The conversation with a famous film director

Journalist: I’m going to write an article about the prize-winning films of the festival and their creators. And I’m very happy to make my first interview with you, Donald. Your new musical got 4 prizes: for the best direction, best female part, best script and best music. You are a brilliant dancer, actor, choreographer and one of the most famous film directors. Your contribution into cinematography is enormous. I’m a great fan of your work and I think the story of your success will be an inspiration to young people all over the world. I mean, I want your story from the very beginning.

Film director: OK. Well, my mother loved theatre and she was the one who sent me to dancing school. So while my friends were playing football I was taking dance lessons. Then I studied at college, had musical training in Conservatory of Fine Arts, entered the University, Drama Department. I taught at a local studio to pay my education. I also performed with my brother Fred. We worked hard and in few years we were ready to go on a dance concert tour. Audiences everywhere adored us. After that I made my way to the Broadway stage and played small roles there.

Journalist: I know you met your wife when you were taking part in one of the Broadway performances.

Film director: You are absolutely right. We met while we were playing in the popular musical comedy ‘Diamond Horseshoe’. It was my first lead on the Broadway.

Journalist: I heard that Betsy had an accident in that performance. How did it happen?

Film director: One day during the performance she jumped over the table and twisted her ankle. She couldn’t dance after that for some weeks.

Journalist: When did you start working in cinema?

Film director: I was 27 when I got married and we decided to move to California. We rented a flat. I couldn’t find a job. At last I got a role in an action film.

Journalist: What role was it the main or supporting?

Film director: You probably will be surprised, but I started working as a stuntman. I had a lot of work. My roles in the films were interesting and sophisticated. One day a famous producer saw some rushes with my participation, asked the director who the stuntman was and offered me to discuss a contract with MGM studio. My film career began. And I played a lot of different roles – the main and supporting, more or less successful, I took part in musical films as a choreographer before turning to film direction and shooting my first film. It was musical, of course.

Journalist: And now traditional, but very important question – your next film. Is it true that you are going to shoot a psychological drama?

Film director: Yes, I want to try to film something different. Two years ago my friend brought me his screenplay. It was based on real events. Now I’m working out a shooting script, doing storyboards with the production designer and casting actors. We are going to film most of the scenes on location. I think we’ll start shooting in two months.

Journalist: Is your wife going to take part in this movie?

Film director: It depends on her plans. She is going on a big tour next month.

Journalist: Can I ask you some more questions about your new film project? And can I also talk to Betsy?

Film director: Yes, of course. Betsy is making lunch at the moment. She likes cooking. She thinks it’s very relaxing.

Exercise 36 Tell about the director’s career in your own words.

Exercise 37 Pair work. Make up an interview with a famous director (actor, director of photography, screenwriter, production designer, costume designer, film animator, sound designer, producer) and then play it out. Speak about his/her biography, the beginning of the career, his/her first success, important events and creative work, plans for the future.

The screen’s favourite spy

James Bond creator was novelist Ian Fleming. Between 1950 and his death in 1964, Fleming wrote 14 Bond adventures.

Ian Fleming was born in 1908. He studied at Eton, a famous British private school. Then Fleming graduated from Sandhurst Military Academy. His first job was for the Reuters News Agency. During the Second World War he was a Commander in British Naval Intelligence. There he leant a lot about spies, spying and secret operations. After the war Fleming traveled frequently while he was working for a newspaper company. He fell in love with Jamaica and built a house called «Goldeneye». There in 1950 he wrote «Casino Royale», the first Bond novel.

Half the world’s population has seen a Bond movie – it’s one of the most successful series in film history. But why? What is it about 007 that audiences love so much? The answer lies in the Bond formula. This is a mixture of elements which appear in every film. It includes: fantasy, exotic locations, charming women, adventure, gadgets, humour, the cool, tough, sophisticated and very «British» character of James Bond himself.

And what's it like to be in a Bond film? One person who knows is actor Thomas Wheatley. He appeared in «The Living Daylights» as «Saunders», a British agent who helps 007 on a mission in Vienna. In one of his interviews he said:

«I was very lucky to get the part. The casting director saw me when I was taking part in one of BBC TV plays. She asked me to come for an interview where I just chatted to the producer, director and writer. There was no screen test or anything. Then a few hours later they rang to say I'd got the part. It was my first film, so I was very,veryexcited.

The script arrived almost immediately. I read it and signed the contract. After that the costumes were made. I needed seven different suits. We shot all scenes with my participation in two places. There was a fortnight on location in Vienna, then we did all the interior scenes at Pinewood Studios near London. It was very easy for me to work with Timothy Dalton. It was his first Bond film, so he was a little bit nervous, but he didn't show it. He was completely relaxed while we were filming. Very funny, too. I enjoyed working with him a lot. And I can say that the crew was like a family. They all worked together so often before and they were all very polite and generous too. They made «new boys» like me feel very welcome. The worst moment of being in «The Living Daylights» was dying. My character, Saunders, was cut in two by sliding glass doors - very nasty. As for the best moment, well - that was probably the big scenes where there were hundreds of extras and technicians. Being a part of something enormous and complex like that is a real thrill. And I was very exited at the premiere at the Odeon cinema, Leicester Square. The Prince and Princess of Wales were the guests of honour, so everybody was dressed-up. They even re­named Leicester Square, «James Bond Square» for the evening. You know, it was the first time I'd seen the film. Before that I'd only seen a rough-cut. It was strange to watch myself up there on the big screen. In fact I enjoyed the whole thing - being in «The Living Daylights», I mean – from the very beginning to the end.»