Chat with Mike Figgis

<BBC Host> Hello and welcome to this evening's chat with Mike Figgis. Mike was Oscar-nominated for Best Director and Best da!ted "creen!la# for $%eaving %as &egas$. <BBC Host> 'o( can start sending Mike Figgis #o(r )(estions *O+ ,# t#!ing them into the ,o- at the ,ottom of the !age. 'o( m(st !ress ret(rn.enter on #o(r ke#,oard to send a )(estion. <BBC Host> Before he arrives here are some interesting facts a,o(t Mike Figgis/ <BBC Host> Mike Figgis was Oscar-nominated for Best Director and Best da!ted "creen!la# for $%eaving %as &egas$. <BBC Host> Mike Figgis was ,ro(ght (! in 0en#a from infanc# to age 1. <BBC Host> 2ime Code was im!rovised ,# the actors a!!earing within it. 3nstead of a scri!t4 the# (sed a m(sic-like notation to show where the# had to ,e at an# given time. <BBC Host> Mike Figgis is read# to start answering #o(r )(estions. <Question-from> Jessica Martin - There are rumours on the internet that the DVD for Time Code will be something special - can you tell me a bit more about it <Mike Figgis> 3t'll ,e interactive4 which means that #o( can select an# one of the fo(r individ(al so(ndtracks and solo them. <Mike Figgis> 'o( can m(te the score4 and also incl(ded in the !ackage will ,e version one 5of the fifteen that were shot6. 7l(s4... <Mike Figgis> ... doc(mentar# footage and the trailer. <Question-from> Mi!e "aw# "eeds - $hy did you choose to premiere Time Code at the %ahoo &nternet 'nline (ilm (esti)al <Mike Figgis> Beca(se the# asked me8 <Mike Figgis> %ife is often ver# sim!le8 <Mike Figgis> "erio(sl#4 tho(gh4 3 tho(ght it was a good4 high-energ# ven(e to !remiere the film. <Mike Figgis> nd it !roved to ,e 9(st that. ver# interesting mi- of Holl#wood film characters !l(s a lot of new4 digitall#-,ased filmmakers. <BBC Host> 'o( can start sending Mike Figgis #o(r )(estions *O+ ,# t#!ing them into the ,o- at the ,ottom of the !age. 'o( m(st !ress ret(rn.enter on #o(r ke#,oard to send it. +e look forward to receiving #o(r )(estions8 <Question-from> *miley+,girl $hat do you loo! for in actors <Mike Figgis> degree of health 5it's alwa#s trick# when the# die half wa# thro(gh a shoot...64 a certain sense of advent(re4 and !refera,l# an a,sence of !rod(ction staff - managers4 agents4 creative friends4 and the like. <Mike Figgis> 3t's diffic(lt working with ver# rich actors4 ,eca(se inevita,l# the# ,ecome a little s!oilt4 and the managers and agents tend to control things more than is health#. <Question-from> Vic!y -ice Mi!e who is the best actor. actress you ha)e wor!ed with <Mike Figgis> 3 don't have those kind of feelings. Different actors give different things 5that's not a great word...6 <Mike Figgis> 3 s(!!ose 3'm more interested in the idea of the ensem,le than individ(als stars4 ,(t 3 do find that actors like "tellan "karskard and Holl# H(nter somehow seem to raise the overall level of the ensem,le. <Mike Figgis> "o4 3'm interested in working with these kind of actors4 catal#sts. <BBC Host> Here are some interesting facts a,o(t Mike Figgis. 2ime Code was one of the first films to ,e shot entirel# on digital cameras <BBC Host> in one contin(o(s take (sing fo(r digital cameras. <Question-from> *ean Mc/rady - &0m still absorbing Timecode 1+++2 & en3oyed it but & cannot say yet what its )alue is for me in cinematic terms2 4owe)er# gi)en the fact that you regard much of 4ollywood0s output as 5tophea)y5 in terms of special effects and formulaic scripts# how would you compare your 5e6periment5 with other# more mainstream films of yours <Mike Figgis> 3t's diffic(lt to talk a,o(t films in retros!ect. +hat's interesting is the !eriod of time when #o( are act(all# making the film4 and tr#ing new things. <Mike Figgis> *ow4 these things ma# !rove to ,e )(ite small afterwards4 and other things ass(me a

significance which #o( hadn't conscio(sl# set (! at the time. <Mike Figgis> "o in talking a,o(t it afterwards4 3 find 3 have to resist the tem!tation to overendow certain ideas. <Mike Figgis> 2o me4 it's 9(st a work in !rogress sit(ation. "ome things work ,etter than others. 2hat's all. <Mike Figgis> 3 wo(ld certainl# sa# that films like 2ime Code and the %oss of "e-(al 3nnocence were far more rewarding to me in terms of ,eing a,le to move forward as a filmmaker. <Mike Figgis> B(t 3 also want to resist the tem!tation to !lace too m(ch em!hasis on technical elements of the !rocess. t the end of the da#4... <Mike Figgis> ... the stor#line of One *ight "tand is emotionall# ver# satisf#ing4 even tho(gh this film was made in the conte-t of what we wo(ld think of as the st(dio s#stem. <Mike Figgis> 3 ho!e this answers #o(r )(estion. <BBC Host> Hello to all those of #o( who have 9(st 9oined (s. +elcome to tonight:s live chat with Mike Figgis. <BBC Host> 2ime Code was im!rovised ,# the actors a!!earing within it. 3nstead of a scri!t4 the# (sed a m(sic-like notation to show where the# had to ,e at an# given time. <Question-from> 7irstie "amont &f the dialogue in Time Code was impro)ised# how did you ma!e sure you got the storyline you wanted <Mike Figgis> 3n disc(ssing the !rocess with the actors4 3 made it clear to them that the# co(ld im!rovise ,(t that the s(m total of their im!rovisation needed to im!art certain !lot !oints4 and schematic material. <Mike Figgis> How the# arrived at this4 was their choice. B(t there were clear goals in terms of stor#line. <Question-from> filmgirl Did your earlier wor! ma!ing pop )ideos influence your e6perimental cinematic style <Mike Figgis> 3 have never made an# !o! videos. 3 ho!e this answers #o(r )(estion. <BBC Host> 'o( can send Mike Figgis #o(r )(estions *O+ ,# t#!ing them into the ,o- at the ,ottom of the !age. 'o( m(st !ress ret(rn.enter on #o(r ke#,oard to send a )(estion. <Mike Figgis> B(t as a matter of interest4 3'm a,o(t to shoot a !o! video for David ;ra#. 3t's a lovel# track - Ba,#lon. <Question-from> !atie rose Do you ha)e to wor! long hours <Mike Figgis> 'es8 <BBC Host> review of 2ime Code is availa,le on the +e,site here <BBC Host> <(estion from the host - +hat was it like working with "affron B(rrows <Mike Figgis> 3t was alright if #o( like that kind of thing8 <Mike Figgis> *o4 serio(sl#4 she's a reall# good actor4 and someone who was growing all the time4 so when she worked with 7eter M(llan4 it was clear that her acting rose to a m(ch higher level. <Mike Figgis> 2his a,ilit# to raise #o(r game is something that 3'm ver# interested in with actors. <Question-from> pen 3ac!son - was it hard to raise funding for films without defined scripts <Mike Figgis> Ordinaril# s!eaking it wo(ld have ,een ver#4 ver# diffic(lt. B(t a more or less chance meeting with the head of "on# 7ict(res led to them f(nding the film. <Mike Figgis> 2his was ,eca(se most of the Holl#wood st(dios are ca(tio(sl# intrig(ed and dee!l# worried ,# the !henomenon of digital filmmaking4 and 3 think "on# were keen to ,e seen associating4 al,eit ver# chea!l#4 with some kind of digital filmmaking. <Mike Figgis> M# original !lan was to finance this m#self and shoot it in %ondon with a gro(! of friends4 reall# as a one-off e-!eriment. <Mike Figgis> 3'd intended to !(t an ad in a maga=ine anno(ncing the commencement of !rinci!al !hotogra!h# of the film on4 sa#4 the >?th "e!tem,er4 and then inviting !eo!le to the !remiere that evening. sort of film 9oke. <BBC Host> +e're chatting this evening with Mike Figgis - Oscar-nominated for Best Director and Best da!ted "creen!la# for $%eaving %as &egas$. <Question-from> ganondorf no, - as a director what would u say the hardest part of your 3ob is <Mike Figgis> +ell4 things have changed. B(t in conventional filmmaking terms4 the hardest !art is !ost!rod(ction.

<Mike Figgis> 3t's dee!l# ,oring4 and ,ecomes less creative with each !assing da#. <Mike Figgis> 3t's also the time when st(dio e-ec(tives feel the (rge to ,e creative. <Question-from> euan - $hat do you do to get away from the directing business <Mike Figgis> 3 !la# m(sic. <Mike Figgis> 3 !la# !iano and tr(m!et. 3 st(died classical g(itar. "ometimes it's nice to !la# some,od# else's m(sic. Other times it's nice to im!rovise. <Mike Figgis> Once in a while4 3 !la# with a ,and. <Mike Figgis> B(t 3 don't have s(ch a strong desire to need to get awa# from filmmaking. <Question-from> c388 - Do you feel that the 9uality of mo)ies.scripts has deteriorated in the last :.,+ years <Mike Figgis> 3t's hard to !(t a time on it. 'es the# have. B(t it ma# have something to do with the time that st(dios started testing films in a serio(s wa# in front of so-called im!artial a(diences. <Mike Figgis> 3 think this was a significant moment where control ,egan to sli! awa# from the creative elements of the filmmaking teams4 and into the hands of e-ec(tives and the mone#. <Mike Figgis> Once a s#stem was seen to work4 where the a(dience co(ld vote on whether the# liked the film or the ending of the film - that was a ,ad da#. <Question-from> *imon ;idgood - $here do you see the ;ritish (ilm &ndustry in 1+ years time# can we o)erta!e the <* with further in)estment <Mike Figgis> 3t's hard to overtake a co(ntr# that has alread# a,sor,ed #o(r film ind(str#. +e are !art of the merican film ind(str#. <Mike Figgis> 2here are e-ce!tions - 0en %oach4 Mike %eigh - ,(t recent !rono(ncements from film ,odies - 2he Film Co(ncil4 2he rts Co(ncil - have made it clear that fewer films will receive mone# and more mone# will go into fewer films. <Mike Figgis> 3n other words4 the#'ll tr# and choose !otential ,lock,(sters and !(t the ,(lk of investment into those. <BBC Host> Did #o( know that Mike Figgis was ,ro(ght (! in 0en#a from infanc# to age 1@ 3f #o('d like to ask him more a,o(t his life4 or the films he has directed4 9(st ask a )(estion now. <Question-from> !irstie lamont - $ill you be shooting more films digitally in future <Mike Figgis> 'es - )(ite a few. Feat(re length films4 short films4 films for the 3nternet. 3 am intrig(ed eno(gh to want to contin(e4 and also to tr# and work with com!anies like "on# on modif#ing the cameras and making them more (ser-friendl# and efficient. <Mike Figgis> One of the !ro,lems of this technolog# is that the designers tend to have scant knowledge of !ractical filmmaking4 and new designs are (s(all# dro!!ed and re!laced ,# something entirel# new4 rather... <Mike Figgis> ... than the idea of creating a !rotot#!e and then develo!ing it into an efficient tool - as has ,een the s#stem with ABmm and CDmm cameras. <BBC Host> "end a )(estion ,# t#!ing it into the ,o- at the ,ottom of the !age. 'o( m(st !ress ret(rn.enter on #o(r ke#,oard to send it. <Question-from> gai3in=3o - $hich countries cinema do you li!e best <Mike Figgis> One of the things 3 love a,o(t cinema is the range. <Mike Figgis> 3'm a h(ge fan of world cinema4 ,eca(se each co(ntr# (ses cinema in a ver# individ(al wa#. <Mike Figgis> 3 remem,er reading the a(to,iogra!hies of Bergman and B(n(el. 2hese are two highl# individ(al film directors - one from a hot co(ntr#4 "!ain4 one from "candinavia. <Mike Figgis> Eeading ,oth ,ooks4 and marvelling at the e-treme differences ,etween them4 and #et the#'re ,oth highl# individ(al artists. <Mike Figgis> Having said that4 like most filmmakers 3 grew (! with a real love of merican cinema. <Mike Figgis> 7erha!s there's something a,o(t merica and cinema that seems ver# comforta,le. 3t's almost like a medi(m that was invented for this new co(ntr#. <Mike Figgis> However4 3've had time to think on that4 and as 3 said4 3'm now more of a world cinema fan. <Question-from> ian smith - $ould you e)er go bac! to writing and directing for the theatre <Mike Figgis> 'es. 2here's nothing )(ite as thrilling as doing live !erformance4 and going ,ack to an

earlier )(estion4 m(ch of the filmmaking !rocess is (ns!ontaneo(s and )(ite d(ll. <Mike Figgis> "o it wo(ldn't ,e too diffic(lt to tr# and go ,ack to the e-citement of live theatre once in a while. <Mike Figgis> 2he real iss(e is one of timing. Films take (! so m(ch time4 and with theatre4 #o( do have to !lan a !eriod of time that #o( can ,e free. <Mike Figgis> "o it does re)(ire a ,it of (ns!ontaneo(s !lanning. <Question-from> !elly peter - $hich of your films means the most to you <Mike Figgis> 3n one sense4 it's alwa#s the last film #o( make4 ,eca(se it's the one that needs the most hel!4 which is wh# 3'm in this chat room toda#. <Mike Figgis> B(t4 3 think ever# film 3've made contains small scenes which have a s!ecial significance for me. <Mike Figgis> 2hat's a ver# !ersonal thing. <Question-from> pen 3ac!son - what0s your worst <Mike Figgis> 3t's ver# diffic(lt to answer something like this. 2here's nothing 3've done which 3'm ashamed of or 3 tho(ght was act(all# ,ad. <Mike Figgis> s 3 said earlier4 it's ver# m(ch a work in !rogress attit(de that 3 have for each film. <Mike Figgis> O,vio(sl#4 3 tr# to make the films work for an a(dience. 2hat's the main !oint of making a film4 and in retros!ect4 one can see that certain films4 let's sa# %eaving %as &egas4 demonstrated its own s(ccess. <Mike Figgis> +hereas %ie,estra(m4 was a dismal fail(re at the ,o- office4 and received dee!l# a,(sive reviews. <Mike Figgis> Clearl# it was a fail(re4 ,(t it ha!!ens to ,e one of m# favo(rite films. film like Mr Fones4 which was taken over ,# the st(dio... <Mike Figgis> ... new scenes were added4 and it was re-edited and re-scored - 3 find it im!ossi,le to watch this film. 3 think it's a ,ad film now. <Mike Figgis> B(t what 3'm tr#ing to sa# is4 the iss(e is ver# com!licated. <Question-from> 3ac! o - Mi!e#4ow long does it ta!e you to ma!e a film#incluiding writing <Mike Figgis> Gach film is different. 2ime Code was ver# )(ick - a matter of months. Miss F(lie has ,een on m# shelf as a scri!t for some seven or eight #ears. B(t then the shooting !rocess was ver# )(ick CD da#s. <Mike Figgis> 2he editing and scoring was also )(ick. 2he same with 2he %oss of "e-(al 3nnocence. 2hat was on the shelf for CH #ears4 and we shot it in three weeks. <Mike Figgis> 3t's (s(all# the scri!t stage that's long. +ell4 the wa# 3 work. 3n the st(dio s#stem4 the shooting and editing !rocess is intermina,le. <BBC Host> +elcome to o(r chat with Mike Figgis - we've got 9(st twent# min(tes left to go4 so if #o('d like to ask him a )(estion4 now's the time to do so. +e ho!e #o('re en9o#ing his interesting answers8 <Question-from> gai3in 3o - $hat do you find are the biggest obstacles to doing 3ustice to a screenplay <Mike Figgis> ;ood )(estion. <Mike Figgis> One's own imagination. scri!t which is (s(all# a ,astardised short stor# still allows the reader an entirel# individ(al !ict(re of character4 location4 season. <Mike Figgis> Once the !rocess of casting and decisions a,o(t location have ,een taken4 a ver# narrow realit# emerges. <Mike Figgis> 2hen one enters into the !rocess of what can #o( do within these ver# defined4 narrow !ossi,ilities. t that !oint4 one realises what a scri!t is. <Mike Figgis> 3t's a ,l(e!rint of a !ossi,ilit#. <Mike Figgis> 2he real work has 9(st ,eg(n. <Question-from> lisa g - $hat do you thin! about the wor! of 4armony 7orine# who also seems )ery into digital film-ma!ing <Mike Figgis> Infort(natel# 3 haven't seen either of his films. B(t 3 have read interviews with him and he seems like a s!ark# d(de8 <Mike Figgis> He seems interesting. <Question-from> filmgirl - $hich film-ma!ers ha)e had the biggest influence on you

<Mike Figgis> "ome of the *ew +ave directors like ;odard and 2r(ffa(t. B(n(el4 Bergman4 Co!!ola. 2he (s(al s(s!ects 5not the film86. <Question-from> 3ac! o - &f & wanted to be a film director how and what would i do about it#when & am ,> <Mike Figgis> re #o( l#ing a,o(t #o(r age alread#@ <Mike Figgis> B(#4 ,orrow or steal a digi camera4 and get on with it. <Question-from> !elly peter - <pcoming pro3ects <Mike Figgis> nother digital film . m(ltiscreens . im!rovised dialog(e etc. Ma#,e set in &enice. Ma#,e shooting in *ovem,er. <Mike Figgis> +hat 3'm tr#ing to sa# is that4 3'm tr#ing to raise the ,(dget right now8 <Mike Figgis> *e-t #ear4 a feat(re film of 'B# ;rand Central "tation 3 "at Down and +e!t'. reall# great scri!t. <Mike Figgis> short4 ten-min(te film4 which will ,e !art of a feat(re in which fo(rteen directors will each contri,(te a stor# that has something to do with time. <Mike Figgis> 2hat sho(ld kee! me ,(s#. <;;C 4ost> 4ow did you get in to film ma!ing Did you always want to be a director <Mike Figgis> 3 had no !lans to ,e a director. <Mike Figgis> 3 was reall# m(ch more interested in m(sic to start off with. <Mike Figgis> 2hen 3 ,ecame interested in drama4 and almost ,# accident4 3 drifted into film. <Mike Figgis> 3 started (sing film as !art of live theatre !erformance - what (sed to ,e called !erformance art - and 3 ,ecame intrig(ed ,# film. <Mike Figgis> Gven at that stage4 3 reall# had no am,ition to direct films. 3 9(st liked film. <Mike Figgis> 2hen4 Channel J4 here in the I04 was created4 and 3 saw an o!!ort(nit# to ,egin making films. 2hat was the start of it. <Mike Figgis> 3 made a one-ho(r film for Channel J called 2he Ho(se4 starring "te!hen Eea4 and *igel Hawthorne. 3t was )(ite an e-!erimental film4 ,(t it led to me directing m# first feat(re - "torm# Monda#. <BBC Host> F(st a,o(t five min(tes left with Mike <BBC Host> Mike's latest film $Miss F(lie$ is o(t this Frida#. <Question-from> 3ules caine - &s it true that Miss Julie is shot entirely using a hand held camera $hat effect did you hope to create using this techni9ue <Mike Figgis> 'es4 this is half tr(e. 3n fact4 we (sed two cameras - handheld. 2he reason ,eing that the ,(dget4 having shr(nk considera,l#4 as is (s(all# the case in British film !rod(ction4... <Mike Figgis> ... we had to shoot the whole film in CD da#s. <Mike Figgis> Miss F(lie is ada!ted from a stage !la# written ,# the ,rilliant (g(st "trind,erg in the late CKth cent(r#. 2he action takes !lace in a ver# confined location. <Mike Figgis> - the kitchen of a grand ho(se in "weden. <Mike Figgis> 2he te-t is ,rilliant and e-tremel# dense. <Mike Figgis> 3 asked ,oth actors - "affron B(rrows and 7eter M(llan - to learn the entire scri!t ,efore we started shooting. <Mike Figgis> 3 wanted to create a s#stem where we co(ld shoot ver# long takes. 2his was ,eca(se not onl# was there a time constraint4 ,(t on a more creative level4 3 know that actors hit a !erformance high after a,o(t4 sa#4 five min(tes. <Mike Figgis> 3f it was !ossi,le to give them the freedom of the set4 and not to have to sto! all the time4 3 was ho!ing to have a ver# hot film environment. <Mike Figgis> 3 feel that this !aid off handsomel#4 and we shot in se)(ence4 sometimes for si-teen min(tes witho(t ,reaking. <Mike Figgis> 3f 3'd a!!roached the te-t in a more conventional manner4 i.e. with lots of set-(!s4 lighting changes and endless ,reaks for the actors4 3 wo(ld never have achieved the kind of flow that's necessar#... <Mike Figgis> ... to engage with something as highl# evolved as this te-t. <Mike Figgis> 3've never ,een a,le to shoot a film in this wa# ,efore4 and interestingl# eno(gh4 it was this e-!erience of working with two cameras in se)(ence and the ver# long takes that directl# led to the ideas... <Mike Figgis> ... that were the ,asis for 2ime Code. <Mike Figgis> 3n fact4 there is a love scene in Miss F(lie which (ses s!lit screen. 3'd never !lanned it this

wa#4 ,(t in order to save time4 3 made a s#stem on the set of viewing !la#,ack on ,oth cameras sim(ltaneo(sl#. <Mike Figgis> "o 3 watched the whole film in s!lit screen4 and ,ecame more and more intrig(ed ,# the !s#cholog# of what 3 co(ld see on the screen. <Mike Figgis> 3t's hard to define e-actl#4 ,(t 3'm convinced that #o( get more than twice the information in two screens than #o( do on one. <BBC Host> review of Miss F(lie is availa,le here and an interview with one of it's stars. 7eter M(llan4 is availa,le on the +e,site here. n interview with "affron B(rrows4 star of 2ime Code and Miss F(lie is availa,le on the +e,site here <BBC Host> final word from Mike Figgis <Mike Figgis> 2hank #o( for the )(estions. 2he# were good. 3'll ,e ,ack at some !oint in the f(t(re4 and ,e ha!!# to give a !rogress re!ort on where this is all going for me. ;ood,#e8 <BBC Host> 2hank #o( for 9oining the chat with Mike Figgis this evening. <BBC Host> f(ll transcri!t of o(r chat with Mike Figgis will a!!ear tomorrow at htt!/..www.,,c.co.(k.films.livechat. <BBC Host> Don:t forget to visit the BBC Films we,site at htt!/..www.,,c.co.(k.films. <BBC Host> 2hank #o( for 9oining (s this evening. 2he chat with Mike is now over. 2hank #o( for ,eing a great a(dience and sorr# if there wasn't time to answer all #o(r )(estions.