On January 6, 2017, "Star Wars Story: Rogue One" was released in the mainland, a full 40 years after the first Star Wars movie swept the North American film market in 1977. As the first independent spin-off of the Star Wars series, Rogue One no longer features the gifted Skywalker family, and the Jedi knights armed with lightsabers are also extinct. In its place is a group of civilian heroes made up of "minorities". They did not leave their names in the history, but they exchanged their heroic sacrifices for the crucial Design of the Death Star, and also ignited the "new hope" of the rebels to resist the rule of the Empire.
Whether it is a new story content, the praise of an unsung hero, or a magnificent war scene, "Rogue One" is a "subversive" breakthrough and adventure for the old science fiction classic of "Star Wars", how does director Edwards find a balance between inheritance and breakthrough, and how do many leading actors stand out in the "heroes" Star Wars universe? With questions in mind, 1905 Movie Network interviewed the film's five main creators: director Gary Edwards, starring Felicity Jones, Diego Runa, Donnie Yen and Jiang Wen, and asked them to share with us the creative story behind the "modern" Star Wars story of Rogue One.
Rogue One director Gary Edwards
Garys Edwards: If it only gets a positive one, I hope it comes from George Lucas
For Garyce Edwards, who was born in 1975, "Star Wars" is an integral part of childhood memories. He did not hide his identity as a "die-hard fan of Star Wars" and admitted that in his early 40s, he still lived in his heart the "little boy" who was obsessed with the "Force".
George Lucas, the creator of the Star Wars universe, is a "godfather" of Edwards. In 2010, Edwards became a hit with an indie science fiction film with a $15,000 investment, Monsters, whose special effects production was inspired by Lucas, "I couldn't have done this film without Lucas," Edwards said.
Remarkablely, the star wars galucas fan did not intend to make Rogue One a copy of the star wars series' clumsy, Edwards said that he wanted to shoot a different "modern" version of the Star Wars story: "This movie is very independent and special. Because he only has one, there won't be a second and a third, so we have the privilege of making it different and trying a lot of things that we've never tried before, both in terms of shooting and story style. ”
What excites Edwards even more is that this "innovation" has also been recognized by George Lucas. "I got a call from George during a meeting with the special effects team and he said he really liked Rogue One," Edwards said, "And if it only gets a positive review I would like it to come from George Lucas, because he's the godfather of the Star Wars series and that's why it's all there." ”
Director Garys Edwards on the set of Rogue One
1905 Movie Network: Are you a fan of the Star Wars series? What does Star Wars mean to you personally?
Garyce Edwards: The Star Wars series has a wide fan base around the world, which is one of the reasons we made this film. I'm one of them, I'm 40 years old and still a "big boy". But a lot of people my age already have kids and they can take them to see them, just like our parents took us to see them in the '70s.
I'm pleased that there's a lot of feedback from the audience that their kids love Rogue One so much, just like we liked Star Wars back then, which is a bit of a "pass on the torch." This connection between parents and children is at the heart of the Star Wars series. I still remember my parents taking me to see Star Wars, and it was very family-oriented. The generation gap between parents and children seems to shorten in two hours, you become closer, and the cycle of this relationship is very interesting.
1905 Movie Network: Unlike other "Star Wars" films that highlight individual heroes, Rogue One seems to emphasize team spirit more, right?
Garys Edwards: Yes. The Star Wars series has always been about heroes, but the background in which this movie takes place is very special. Magic is no longer there, everyone has lost faith and hope, and I am trying to retrieve these. It is precisely because there is no "chosen one" and no hero to save the world that you can see a group of brave people gathered together to change the world through teamwork.
I think it sends a more positive message to the kids that you don't have to be born noble, or have special abilities, or be gifted. All you need to do is believe in yourself and make a choice. It doesn't matter if you've made a bad decision before, many of the characters in the film have a disgraceful past. I think these resonate more with the audience, and when you see that ordinary people can make a difference, when they believe that supporting each other can change the world, it's more exciting than the Jedi franchise.
Stills of the five main members of Rogue One
1905 Movie Network: In Rogue One, all the protagonists are sacrificed at the end of the film, which seems to be different from the usual style of Hollywood blockbusters, why set such an ending?
Garys Edwards: I was very fortunate to be allowed to design such an ending. Usually such blockbusters will always have various restrictions and resistances, and the plot must always conform to certain rules and regulations, and these are all for the purpose of making money. But the Star Wars movies are different, and I'm proud that I was able to stick to my ideas in the end. What really measures a person is not time but what you've done. Life is so precious, you can choose to be greedy for life and afraid of death and do nothing, or you can grasp every minute and second to try to change the world. The protagonists in the film have made choices, and the outcome is not under their control.
1905 Movie Network: The visuals of Rogue One are refreshing, finding a balance between retro and modern, how did you do it?
Garys Edwards: We used a state-of-the-art 4x resolution camera for the shoot, but at the same time we didn't want the whole film to look too modern or too perfect because the star wars style of photography was so beautiful and had an epic retro vibe. So we also used the footage we used in the dusty 50s when we shot the old version of the "Bin Hu" movie. The two companies had never worked together, and we got them together very well. When using computer-generated post-effects, we also tried to keep the original style of the "Star Wars" movie when using computer-generated post-effects.
For example, we put the unused aviator footage from previous films in this film after processing. I used to worry that the details, which were only prepared for some Star Wars fans, would be half the work, but when I heard the cheers from everyone seeing these shots at the premiere, I thought it was all worth it. There are many more details like this, and we pay great attention to the continuity of the graphics between the world of Rogue One and the original Star Wars series.
The Death Star overlooks the planet Jada
Planetary surface landscape in Rogue One
1905 Movie Network: In Rogue One, you used CGI technology to bring Governor Tarkin back from the dead, how did you consider that?
Garyce Edwards: The idea came from the film's visual director, John Knoll, who was a genius and one of the inventors of the Photoshop software, and the story of the film was also the first one he came up with. He told me that Star Wars movies are always pushing the limits of technology, and we should also try something special in Rogue One. I really enjoy the audience's reactions, when they know they're going to see something that's completely impossible to happen.
Pete Cushing, who played Governor Tarkin in A New Hope, died in 1994, and Rogue One used CGI technology to bring him back to the screen. (CGI composite Governor Tarkin on the left, Guy Henry on the right)
1905 Movie Network: China's Star Wars culture and fan base are not as deep as those in the United States, how do you expect Chinese audiences to react to Rogue One?
Garyce Edwards: When we made Rogue One, we wanted audiences who hadn't seen the Star Wars series to enjoy the film. We hope that after seeing this movie, the audience will be interested in the entire Star Wars series and will be able to see other movies. Interestingly, Rogue One is closely linked to A New Hope, so if it can pique the audience's interest, they can start from the first one, just like we did back then, Rogue One will be a very good plot introduction.
Rogue One is the second collaboration between Zhen Zidan and Jiang Wen
An international cast spanning four continents is a feature of Rogue One. For some Chinese film fans who are not familiar with the "Star Wars" universe, the two Chinese actors in Cass, Zhen Zidan and Jiang Wen, are undoubtedly one of the highlights. The two had collaborated as early as the 2011 movie "Guan Yunchang", playing Guan Yu and Cao Cao separately, and played a good play of "love and killing each other". Who knows that years later, the two met again in Hollywood blockbusters, and the nearly five months of shooting have also made them good brothers fighting side by side inside and outside the play.
In the movie, Zhen Zidan's Qiru Yingwei and Jiang Wen's Baez Mabus are important members of the rebel squad, not only not the role of soy sauce, but also the strength to show a "love", although the usual mouth is constantly mixed, but at the critical moment to support each other, full of chemical reaction. What is more valuable is that in addition to the action scenes, the two actors have shown the humorous side of Chinese film stars, and even become the laughter point of the film, which is rare in previous Hollywood blockbusters.
Donnie
[Zhen Zidan: The relationship between Me and Jiang Wen in the play is quite "ambiguous"]
Zhen Zidan's portrayal of Qilu Yingwei in "Rogue One" is a blind monk with strong martial arts skills and a firm belief in "Force". Zhen Zidan revealed that it was his idea to make the character blind: "When I just finished reading the script and communicating with the director, I said that I thought the role was too normal, and if he could have some flaws, such as not seeing, it might be closer to the spirit of the film itself." Although you can't see it, you can feel the 'Force' with your heart, just like you feel the 'Qi' in martial arts movies."
The unique setting of the blind character also made him suffer a lot, and Zhen Zidan revealed that he wore thick special contact lenses every day, took them off every three hours to rest, and could hardly see anything when he finished work at night. This shot lasted for 7 months, including nearly two months of reshoot time.
Zhen Zidan also said that he had played too many martial arts roles, so this time he hoped to add more humorous elements, so there was Qilu Yingwei's chanting style "The Force is with me" every time he appeared, which is the same as the Tang monk character in "Journey to the West". Zhen Zidan said that "chanting" is part of "humor": "Chanting is very annoying, but this kind of annoyance is not a very annoying annoyance, but a very cute annoyance."
Stills from "Rogue One" by Zhen Zi Danqiru Inver
1905 Movie Network: How did the filmmakers feel when they found you making Rogue One?
Zhen Zidan: When I first found me, I was not particularly excited, of course I was very happy. But I had just finished making a movie at the time and I didn't want to leave my kids and go to London alone for 5 months. Then I asked them (the kids) if you liked Daddy's "Ip Man" or Daddy's "Star Wars," and they said of course it was Star Wars. Just like this, I took this scene, and then I found that there were many actors and friends in the Hong Kong film circle who were Star Wars fans, and collected a lot of laser swords, costumes, models and so on, which was crazy.
1905 Movie Network: How was the martial arts action of "Blind Warrior Monk" designed, and did it borrow from your other previous characters?
Zhen Zidan: No, there is not much deliberation in martial arts. Because they (the directors) have basically seen my films, they respect my opinion. I think it's appropriate to pair such costumes, characters and the planet he lives on with such martial arts scenes.
1905 Movie Network: "Blind Martial Monk" keeps repeating "The Force is with Me", a bit like the chanting in Buddhism, is it a certain combination of western force and Chinese religion?
Zhen Zidan: In fact, Star Wars itself was created from eastern elements and our cultural philosophy. George Lucas also said this when he was filming the first Star Wars. Isn't the "laser sword" our sword? The Force is actually also found in martial arts films. Hollywood's industry was so complete over the decades that George Lucas made a good movie that he could stay forever. It's not that we don't have good martial arts films, it's just that we haven't reached the generalization of the market on the world stage.
In "Rogue One", Zhen Zidan's martial arts drama of beating stormtroops with sticks is quite wonderful
1905 Movie Network: How do you evaluate the relationship between your character and Jiang Wen's character?
Zhen Zidan: My relationship with Jiang Wen (in the play) is quite ambiguous, many people think that they are lovers (laughs), and when I read the script, I also asked them if there was any ambiguous relationship between them? In fact, depending on how you understand, they are just brothers. There is a story of the past between them, which unfortunately is not revealed in this movie.
1905 Movie Network: "Rogue One" is your second cooperation with Jiang Wenjie after "Guan Yunchang", how does this cooperation feel?
Zhen Zidan: Very good, first of all, the two of us can say bad things about others that everyone can't hear (laughs). Because we are all very experienced in the film industry, we will analyze and discuss why he shoots this way, and if he shoots like this, it will be better. Jokes with each other often, like comrades-in-arms. You know it's boring for five months, and when we're homesick we can communicate in Mandarin.
1905 Movie Network: Is there anything special about working with a top Hollywood team like Rogue One?
Zhen Zidan: They have more money (laughs), I mean they have a very fine division of labor in each department. Chinese films sometimes overlook these links. Sometimes they will spend a lot of money to make a prop, but the prop only appears in one shot or even can't be seen, and they will feel that it is a kind of 'texture', a guarantee of quality, and they do a very good job in this regard. The Chinese market is now stronger and has more and more resources, but it still needs to mature in many technologies and architectures.
1905 Movie Network: You first starred in Blade Runner, and in the last year or two have participated in the production of many Hollywood blockbusters such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Sword, Rogue One and Extreme Agent: The Ultimate Return, does this mean that you will develop more into Hollywood in the future?
Zhen Zidan: First of all, I never deliberately broke into this market and that market, I was completely "distracted". Decades ago, they came to me to shoot Blade Warrior with a completely tentative mentality, when the respect that Chinese actors gained in the world was very different from today. As for the future, I may not necessarily go there (Hollywood) to shoot, good roles, can give me space to continue to develop, can bring surprises to everyone I will go to shoot. It may also be an Indian film, not necessarily a Hollywood blockbuster.
[Jiang Wen: This time I have seen the top Hollywood]
Jiang Wen
Jiang Wen's name appears in the cast list of "Rogue One", which is somewhat surprising. Although the role of Baez Mabuus continues Jiang Wen's consistent acting style, it is inevitably a bit monotonous compared to other roles he has played. When asked why he chose to play this role, Jiang Wen admitted that he did not know anything about the Star Wars story, and played "Rogue One" all because of his son's strong recommendation.
After nearly 7 months of filming, Jiang Wen is still the "non-Star Wars fan" who has never seen a Star Wars movie, and he still speaks amazingly in the dialogue with reporters. But he also sincerely lamented that starring in "Rogue One" allowed him to refresh his understanding of Hollywood and see the top Hollywood.
1905 Movie Network: Why did you make this movie? Do you want to learn more about hollywood industrial production, plan for yourself later, or simply be interested in this story?
Jiang Wen: Do I still need to make plans for learning from others in the future? You're talking about me too badly, even though I'm a studious person (laughs). Let's be honest with you, my son asked me to shoot it.
When I got the script, they didn't let others see it, and I had a lot of trouble looking at the script in English, so I showed it to my son, and after he read it, he said that you must go to the dad film. He said it was Star Wars, and I said is it that important? He said: Of course, I've seen all the movies.
He also said that this is a hero, I said how stupid the hero is, he said that this hero is not stupid, this is a humorous hero. I said I may not play much, he said yes, the protagonist is a girl, you can't play this, I said then does she have a companion or something? He said it was a little boy, you're not that young, I said okay, that's too little to act. He said no, the two of them helped you explain a lot of things in the front, and when you were done, you came, and you came just right. My son was 8 years old, and he told me so seriously that he would let me go, and I said I would go.
Jiang Wen believes that Baez Mabus is a humorous hero in addition to impulsive recklessness
1905 Movie Network: Before acting in this movie, did you know anything about the Star Wars series?
Jiang Wen: I haven't seen "Star Wars", and When China was a child, I didn't let go of Star Wars... Then I'm not a movie fan either, I only look at what I like to watch and who I don't like to love.
1905 Movie Network: In the process of "Rogue One" working with the international team, was there any inadequacy in various aspects such as language?
Jiang Wen: This is my second English film, the first one was 1987's "Tears of the Flower Caravan", before "Red Sorghum". Answer your question.
1905 Movie Network: What kind of director do you think Gary Edwards is?
Jiang Wen: I like this director, this director is very persistent, he pretends to be shy, but in fact, he can stick to himself... First, he was lucky, and second, he really played his part in it.
1905 Movie Network: Which IP series in China do you think is more similar to Star Wars, and is there any possibility that science fiction themes such as Star Wars will land in China?
Jiang Wen: Why is it so much, I haven't thought about it that way, it's not important to me. China has been lagging behind for so many years, and suddenly as soon as it progresses, it will say that the United States has what China wants, which is unrealistic, take it slowly...
"Rogue One" Jiang Wen stills
1905 Movie Network: How did you feel about working with the Hollywood International team this time, and what do you think they are worth learning?
Jiang Wen: I have seen the top hollywood this time, so much money. The purpose of having money is to let you spend, so that you can shoot well, and if you don't shoot well, you can't shoot well. His money is to find this director, and you can shoot whatever you want. You have to act recklessly, as long as it doesn't look like something someone else took. That's great!
I wonder if this is Hollywood? They say that the Hollywood you hear about is last stream, third rate, which is upper class, but there are fewer of these things, and there are art films, which are also less. In the middle, this wave is learned by many Chinese, that is, "money slaves", can not shoot good things, rich are also poor, because the logic of behavior is poor. You take money and don't let the director spend it, don't let the director do anything wrong, what do you call rich, you become a gambler to eat, become an improvement in life, poor children finally live a good life, wear a brand, these are not interesting.
This (Rogue One) is interesting, you can't shoot it this year, you can't shoot it next year. Including those who do stunts, they spend a lot of money, but for quality, not for mixed food, I think everyone should pay attention to this matter. Lucas is a company that respects directors very much, and Disney also respects this, and the director has the final say, and this is not a place where people pretend to be rich and pretend that industry has the final say.
1905 Movie Network: How do you recommend this movie to other non-Star Wars fans like you?
Jiang Wen: I don't recommend, I'm not responsible for recommendation, what did the actor shout into? ... I'm not a non-Star Wars fan, I haven't seen it, I can't talk about it without watching it, I've seen it, it may be that different concepts should be clear. But I watched this (Rogue One) and it looked good.
Felicity Jones
[Felicity Jones: If I could do it all over again, I would like to play the robot K-2]
"British Rose" Felicity Jones is a rising star in the British film industry in recent years. She has not only played delicate and rich female characters in love feature films such as "The Theory of Everything" and "Love Is Crazy", but also showed a cool and sexy side in commercial blockbusters such as "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" and "Dante Code". Felicity, who walks between commercial blockbusters and independent films, seems to be able to handle a variety of female characters.
In the face of the rebellious female rebel "leader" Chin Urso in Rogue One, Felicity said that she was mentally ready, but physically in order to meet the requirements of the role but went through a painful fitness process: "I have handled a lot of emotionally rich characters, which is not a problem for me, but I have to make myself strong, which means a lot of gym training and self-discipline." 」
Star Wars has never lacked a combination of beauty and wisdom in the role of a goddess, such as Kelly Fisher's Play of Princess Leia, Natalie Portman's Queen Amidala, and even Rey in "The Force Awakens" and so on. Compared with these goddesses, Felicity believes that Qin Urso has a different sense of maturity: "For Qin, her life is not always smooth, she has a lot of life experiences, but also experienced a lot of setbacks, which make qin more special." 」 The story requires a character who, compared to the other female characters, is already a mature woman, no longer a child. ”
As a high-achieving student graduating from Oxford University, Felicity often shows a humorous and even brain-opening side in private, in addition to intellectuality and wisdom. When asked about her favorite character in the Star Wars series, she replied without hesitation: "Chewbacca! "[The Wookie character in Star Wars with Han Solo) said more strongly that if she had to choose, she would most like to play a creature, or the robot K-2." All the funny lines are his, it's not fair, it's just too happy to not have makeup in the morning," Felicity said.
1905 Movie Network: Are you a fan of the Star Wars series? Can you talk about your Star Wars complex?
Felicity Jones: My cousin is an avid Star Wars fan, and he was the one who brought me into the pit in the first place. It's a shame he didn't see an early screening and I can't wait to see what he thinks of my character.
1905 Movie Network: There are many similarities between the experiences of Chin Esso and Han Solo, have you borrowed from this role?
FELICITY JONES: I borrowed from Han Solo only because I personally loved Harrison Ford (played by Han Solo) (laughs). Just kidding, Han Solo is a very interesting character, a character who is both humorous and emotional. I wish the piano had some Harrison Ford's shadow and added some elements of humor. This is reflected in the dialogue between Chin and K-2 before heading to the planet Jeddah in the film.
1905 Movie Network: In addition to Han Solo, did you borrow from other heroine characters?
Felicity Jones: Of course, I referenced a lot of Sigourt Weaver's performance in Alien, and her performance was so great and special that I always think of her when I perform the piano.
Sigourney Weaver in Alien
1905 Movie Network: At the end of the film, Qin and Cassian face the surging blast wave of explosion hand in hand, the picture is very poignant, is this specially designed by the director?
Felicity Jones: No, Garris [the director] is very open-minded, just has an outline, and he wants us to do the most natural response. Sometimes when you don't design deliberately, it's often the moment when miracles happen.
1905 Movie Network: What are your impressions of the two Chinese actors in the film?
Felicity Jones: I really enjoy working with them. They are all very special. Jiang Wen is a director, so he is always contemplating, always observing everything, appearing very wise, and I have great respect for him. Zhen Zidan is more like a "big boy", full of love, very optimistic and positive energy. I think the most important thing is that they brought something different to the set, and I was very impressed.
1905 Movie Network: There are relatively many men among Star Wars fans, how do you think "Rogue One" attracts female audiences?
Felicity Jones: One of the things that makes me most proud is that the news reports say that Rogue One has a large number of women in the audience, which makes up a very high percentage, which makes me very happy and proud.
Stills from Rogue One felicity Jones
1905 Movie Network: After starring in a Hollywood blockbuster of the size of Rogue One, would you still consider an independent film? What are your criteria for future films?
Felicity Jones: I think in a way, Hollywood blockbusters are losing something, as if they're getting farther and farther away from "good stories" and "good performances." But I think these two things should never be discarded, and don't give up quality because of volume. As for the future, I hope to continue to maintain the current state, I do not reject commercial blockbusters at all, and I will also appear in small-budget independent films. The key is whether the film has meaning, and each film needs to have a special meaning for the audience. If not, I would feel no need to shoot.
1905 Movie Network: Do you want to star in other Star Wars films in the future? For example, The Han Solo Story?
Felicity Jones: Sure, why not? But we do have to think about the timeline, Han Solo and Chine so may be able to work together to change the world!
[Diego Runner: Mexico's Independent Kid's Hollywood Turn]
Diego Runa
The male protagonist of "Rogue One", Diego Runa, is still quite unfamiliar to most Chinese film fans. The 36-year-old Mexican actor has a lot of experience on the silver screen, but mostly Spanish-language Mexican independent films, including Alfonso Caron's "Your Mom Too" in 2004, which won several film critic awards and brought him international fame.
In addition, although Diego has played supporting roles in many Hollywood movies, playing the leading role in a commercial blockbuster of the size of "Rogue One" is still an unprecedented new experience for him. "It's the complete opposite of my other films, my literary films are often not watched, and I need to tell them the story behind them, and even ask them to watch them." Now I'm going to tell the fans not to be in a hurry, to be patient, it's so special for me," says Diego.
Diego Runa played Captain Cassian Amdo, a rebel intelligence agent, in Rogue One
1905 Movie Network: What was it like when you learned you were going to star in a Star Wars movie?
Diego Runner: When I first heard the news, I screamed out, and I was very happy, although at the time, I didn't fully appreciate what it was like to be able to star in my favorite movie series. When I was on set, everything around me was the same as it was in the movies that fascinated me as a child, and it was so special that you could be a part of it, play a role, and witness Star Wars becoming more and more "modern" and tell more modern (values) stories.
1905 Movie Network: You've been attending a lot of Star Wars celebrations and fan events lately, how do you feel?
Diego Luna: The Star Wars celebration was so shocking that I felt like I was really part of Star Wars. You can feel the anticipation and fanatical love of the fans, who love Star Wars as much as they love their own children. I've never starred in a blockbuster that was so highly anticipated.
Chin Esso and Cassian Amdo in Rogue One
1905 Movie Network: At the end of the film, you play Cassian and Qin, who are holding each other in the face of the blast wave of the explosion, calmly moving towards death, how do you think this ending, what kind of message do you think the film conveys to people?
Diego Luna: The theme of this film is about hope, about what you can do. Goals or ideals are more important than anything else, and you'll be ready to sacrifice everything, even your life. Rogue One conveys a very "positive" message that our current world needs to change and needs to be more inclusive. However, these changes don't happen for no reason, everyone has to put in the effort, fight for what they believe, and then you will find like-minded people and connect with them.
1905 Movie Network: I heard that your children are also Star Wars fans, what do they say about Rogue One?
Diego Runa: My six-year-old daughter has never seen Star Wars, and my son is very familiar with Star Wars. He's seen every movie and can discuss the plot with Gareth (the director). But they both enjoyed the film so much that they applauded everyone at the end. I think this movie sends a very good message to kids, it's a movie for all ages.