30:13 +0000

I walked out of Sam Mendes‘ new film, Away We Go, starring Maya Rudolph and John Krasinki feeling awe-inspired and in desperate need of travel. I have long been a fan of Mendes’ work, so a chance to sit down talk to him one on one about a film I truly loved was a wonderful experience.

Mendes is was how I expected him to be. He takes his time to really think about what he wants to say and how he wants to say it. A good director is a good story-teller and I was more than willing to sit back and let him tell me his stories. He is thoughtful and thought provoking all at once.

Being around him, you get the feeling that he is, in many ways, an artist, who uses the medium of film (and stage) to tell stories, although himself in a variety of ways.

Check out what he had to say about his new film below…

When I walked out of this movie I was reminded how much traveling effects who you are. In a different place you can be an entirely different person. How did the locations help you with the story and what they meant to you?

I think you’re right. I think travel takes you out of yourself and makes you more aware of who you are under the surface of the relationships that become a little dull or a routine. For me, the travel aspect of it, it’s smoke and mirrors. When you are making a film you don’t really travel to those places; you travel and also make a movie there. Your experience of it is very odd. Now, I wish I could go out and enjoy the locations that we shot it, and treat it as a tourist, but you spend the whole time trying to look for ways of expressing the place in film. You don’t walk through the desert and see the sun come up and enjoy it the way that you would like. It’s more like “The sun’s coming up, let’s shoot!” You know? You don’t see it in a way.

What made you want to shoot a film that kept moving?

The on the road movie aspect of it, there is something beautifully simple about a road film, and I’ve always loved that as a genre. You set off on a journey from A to B, and you know you are going to meet certain people that you are going to pass through in order to get somewhere else and there are chapters within it. I think everyone secretly wants to go on a road trip and see what they discovers.

It is a mythic landscape; we live in a country that has this huge landscape. You really can get lost in America. I remember that time when they were looking for Bin Laden, and someone on CNN said, “I don’t know how you think you’re going to find this guy in a cave in Afghanistan, you know there’s like 40 people on the CIA most wanted list, and 30 of them are over in the states and nobody can find them here, so how the hell do you think you’re going to find him.” And you forget how vast the country is, and how completely untouched so much of it is. And how alone and yet, released you can feel in this landscape. That is sort of part of what the film is.

Every time they went to a new place, the people in each place was completely different. Were you able to relate to in one of them in a different way?

You bring your own associations to every story, but these where properly original characters written by original writers. I didn’t try to draw them from my own experience; I tried to render them as written and unlock them in a way, you know, I haven’t met anyone quite as extreme as Maggie Gyllenhaal characters’ about her parenting, but she has elements of certain people that I know. And so you bring little things in, but really you are trying to create original characters that stand on their own.

What was it like to have to jump from Revolutionary Road to this film Away We Go? Why did you make this film so quickly?

I needed to make this film After the bleakness of Revolutionary Road, I wanted to make something that was closer to how I felt about love. Although I’m very proud of Revolutionary Road, and loved making it. It was a very unflinching view of the world- very tough. And here is a much more hopeful film; full of joy and very funny. And it just felt absolutely right that I should go from one to the other. Sort of the flip side

It is in a way it is a similar story to Revolutionary Road; A husband and wife dealing with having children, and what are they doing with their lives. And yet it is completely and entirely different. Was it similar for you to shoot, or was it a complete new thing?

There are all sorts of echoes around. Certainly obvious ones: A couple wanting to change their lives as in the case of Revolutionary Road, can’t, and here they can. A couple that fall out of love or at least can’t stay together even though they love each other, and here they fall deeper in love. But this is the big difference: Revolutionary Road is about a couple who turns in on each other, and this is about a couple who unified and are looking out at the world. There is the usual traditional thing that you find in a romantic comedy of somebody that in a crisis and their going to split up, and then he finds through the rain to find her, or the other way around- whatever, none of that. It’s about them looking out at the world. It’s about togetherness in a way and what that means. So that is the big difference.

But in every other respect, the challenge for me was to break –I’ve done this in every movie as much as I can– to break the patterns that I got into in a previous film. Revolutionary Road was a very still; meticulous style of film-making. But the movie I did before that Jarhead was, you know, completely unplanned in a way and much looser.

Here I wanted to be loose and warm.I wanted warm tones and colors in order to feel human, and I wanted to tell a story that was just seemingly effortless; an unconventional story structure. There’s not quite nowhere we are headed and find somehow magically to arrive there at the end. And I also wanted to– And I worked with a new crew, I worked with a new cinematographer, a new editor. I didn’t work with my usual composer. I used songs. It’s one of those things- deliberate. “Wake up, do something totally different!” And it was really, really enjoyable.

What was behind the choice of not using Thomas Newton?

I didn’t feel I needed a score. I wanted a singer songwriter. I wanted something mellower, and I wanted to feel like– Music is a very sophisticated manipulation in movies. I didn’t want any level of manipulation in this film. I wanted to have a freedom from that. I didn’t want to be steering the audience in a particular direction. The music for me brings a kind of melancholy to the film that might not be available with a score because of the voice and the lyrics. I just felt like I would give it another level.

Was Thom mad at you?

[Laughs] No he’s too experienced. I just told him, “I’m doing a movie with songs.”

Every place that they went they had dinner…

[Laughs] Or a meal!

And always soup?

That’s true! Very observant.

Did you could classify them by what type of soup they were eating. Is the way one sits around a dinner important to you?

Well I didn’t write it. These guys wrote it and they wrote dinner scenes, and I really liked the fact that they stopped in every place and looked across the table at someone. And I shot them in a very similar way, deliberately, and then everything else was different. The location was different, the lighting was different, the colors were different, but the way we shot them was quite similar. I wanted for that to sort of form a spine through the movie, of the dinner scenes.

I made them eat soup, and they ate soup on three different occasions. I don’t know why, it just amused me that they had to keep eating soup! Beyond that it was really because that’s way Dave and Vendela (the writers) wrote it. And I always liked it.

I read that John was the only one that you were thinking of, for this role, nobody else. Is that true?

Well yeah. He was the first person I thought of. You obviously go, “oh what about him” and you think about other people. I’m not crazy. But he did come into my head when I read this for the first time. And I’ve worked with John before in Jarhead, before he did “The Office,” so I’ve known him a long time, and I thought he was really special then. And when I read that kind of description; the sort of gangly, loosely, and a bit crazy. That’s actually like John in life, but it’s a clean-cut image that I needed to get rid of. As an actor, I felt he had to do it. So yeah, he was the first person that came into my mind.

And Maya, I so use to seeing her do much more comedy. She is so beautiful. How did you see through her comedy exterior and know she could pull this off so well?

Yeah, I did. I mean, I never met her, I just saw her on SNL, but I loved her as a comedian, obviously. But I didn’t know she had it in her. It was one of the writers of the film, Dave Eggers, that said, “have you thought about Maya Rudolph,” and I said, “okay, I’ll meet her.” And I met her, and she came in and she read. And I turned to Dave, and said, “Well, that’s it, that’s the character!” But she didn’t push at all, she just was. She’s brought that unto the screen and really for me, it was just about making sure that the balance between them was right because John is use to being the guy in The Office, that when all the crazy things are going on, he kind of turns to the camera and goes, “Look at these crazy people.” Cause he is sort of sea level, and she is like the crazy person. Basically, high definition caricature comedy or whatever, however you want to put it. And I had to sort of re-balance it because he, of course, in the movie he is the crazier character, and she is the calm, still center of the movie.

That’s why I needed to rehearse them for a couple of weeks, I needed them to sort of shift over and make them comfortable in areas that they are not use to being in. Off camera they got along like a house on fire, and they made each other laugh the whole time and they are very, very similar in their sense of humor which was great. John was very admiring of Maya’s work, and that really helped, you know other things, lucky things. Maya had a baby so she knows how it feels like to be pregnant, and had recently been pregnant. So that feeling, both external, how you walk, how you sit, how you feel, your self-consciousness, your embarrassment about your body, all of those things. And also what happens to your heart during that period, you know what I mean, those things were still available to her. Not to say that you can’t act being pregnant if you haven’t been, but it just added another dimension that self-ness of worth that she brought.

Even for me, you know, I had the highest regards for her she even blew me away. I think she’s just magical, I think they both are. They both are amazing. Because the movie is about a couple as a union; they are one really, looking at the world. And that is sort of what is so moving about it.

The sex scene at the beginning, was not necessarily graphic, but extremely realistic. Was that awkward for them or did you shoot that at the beginning?

We shot it right at the beginning. I made a decision, which was that sometimes it is good to just confront those things at the beginning. And once you’ve done them, it’s like, there’s nothing left to be embarrassed about, you know what I mean. If you wait until the end, let’s wait a couple of weeks ’til they’re comfortable with each other, it hangs over people, you know, “oh shoot we’ve got to do that scene in the beginning.” So I did it, and self-consciousness goes out the window. You’d have to ask Maya, she’s very funny about it, she’s like, “I can’t believe it’s two days into my first movie, I’m playing a lead role and he’s going down on me.” I thought it was fantastic, and they were great, but that was also because we rehearsed a lot and I prepared them for it. They felt pretty relaxed.

I don’t know if you can talk at all about any future projects? I saw that you had two in possible pre-production?

The dreaded IMBD that lists, and it’s all about five years out of date. At one point they listed that I was going to co-direct The Phantom of The Opera with Shakur Kapur.

Did you just think, “I am?” Do you ever have to make any phone calls?

I think I said “What?” But, no, basically two movies and two plays and I’m just coming up for air now, and having the summer off. And I’ll kind of work it out, but I’ve learned not to predict anything and do something that surprises me.

Do you like to approach film the same way that you like to approach theater, because normally you rehearse more in theater, but you like to rehearse a lot with your films as well.

I just tend to factor in working with the actors in my pre-production. I rehearse for a long time, and yes, it feels comfortable to me, and that is how I like to work. I find it easier to work with actors when I am shooting, when I rehearsed with them first. You save so much time. They know what you want, and you learn about them, and how they work.

Do you prefer one of the other, theater or movies?

When I finished the play, I’m desperate to make a movie, and when I make a movie, I can’t wait to get back to the theater. It’s very nice to have the option of doing both.

It doesn’t happen very often.

No, I mean, one day they’ll take the money away, but for the moment I’m all right.

You’re going to keep going with it….

Until they say, Stop!

Sam’s new film, Away We Go, starring Maya Rudolph and John Krasinki will be in theaters this Friday, June 5th! And for a chance to win the soundtrack and free tickets check out our Away We Go Caption Contest!

Maya Rudolph Interview for Away We Go

Mali Elfman — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:00:24 +0000

Maya Rudolph is the shining star in Away We Go. Although she and John Krasinski were beautiful together and the supporting cast was amazing, no one was as subtle, strong, and engaging as Maya in the role of Verona in Sam Mendes new film.

Many of us are used to Maya’s deadly humor from SNL, but in Away We Go, she leaves the jokes to those around her and emerges as one of the most charming and endearing dramatic actresses that we’ve seen on screen in a long time.

Although, during the interview, she definitely wasn’t afraid to joke around and it’s clear that she is not only dangerously funny, but extremely intelligent. Check out what she had to say below…

So how did it happen for you?

Maya Rudolph: I read it a long time ago. I think before anyone was really making it after Dave and Vendela wrote it and–

Did you know them?

Maya: No, I didn’t know them. Someone told me that they wrote it with me in mind, but I didn’t believe them because I didn’t know them. I didn’t know Dave and Vendela before this, and I was a fan. I was kind of blown away, I immediately fell in love with the characters that they wrote, and the story, and the way that they wrote it and so I kind of stalked them for a while, and just tried to get the message that if they ever made this movie, I would love to be a part of it. Once Sam was making it, I tried really hard to get in there and meet him and I did, then I read for him, and I was told that John was attached and that I would have to come read with John. I was like, all right. John Krasinski, I’ll do it. I knew John very preferably; we had mutual friends, but I really liked his work. I walked in the room, you know when I met him, and immediately it was so fun and easy. He’s lovable and fantastic, and like he was saying how much he wanted to do this with me. It was just easy, really easy.

We heard that for six hours, on the first day of shooting, he was under the covers between your legs. He said he was mortified.

Maya: He should have been- that’s a dangerous area. What do you do, when someone that you barely know is down there, and the only thing between you and him is like three pairs of biker shorts. It was really humiliating. It was the first day of work; it could not have gotten more embarrassing. But I think Sam did it on purpose because he wanted us to get to know each other quickly to get it over with. I didn’t have it hanging over my head for like a month. It’s not my usual scene that I am accustomed to doing.

What do you find to be the most enduring part of the Verona that you connect with?

Maya: She’s really easy going, which is what I love. My dad saw the movie and every time I’m like, “god this is bothering me,” he’s like, “channel your inner Verona.” All right hippie dog! But I fell in love with her love for Burt. I feel like Burt’s really alive when he’s with Verona. And I feel like he kind of exist because of her and I love that so much. There was nothing big about it, it wasn’t like the big, romantic, but it was really simple and sweet. The way people complement each other is just very simple. I love that she just accepted him and put up with him at times, and it really wasn’t the big of a deal. He was just special because he was special to her.

How difficult is it to star in a movie when everyday you’re in a pregnant suit that makes you look like you’re in your ninth month?

Maya: Well, the fact that it looked so much better than how I was when I really was in my ninth month was awesome. It was so much lighter, and it was so much easier than being pregnant. It had a waddle and it came naturally. The drag is the get up itself, is a pain in the ass. It’s like an old tiny bathing suit with a zipper in the back and you have to be harnessed in you got to have someone dressing you all the time, and when you have to pee, you have to take the whole damn thing off. I felt like in volute every day, but it was fun to take it off.

How did your impression of John change from the beginning to the end of the film?

Maya: I hated him like more and more- no. I love him so much. I couldn’t imagine making this movie with anybody else, and I can’t imagine somebody who is more interested in our relationship on and off screen, like taking care of each other and making sure were both okay in this because it’s really the two of us who need to do this for each other. He is totally dedicated. He wanted this to be as good as I wanted it to be and he loved it as much as I loved it. We got to create something special together, which just bonded us for life. And he’s just such a good man, and you know, a good person to play guitar her with. He’ll listen to your problems, he’ll eat with you whenever you want; he’s a sweetheart.

Was the beard a problem?

Maya: I loved it. I didn’t know John without his beard; it’s freaking me out. He looks like a baby. He shaved it right after the last day of shooting. The last scene is when where are in Montreal and we are about to get in the car and then he was like, alright, say goodbye to my beard and my hair, and I was like, what do you mean, where’s Burt going. And he shaved his beard and I was like, what are you a child? He looks like 14. Even though I knew who Jim from “The Office” was, I still don’t know that man, he is an importer of my friend Burt.

How did you find your could relate to some of the tragedies in Verona’s life?

I think Verona and I have similarity in terms of like, we lost our parents; I can relate to that exhibit, but I think that she transforms that pain into her life- that’s were her things comes. I think she really just shot off, emotionally from that aspect of her life. I think Burt is the only one that says, “I know you don’t want to get married because of your parents,” but she doesn’t agree or disagree and she never really affirms it she just listens to him. Because I don’t think she knows the answer. I never felt, oh this why she is not doing it. It’s not written. It wasn’t easy for her. She absolutely loved him and these was no question and I think that made there love so much more obvious and stronger in the idea that there are a thousand ways to be together and to show your love. And their love wasn’t going anywhere.

Do you think that is what makes it so unique? Most movies are in preys of conventional marriage and it’s like the dream of so many women in movies to walk down the aisle.

Maya: I heard Vendela talk about it very recently, and she was talking about it, that when they were writing it she had two wishes, which were: she didn’t want them to have a big dramatic break up and have her storm out, and have a montage with some weird music, and she didn’t feel like she had to wrap it up and have them get married. When they were setting out to write a movie, she didn’t want those typical things, whether or not that was like a writing challenge, I don’t know. But I like that it’s not perfect and that it is very similar to the way that life is not the way that it is in movies and I feel like they are really an honest couple. It speaks for itself, if they didn’t love each other, it would be very confusing.

Sam has worked with Kate, of course, professionally after being together for many, many years. Would you and your husband Paul ever work together?

Maya: We did a play together. Paul and I and our friend did a really fun– I don’t know if it was a play, what the hell was it? It was a reading, comedy hour. I was almost like a radio show, but there was no radio and no one was recording it, I don’t really know what it was. It was great; it was at our friend’s theater Largo.

How was the traveling?

Maya: It was nice. It was actually nice to finally get out of Connecticut. So much was shot in Connecticut even though it was not meant to be Connecticut, ever like Connecticut for Colorado and Montreal and Madison, and it was weirdly raining the whole time. We were ready to go. But then we went straight to like Phoenix, which was brutally hot, and painfully hot. It was all outside. I don’t understand how people do it. I would see people outside at midnight, in parking lots, and I was like, what are they all doing, I didn’t know anybody was here. And it was a flea market because they could only do it at night because it was so hot. All the people I talked to were like,” oh it’s great here in the winter.” But what about the summer? What are you doing here? You are going to kill yourself! It was really painfully hot, but then we went to Miami, which was fun for me because I have family there; my dad’s side of the family, everyone lives in Miami. My parents are more like Burt, and they like traveled around looking for a place to live and found this weird hippie college town and settled down and stuff.

So how may takes and how much downtime did you have going on considering it was you, Allison, Catherine– three of the funniest women out there, today?

Maya: We started to get in trouble the day of Catherine O’Hara and Jeff Daniels that was problematic. Because her talking about the fireman coming and when they are saying grace, they had a much longer version of it, where he was saying, “Oh mighty gathered!” I was trying so hard not to laugh and then she started some weird chant, and it was painfully fantastic. That was painful, but we got through it, but then we were completely unprofessional the day of Jim Gaffigan’s rant about the water and mammals and insects and we got in trouble. I laughed the least because I am a good girl, but it was really hard. It was very painful and very difficult.

Did Sam have you do a lot of takes of every scene?

Maya: We did a lot. I remember eating a lot of soup both times. And I think we were up pretty late eating soup, and then we were tired, and I was crying because I was laughing, my eyeballs stung because they were kind of red because I had been laughing, and snot had been coming out of my nose, and I was eating that soup, and I think I actually, technically fell asleep for one second during that scene. I think I was a sleep for like a nano-second. It was mortifying.

What’s next for you?

Maya: A lot of sleep. I am doing a comedy this summer with Adam Sandler and Chris Rock, David Spade and all of those super nice funny guys. It’s going to be awesome.

What is the film?

Maya: It’s a porno– no it’s a comedy. It’s going to be really fun, there is going to be so many great people and Salma Hayek is in it, Maria Bello and like super cool ladies are in it and Colin Quinn, but I go to know Colin off the show, but I feel like i’m related to all of the SNL cast members somehow, even though we weren’t there at the same time. I’m looking forward to having a fun summer.

Do you miss the show?

Maya: Oh yeah, I will always miss it. I love it. It’s my home.

What do you want the audience to take away from this film?

Maya: I’m so happy to know that people are responding to Burt and Verona the way that they are, and to feel that they are a real couple because they are sort of their own thing and that’s what so nice that people are responding to it. It’s so special to me that it’s relatable to. And I hope a lot of people grow bears because beards are coming back like big time, for women too.

Check out Maya in Away We Go, which will be in theaters starting tomorrow, June 5th. And for a chance to win the soundtrack and free tickets check out our Away We Go Caption Contest!

Interview with John Krasinski for Away We Go

Mali Elfman — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:00:20 +0000

This is not the John Krasinski you have all grown to know and love as Jim from “The Office.” The Away We Go Krasinski has a beard… as well as a completely different persona that you will be able to love equally as much as Jim but in an entirely different way.

Krasinski is not only charming in a slightly nerdy and yet adorable way, but he is completely humble and in awe of the position he has found himself in, which is one where Sam Mendes calls him up and says “you’re the only one for this film.” His role in Away We Go shows us an entirely new side of the actor and with undoubtedly push his career even further.

Check out what he has to say below…

How did you get this role?

John: It will never look good in print, but this is the story that happened: I got a call from Sam Mendes when I was on “The Office” and [he] said, “I just read the script and I think I’m going to do it and I can’t see anybody else doing the role, but you.”

How cool is that though?

John: It’s so cool. After I passed out, had a nosebleed and woke up, it was really cool. But I think I was useless on the show that day because I was completely in space. And yes, there was a small part of me that thought, wow Clooney is an incredibly complex prankster. He’s the type that can get Sam Mendes to make that call, and the be like, remember when your life was awesome, it was all a joke.

Did you call Clooney and ask if it was a joke?

John: I definitely looked outside my trailer because he would also get on set because he is so charming and just smiles at people and everybody falls to the ground. No, it was awesome, and I actually did talk to George about doing the movie later. You know, it’s a no brainer to do a movie like this and work with Sam.

Did they envision you for this movie with a beard or was that your idea?

John: No, that was Sam’s idea. Right from the beginning, I believe it’s in the script too; I was want a full beard and long hair. I know, partly, that he wanted to get away from any comparison to “The Office.” And I really commended him for being honest about it. Getting right through, and the funny thing is, “The Office,” is not one of the jobs you want to get away from. It’s not one of those things like, “When are you going to break free of ‘The office?’” Oh no, I beg that they bring me back every year. And Sam’s a big fan of the show, which is awesome, but he wanted this to be something different, something special, and I think that it is something different for him too.

One of the questions that I got asked right when I got the movie, “Really, Sam Mendes is doing a comedy?” Which if you are as good as he is, a movie is a movie whether you’re doing a comedy or drama. To be honest, in my opinion, I think that Sam Mendes is the greatest story telling director out there. That’s no disrespect to any other director because obviously people are making incredible movies, but there is something about Sam’s ability to tell the story of the relationship so intimately and specifically that no one else can do, I think. That probably has a lot to do with his theater background, but having him at the hound, the movie was something special right away.

Although it has it’s moments it’s not an Apatow or Ferrell comedy, it’s more real. How do you describe the comedic tone?

John: I think it’s a comedy the way that life is a comedy. I don’t think life isn’t funny in the way of dogs biting you in the butt and running away from moving trucks, or something like that. It’s more subtle than that, hopefully. Although, if someone’s like is really like that, I want to meet them. I don’t see it as a comedy necessarily, I think, again not to sound totally cliché, but there is something about it; it’s almost more of an honest movie. I think that how honest it is what is so special about it. Especially in the romantic sense.

Dave Eggers wrote these characters so well. People said to me, “you’re not a soon to be dad, what did you base your character on?” And I said, just you know, there is so much to base it on, when someone writes a script that good, and it’s very rare that someone writes the parts so well, you don’t even really have to think, you just show up. They wrote it really well, and there is something about that type of relationship that I not only respect, but I am in total awe of. It’s not always about flowers and diamonds, it’s really about secret languages and knowing everything at a glance, and that relationship is something I admire in real life too.

Your relationship with Maya is so sweet and so endearing, and you have so much chemistry together. Was that due to rehearsals; was that due to the script?

John: We fell in love. [He jokes of them falling in love in real life, and nonchalantly saying that, to her husband, it doesn't matter because he has their daughter.]

Maya truly is, in my opinion, is one of my favorite people to watch. She has always been one of my favorite people to watch, period. I think on SNL, she brought a completely unique take to the show, and her characters and her energy. I think, I also reached stalker status at SNL because I went to visit friends and just sit behind the scenes, like I was totally that nerd.

Maya is dangerously funny. I pray, I’m actually never driving a car when she is with me because, I will crash. She is that funny. I mean, crying laughing before takes. And then, they’d call action, and most of the time, you’re like, no, that’s not going to happen because we have tears running out our face and that’s not going to be good for anybody.

When I actually got to do the movie with her– we had known each other through friends, a little bit– But to sit down and start rehearsing and things like that, I instantly knew that she would be one those people that would be a best friend. Someone to go through anything with, not just this movie, and we did that before the first day of shooting. We became really good friends, and then it also helps to shoot the, in the bed shot, like first or second. It was extremely awkward. I think more for her than me, because her face was showing. I could be under there just crying and people wouldn’t know. It was a very smart move on Sam’s part, I think to put that up first because if you can get through that then you could pretty much get through anything for the rest of the movie.

How were you guys that morning before the “sex” scene?

John: It was like a seventh grade dance. Overly saying hello to people. Like, “Hello, how are you?” Just trying to get your mind off of what was about to happen. I wouldn’t say I am a shy guy when it comes to scenes like that, but you almost get shy because you respect the person so much and you’re having such a good time getting to know them, and it’s like, now I will between your legs for the next six hours.

Aren’t you glad they didn’t do the whole birth thing?

John: I know, right? You know it’s funny because I think that Sam said, this isn’t a pregnancy movie. You can say it, as many times as you want, but until people see the movie they won’t believe you. And no disrespect to Knocked Up, or any of those movies, the truth is, this is just a different movie. To me, it has nothing to do with the fact that we are having a baby. It has everything to do with the fact that getting pregnant and having a baby is a catalyst to actually focusing on ourselves in a new way.

Maya says it because she has had experience with it; I have not. But that when you are pregnant, you realize how selfish a life you live and then all of a sudden you have to revaluate everything. Not only what is my life going to be for this child, but like, am I doing everything that I wanted to do, who am I, am I with the right person? All of those things. And I ‘m 29 years-old and that’s the stuff that I am going through right now, and of course, I have an incredibly gifted existence right now, but at the same time, on a more personal side of it; with friends, and being away from my family, and not seeing my niece and nephews enough. You are always constantly wondering if the choices you are making are the right ones. I think it is a huge universal issue. I don’t think people stop wondering were they belong and it’s a movie about belonging, I think. And that is both awesome and horrifying, at the same time.

So did you have any hesitation playing a character named Burt Farlander?

John: You know, when I read the name Burt, I was like, that just doesn’t sound right. It’s also really hard to tell the writers, rename your character for me. But when you actually get into shooting and rehearsing, it’s like; of course that’s his name. That is the only name for that character, and it was funny. We talked throughout the movie about it, a little bit that there is like this Burt-esque thing that happens later so the word Burt kind of meant this overly positive almost childlike way to approach things. And Sam would be like, “Oh yeah, that’s very Burt!” There were things that were very Burt throughout the whole movie usually, which were things that were nice so that helps. You never want to be the character that people are like, yeah, you never want to be like that, ever. But yeah, it was awesome playing a guy named Burt Farlander.

Did you ever wonder why Sam was having you eat so much soup in he film?

John: I love soup! He didn’t know that, but for some reason we never got off the starters in all these scenes. We’re never actually gone into an entree, which I think it’s actually kind of funny. For me, it was awesome because I actually get to slurp soup in the movie. And you’ll notice that I am eating it a lot. But everyone else is like, this is a prop and I was like, this is dinner!

Did you really travel to those different locations that are in the movie?

John: Pretty much. We were in Connecticut for six weeks so that stood in for Madison, Denver- the house, but then we actually traveled to Tucson and to Phoenix, and to Orlando, and to Miami. So we actually did a lot of travel. Not Montreal, that was good old New Haven… surprise! It was nice to have the first six weeks, because we did all the traveling in the end, which I think is really nice because then you feel like you’re on the road with a band, or something. There is sort of, a lot less, sort of rigid behavior because you’re just having a blast being on the road, and yes it’s still exciting to like, be in a hotel with Maya and Sam, and like going to dinner, and you kind of hope, your parents aren’t watching for some reason

Do you have a place were you would like to live?

John: Yeah, I mean, I’m living out here, and I don’t hate it anymore, I think when you’re from east coast and you land in L.A., you’re like, nope too different. It is so spread out here. I grew up in Boston, so you have the city, and then you have all of the suburbs, so there’s that rhyme or reason, and there is no rhyme or reason out here.

I personally saw that as a plus later because the thing about L.A., it’s one of the most malleable places I’ve ever known. You can turn it into whatever you want, so this can be New York City, if you want it to be, or it could be the middle of Montana. I thought about it a lot were I wanted to live and there is still something about New York, I was there for about four years before I came out here, and you got to respect the city that dictates where you’re going and how you’re doing it whether you’re having a good day or a bad day.

Aren’t you now, in a movie with Meryl Strep, or have you done that already?

[Jokes about his life being a George Clooney prank.]

John: I’m in the middle of shooting that movie right now like I said I want to work with someone good. Yeah, I’m working with Meryl now, in the Untitled Nancy Meyers Project, which I think that title has a ring to it.

Are you Meryl’s lover in this movie?

John: Unfortunately not. That would be more awkward than being with Maya. But no, I am playing Meryl’s daughters’ fiancée. It’s a smaller part, and I love Nancy’s movies, I think that there is something incredibly uplifting and fun about the way that she sees the world, at least in her films, so it’s fun. And I think, when they tell you, that all your scenes will be with Meryl, Alec or Steve Martin, you’re like, yes, I will do that!

Does she hate you? Is that the problem?

John: No, she actually loves me. I’m sort of the good guy in the middle of a love triangle that she has. I’m sort of, I represent the really good guy that her daughter happens to be with, and she would like to find happiness too.

You made your own film, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men how is that coming along?

John: We actually have a couple of distributors now, and I am hoping that it will be coming out in the fall. That’s what they tell me. It’s two days away from being official, and I’ll announce it from my rooftop.

So what do you want to do? Using “The Office” as a base, of being able to do a movie for three years, if you want to?

John: Even you saying it, it must sound weird, because you’re like, you’re on the show, you’re doing this- its completely and totally surreal. There is no other word for it. And the truth is, like I said, having “The Office” be your “day job” that you can go back to is insane. It’s insane that you go and do a movie that you have a lot of fun on and then you have to go back and work at “The Office”— it makes no sense. I’ve also been incredibly fortunate to, really have these people choose to work with me.

Even from License to Wed, my first big movie, that was a director on the office, Ken Kwapis, who said, “I want to do this movie with you.” These are opportunities that I thought would take forever and yet I scurried to the issue with a lot of people because they took a chance on me, and I am completely indebted to Ken, and George taking a chance on me to play that big a role in a movie that he had so much stock in. It was such an honor to work with him and Renee, and then to do this; to have Sam call you out-of-the blue and just say, “I want you to do this movie.” It’s insane. I think I am waiting for the other huge show to drop. And I hope it doesn’t happen any time soon because I’m having a blast.

I’m happy to do small parts, big parts, whatever, as long as it is working on movies that are this good. And honestly I think that it’s so weird to be a part of a movie like Away We Go, because in all honesty, this is the movie that at the Arclight, and then be like, “Oh my god, you guys have to go see this movie.” And I would tell all my friends about it, but you can’t when your name is on the poster. That just sounds weird.

Check out the film in select theaters starting this Friday June 5th and for a chance to win a free soundtrack and gift cards, compete in our Away We Go Caption Competition!

Away We Go Soundtrack and Gift Card Giveaway

Laura Aguirre — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:10:54 +0000

We are giving away some great stuff for the upcoming comedy Away We Go by Oscar Winning director Sam Mendes, which will hit selected theaters on June 5th. The film stars The Office’s John Krasinski and SNL’s Maya Rudolph as Burt and Verona; a thirty something year-old couple who hit the road in search of a perfect place to raise their soon-to-be born child.

In honor of this funny, romantic and honest comedy were giving a copy of soundtrack, T-Shirts, posters and some AMC gift certificates.

Find out how to win after the trailer for the film below…

Did you enjoy it? If you did then this free giveaway is for you, or at most five of you.

We are giving away 5 copies of the official movie soundtrack, 5 Away We Go T-shirts and 5 posters to 5 lucky winners. The soundtrack includes tracks from Indie artist Alexi Murdoch‘s debut album Time Without Consequence, and classics by Bob Dylan, The Velvet Underground, George Harrison, and The Stranglers. The soundtrack is available for digital release June 2nd, and in store shelves until June 23rd.

And for our grand prize two luckier winners will be getting an extra $25 AMC gift card, which they can use to take themselves and a friend and a half to go see Away We Go (or any other movie of your choice)!

Here is how to play in our Away We Go Caption Contest:

All you have to do is write a great caption for one of the two pictures below before June 16th at noon. Let us know if you’re using the first or second picture and then leave your witty caption in a comment box below.

Remember, only two lucky winners will get an $25 gift card, so be creative and funny!

Picture Option #1:

Picture Option #2:

The winners will be announced Tuesday June 16th and e-mails will be sent by noon.

Check out more pictures and clips from the film below:

Going to be Superb Clip:

Look at You Clip:

The film is in select theaters starting this Friday, June 5th and then in the following weeks will hopefully open nationwide!

Remember that in order to play you must:

Have a shipping address in the United States
You must leave an e-mail address that we can reach you at (we promise not to spam you)
If you win, you will have one week to respond to an e-mail that we will send to you. If you do not respond within one week your prize will be given to another contestant.

Good luck!

ScreenCrave.com » Away We Go

Trailer Park: 10 Clichés Of The Indie Dramedy Trailer

10. Hand Drawn Fonts

9. Blankly Staring Into Space

8. Smoking Is Cool

7. Cute Noises (Wink, Camera Shutter, Record Scratch, Etc.)

6. The Fight Scene

5. Moving In Slow Motion (Or Time Lapse)

4. Quirky Dancing

3. Quotes Of Validity

2. Jumping Into Pools

1. The Indie Rock Soundtrack

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