Michael Sheen on TRON: Legacy

Welsh actor Michael Sheen has appeared in such films as Underworld, The Queen, Frost/Nixon, and The Twilight Saga: New Moon.  He also appeared in TRON: Legacy as Castor/Zuse.  Walt Disney provided this interview with Sheen:
AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL SHEEN FOR TRON: LEGACY

What was the initial inspiration for your character in TRON: Legacy?

SHEEN: When I first talked to the director – Joseph Kosinski – about my character, he showed me lots of art work to illustrate what they were looking for. They wanted a character that would be able to bring a completely different energy to the world of TRON. They wanted someone who was larger than life and a real showman. Castor is a guy who runs a nightclub, so he’s an entertainer and a host. He knows everything and he’s ambiguous in lots of ways. Joseph talked about characters like the MC from Cabaret, which got me thinking about Bob Fosse and All That Jazz. All of these things inspired Castor.

How did the character develop?

SHEEN: Slowly, I started to think about the idea that all these beings on the grid in the TRON world are computer programs, so I wondered what sort of program my character would be. He’s someone that would be able to adapt to anything that comes along. He’s a survivor, he’s a circus showman, he’s adaptable, and he’s a comedian. It made me think about people I knew in pop culture who are chameleon-like and take on different personalities at different times. David Bowie is exactly that person, so I came up with a Ziggy Stardust look and feel to Castor. I ended up regretting it when I found myself walking around in 6-inch heels for days on end. However, it was a great character to play.

Apart from the heels, was it fun to wear Castor’s costume?

SHEEN: The days of going to the bathroom were long gone in that costume. Once it was on, that was it. I couldn’t sit down, and I had to have a special bicycle contraption on poles to lean against when the cameras stopped rolling. It was tough and it took me hours to get into that costume, but there was a lot of enthusiasm on the set that kept the energy levels high. There was a great atmosphere on the set. We could’ve complained all day long about the uncomfortable nature of the outfits or we could get on with it, so we choose to get on with it. To be honest, I think this attitude trickles down from the top. Garrett Hedlund [who plays Sam Flynn in TRON: Legacy] had to wear an amazingly constrictive outfit, but he was so enthusiastic about everything and he was so eager to work that it rubbed off on us all. He loved meeting everyone involved in the project and he loved being a part of this monumental movie, so it made us all realize how grateful and excited we should be.

Did you ever get close to complaining about your 6-inch heels?

SHEEN: No, I was fine. I think it also helped that most of my scenes were with the actress, Beau Garrett. It helped a lot to have Beau standing near me in her crazy outfit for most of the day. An outfit like that can get you through anything.

What are your memories of the original TRON movie?

SHEEN: I watched the first film in Wales when I was 11 years old. A friend of mine took me to cinema and I remember it blowing my mind. I was the perfect audience member because I remember the movie having an effect on my life as soon as I left the cinema. I was taken into another world while watching the movie, but when I walked outside, the world looked completely different. You know what? It’s mind blowing to think that I’m starring in the sequel 28 years later. It’s crazy.

What attracted you to the sequel?

SHEEN: When I read the script, the first thing that came to my mind was, ‘This is really good.’ It’s such a classic story about a son who goes looking for his father. It’s a human story and I think that’s really important in the high-tech world of TRON. As a fan of the original movie, I knew it was going to be a futuristic adventure and I knew the amazing effects were going to blow everyone away, but I also knew that it had to have an emotional story. I think it delivers that and so much more.

What went through your mind the first time you saw footage from the finished film?

SHEEN: I loved it. I was blown away by the special effects and I would get excited about each new bit of design that I hadn’t seen before. However, the footage that had the biggest impact on me was the scene where Kevin Flynn meets Sam. I love watching Jeff Bridges act. He’s brilliant. But to see him there with Garrett really hit me in the heart. I really believed that this was a father and son meeting up again. It’s an amazing scene.

Did you enjoy working with the special effects in the movie?

SHEEN: I didn’t have to work with too many special effects, although I worked on a scene where Jeff Bridges portrays a younger version of himself. That was pretty amazing. I had to act against Jeff, who was wearing a helmet with cameras pointing at his face. They would then replace Jeff’s face with a younger version in post production. How incredible is that? It was like a dream come true to work on something like that. This film really pushes the envelope in terms of what you can do with technology. The motion-capture, the costumes, the special effects… It all blew me away.

Did you have any green screen scenes?

SHEEN: Not really. Most of my scenes were in the nightclub, which was a real set. Everyone else had spent weeks in front of green screens, but I went old school on a proper set with hundreds of extras. It helped my character a lot because he’s very energetic and dynamic, and walking onto a set is very similar to walking onto a stage. He’s a showman, so the stage is his home.

How do you think the new generation of children will react to the world of TRON?

SHEEN: I honestly believe that this film delivers everything you could possibly want to see as a kid. I don’t think I’d be sitting here talking to you now if I didn’t believe that. This movie takes you on a classic journey to a magical world and it delivers on so many levels. It has incredible special effects and it has a human, emotional tale. The minute Sam Flynn puts that coin into the arcade machine and heads through that door you think, ‘Wow!’ It opens up a whole new world to the audience; a whole new world everybody is going to love.

Tron: Legacy (Two-Disc BD Blu-ray/DVD Combo) is Available on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, DVD and Movie Download April 5th!

Disney's "Tangled" is Nappy Goodness

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 29 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux

Tangled (2010)
Running time: 100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes)
MPAA – PG for brief mild violence
DIRECTORS: Nathan Greno and Byron Howard
WRITER: Dan Fogelman (based on the fairy tale by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm)
PRODUCER: Roy Conli
EDITOR: Tim Mertens
COMPOSER: Alan Menken
SONGS: Alan Menken and Glenn Slater
Academy Award nominee

ANIMATION/FANTASY/MUSICAL/COMEDY/FAMILY with elements of an action movie

Starring: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Ron Perlman, M.C. Gainey, Jeffrey Tambor, Brad Garrett, Paul F. Tompkins, and Richard Kiel

The 3D animated film Tangled is the 50th full-length animated feature from Walt Disney Animation Studios. Based upon the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Rapunzel, Tangled is, to date, the most expensive animated film ever made, and the money is well spent. Tangled simply surprised me with how enjoyable and, quite frankly, how wonderful it is.

The story focuses Princess Rapunzel (Mandy Moore), a young woman whose parents are a king and queen, but Rapunzel has not seen them since she was an infant. The only parent she knows is Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy), a centuries-old woman who stole Rapunzel because of her hair’s magical properties. Gothel keeps Rapunzel isolated in a tower and harnesses the power of Rapunzel ever-growing hair to keep herself young. On her 18th birthday, Rapunzel asks Gothel to allow her to briefly leave the tower. Rapunzel wants to see in person the release of the thousands of sky lanterns that just so happens every year on her birthday. Gothel vehemently refuses.

While Gothel is away, fate steps in when a young, fugitive thief named Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) arrives at the tower. Rapunzel makes a deal with Rider for him to escort her to the festival of the sky lanterns. With the help of Maximus, a palace guard’s horse, and Pascal, her pet chameleon, Rapunzel and Flynn battle obstacles, including Gothel and Flynn’s former partners, the Stabbington Brothers (Ron Perlman), as their adventure begins to unravel the truth about Rapunzel.

Tangled is like neither Pixar’s computer-animated films nor Disney’s other 3D animated films (like Chicken Little or Meet the Robinsons). Tangled recalls Disney’s animated musical fantasies of two decades ago, especially Beauty and the Beast (1991). This film finds its spirit in songs, anachronistic gags, and the usual mayhem of comic adventure. The animation, however, is old-fashioned Disney. This time technology and software create character drawn in soft lines and shapes, as if they were hand drawn. The production design invents landscapes, cityscapes, scenery, interiors and sets that make the movie look like an oil painting on canvas. The colors are dazzling, and the “sky lantern” sequence (“I See the Light”) evokes magic.

The character animation is surprisingly fluid for a computer-animated film. The characters move with grace, and the vivid facial movement of the characters draw attention to their expressive eyes. The voice performances are quite good, especially Mandy Moore as Rapunzel and Zachary Levi as Flynn. They give their characters complexity and depth, which makes everything about Rapunzel and Flynn seem genuine – from Rapunzel’s wide-eyed curiosity and innocence to Flynn’s rascally nature and his good heart.

Tangled is the new-look 3D animation with the old school, hand drawn charm. It proves that sometimes the classic Disney style is still the best.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2011 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song” (Alan Menken and Glenn Slater for "I See the Light")

2011 Golden Globes: 2 nominations: “Best Animated Film” and “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” ("I See the Light")

Saturday, April 02, 2011

----------------

Olivia Wilde Talks TRON: Legacy

Twenty-seven year-old Olivia Wilde was a supporting actor on the late television series, The O.C.  She has appeared in Alpha Dog and The Next Three Days.  She also appeared in TRON: Legacy in the role of program/warrior, Quorra.  In conjuction with the DVD and Blu-ray release of TRON: Legacy, Disney has provided this interview with the young actress:

AN INTERVIEW WITH OLIVIA WILDE FOR TRON: LEGACY

What training did you have to undertake for the role of Quorra in TRON: Legacy?

WILDE: Quorra is the most physical role I’ve ever tackled in my career. I spent months training and transforming my body for the role. I took up cross training to get to the peak of physical fitness and then I learned all types of mixed martial arts, including Capoeira. We had an amazing stunt team that was really helpful in making us look great for the movie. In the end, I looked like a real warrior.

Did you enjoy the physical aspect of the role?

WILDE: After all that training, it was great to feel strong and powerful. I’d never been so ripped, and I never will be again. I had huge muscles and I felt like I could really protect myself, which was cool. It wasn’t easy to build up that upper body strength, but I got there in the end. I had major guns!

How intensive was the training?

WILDE: The training took months, but it was all worth it. A lot of effort goes into creating a movie like this, so you have to give your all in everything you do. For example, the fight sequence in The End Of Line Club flies by in the movie, but it actually took us four months of training to be able to accomplish. It was four months well spent.

Did you enjoy the combat choreography?

WILDE: I grew up dancing. I was a ballerina for a long time, so I think that was really helpful when it came to learning the choreography on the set. To be honest, I had a blast with it all.

How would you describe Quorra’s costume in the movie?

WILDE: Quorra’s suit was totally revolutionary. We were wearing electro-luminescent lights woven through layers of neoprene and loads of other amazing materials. Costumes like this had never been made before, so it was a complete honor to be able to wear the suit. It was so beautiful that it felt like I was wearing a sculpture.

How long did it take to get into Quorra’s costume?

WILDE: In the very beginning, the prep time for wardrobe, hair and makeup was five or six hours every day. However, once we got the hang of it, we were jumping in and out of the suits in no time.

How did the extras react to the high-tech costumes?

WILDE: I think the light suits blew everybody away. In fact, we would all get really excited every time the suits were switched on. The whole room would light up with people in these amazing costumes. You’d look around and think, ‘Oh my gosh… This is really amazing! It’s going to look awesome in the finished film.’ There was a unique glow to the room that couldn’t be achieved by CGI, so I was really glad they did not add the lights in post production.

Did you enjoy wearing the black wig for the role?

WILDE: I loved the wig because it was an iconic look that I hope inspires people. I felt really lucky that [director] Joseph Kosinski was open to having a heroine in a movie not have flowing hair. When we first talked about the role, I said, “I think it would be really cool if Quorra had a Joan Of Arc vibe to her.” That’s something I researched a lot in the beginning and that’s how we came up with her androgynous look. It made Quorra more interesting.

In what way is Quorra similar to Joan Of Arc?

WILDE: Quorra is an unlikely warrior, just like Joan Of Arc. She is both a child and a warrior – and she’s also very strong. She’s extremely compassionate and she’s completely selfless, but she also seems to be in touch with some higher power.

What about the physical similarities between Quorra and Joan Of Arc?

WILDE: Quorra’s haircut is definitely inspired by Joan Of Arc. I also noted that Joan Of Arc wore a suit of white chain mail, so I said, “Quorra’s suit has got be white.” They didn’t think anybody would get that reference, but I knew it in my head, so it was really fun to have that as an inspiration.

What do you think of Quorra?

WILDE: I love Quorra. I think she is a wonderful character and she’s been a joy to play. It would have been easy to make her a sci-fi vixen, a temptress of the TRON world, but I’m very happy that we made her a real character. She’s someone people can empathize with. I like that.

What was the rehearsal process like for the movie?

WILDE: We spent a great deal of time talking about the script and working through scenes. The writers and producers welcomed everybody’s ideas, which was really nice. I really valued the extensive rehearsal process because I feel like I was there from the very conception. We tended to focus on the family story and the human story of the movie, and the rehearsals were really important because it’s where we all learned so much about our characters.

What do you think of the music of the movie?

WILDE: Daft Punk’s music was an integral part of the shooting process. They were on set for a couple of scenes, but we’d always be playing their music if they weren’t around. If I needed to find the tone of a scene, I would listen to a Daft Punk track and I’d understand where I was in the movie. I found that really helpful and really inspiring. We were lucky to have them on board.

Do you remember the first time you walked onto the set of TRON: Legacy?

WILDE: I’m so grateful that they took the trouble to build such huge, practical sets for TRON: Legacy because they informed me on how different this world was and how non-organic it was. The sets were beautiful. They allowed me to understand where my character was from, although there was certainly some green screen work involved during the filming process, too.

Did you enjoy the green screen work?

WILDE: I found it a lot like theater because you have to imagine different worlds in your head. In that sense, it was really fun. However, I enjoyed working on the practical sets much more. The director of TRON: Legacy, Joe Kosinski, was an architect before he became a filmmaker so he had some wonderful input into the sets. The ‘safe house’ set really blew me away. It was very Kubrickian and beautiful. There would be an audible gasp whenever people walked onto that sound stage. Hopefully, all that hard work translates to the screen.

TRON: LEGACY is Available on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, DVD and Movie Download A

Garrett Hedlund Talks "TRON: Legacy"

Twenty-six year-old Garrett Hedlund has appeared in films such as Troy, Four Brothers, Country Strong (in which he sang), but his biggest hit to date is TRON: Legacy.  Disney provided this interview with Hedlund:

AN INTERVIEW WITH GARRETT HEDLUND FOR TRON: LEGACY


Hi Garrett! How does it feel to be the star of TRON: Legacy?

HEDLUND: It feels amazing, but it’s also really nerve-wracking. I’ve never done a movie where I’ve been in every single scene!

Did you have fun filming the movie?

HEDLUND: The film shoot was awesome. There were lots of stunts, shoulder rolls and crazy moves. It was quite a show for everyone watching the action from the side of the set.

Was it hard work?

HEDLUND: It was extremely intense, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I had battle scenes, disc game sequences and loads of scenes that involved a lot of imagination, agility and focus – but I’m really proud of the finished film. It’s been an awesome project to work on.

What was the scariest stunt you had to perform for the movie?

HEDLUND: I had to do a lot of wirework for the film. You get hoisted up into the air. It’s not the most comfortable experience in the world!

How long did you spend in the harness?

HEDLUND: I spent an eternity in the harness! It was intense.

What did you get up to between takes?

HEDLUND: Well, there were a lot of play fights on the set of TRON: Legacy! Whenever we were given our weapons from the movie and some spare time between set-ups, you’d find me battling it out with [co-star] Olivia Wilde.

What was it like to work with Olivia Wilde?

HEDLUND: Olivia is fantastic. We met about seven years before we started work on TRON: Legacy, so it was amazing that we got to experience this crazy film together. It was great working with her. I have a lot of respect for anybody who can do a high roundhouse kick in 4-inch heels!

What was it like to work with Jeff Bridges?

HEDLUND: I’ve always been a huge fan of Jeff Bridges, so I was really excited to (play) the role of Sam Flynn in TRON: Legacy. Jeff has such a wonderful charisma and he’s an amazing actor – and I knew I’d get along with him from the start. He’s been great to me.

Can you tell us about the light suit you get to wear in the movie?

HEDLUND: The light suits were amazing! I’m used to working in jeans and a T-shirt, so it was strange to put on a skin-tight suit that lights up by itself. You feel very special wearing something like that.

How hard is it to act in a light suit?

HEDLUND: It’s pretty difficult because it’s really tight and you can’t run around easily. The helmet also gets in the way sometimes. You have to learn to walk again wearing all this crazy get-up.

Can you tell us about the special effects in the movie?

HEDLUND: You’ll see a lot of light cycles in the movie, which are the most high-tech, amazing, futuristic motorbikes you’ve ever seen in your life. You’re going to be blown away when you see them in action. They are amazing.

Were they easy to ride?

HEDLUND: I had to learn how to ride a motorcycle for the role, but I was fine once I knew the basics. To be honest, I had to learn a lot of things for TRON: Legacy. I had to learn how to ride a motorbike, I had to learn fight choreography and I had to learn hand-to-hand combat. I really enjoyed the physical training. I got really fit by the end of it all!

How tough was all the training for the role?

HEDLUND: It was extremely tough, but it was also exciting. I started off my day with 90 minutes of motorcycle training before heading over to work on the fight training. After that, I’d have a break before another 90 minutes of exercise with the guy who trained the actors from the movie, 300.

How long did the training last?

HEDLUND: I did about two months of training. After that, I was ready for anything!

How would you describe your character in the movie?

HEDLUND: Sam Flynn is a guy whose father mysteriously disappeared 20 years ago. Sam is the biggest shareholder in a huge company called Encom, but he’s turned his back on money. He lives an independent, secluded life – but he’s about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime!

What happens to him?

HEDLUND: A friend of the family called Alan Bradley motivates Sam to go and seek his father. That’s when Sam starts to figure things out and he puts pieces of a puzzle together… He ends up entering a whole new world filled with light bikes, discs and a crazy game grid.

Does Sam like action and adventure?

HEDLUND: Of course he does! Sam is into all kinds of extreme things just because he can. He’s very interested in base jumping and motorcycles. There’s even a great chase scene with his bike at the beginning of the movie.

What was your toughest challenge during the film shoot?

HEDLUND: Everybody likes to talk about how difficult it is to work with green screen because you have to act with your imagination. Personally, I think we were lucky on TRON: Legacy because there were also a lot of sets for us to work on.

Did you enjoy working on the green screen scenes?

HEDLUND: Whenever we worked on green screen scenes, we had great direction from our director, Joseph Kosinski. He knew exactly what he wanted, which really helped, and he was always thinking ten steps ahead of us. He made the film shoot such an easy and enjoyable experience. He’s the best!

TRON: LEGACY is Available on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, DVD and Movie Download April 5th!

VIZ Anime Launches "Tiger and Bunny"

LIFE ISN’T EASY WHEN YOU’RE A FULLTIME SUPERHERO IN HOT NEW ANIME ACTION SERIES TIGER & BUNNY, SIMULCASTING ON VIZANIME.COM

A Washed-Up Veteran And A Rookie With An Attitude Team Up To Become The Best And Worst Superhero Duo Of All Time!

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, invites fans to dive into the crime-fighting action of one of the most anticipated anime series of 2011 with the simulcast premiere of TIGER & BUNNY on Saturday, April 2nd. The new series launches on VIZAnime.com, the company’s exclusive web destination for anime, the same day it debuts in Japan! New FREE weekly episodes (subtitled) will be available to stream on VIZAnime beginning at 12:00pm (PST) each Saturday.

TIGER & BUNNY (rated TV-14) is directed by Keiichi Sato (director of THE BIG O), with original character designs by Masakazu Katsura, creator of I”S and VIDEO GIRL AI (also released by VIZ Media). Stern Bild is a metropolitan city where superheroes called NEXT help to maintain peace. Sporting sponsor logos on their suits, these heroes work to solve cases and save people’s lives in order to earn Hero Points, while also helping to improve the public image of their corporate sponsors. Their activities are documented and broadcast by the popular show “HERO TV,” in which each superhero strives to become the “King of Heroes” of the year.

One such hero is Wild Tiger (real name Kotetsu T. Kaburagi), a veteran superhero who relies on his years of experience and instincts to fight crime. Though obligated to work for his boss’s best interest, Kotetsu follows his own code of honor and is even willing to cause destruction to public property for the sake of protecting the lives of his fellow citizens. Over time, he has grudgingly earned the nickname “Crusher for Justice.” Now, Kotetsu suddenly finds himself forced to team up with rookie hero Barnaby Brooks Jr.

“TIGER & BUNNY is the latest series from the famed anime studio, Sunrise, and we’re very excited to make it available to fans in North America exclusively through VIZAnime.com,” says Ken Sasaki, Sr. Vice President and General Manager of VIZ Media. “The inventive story matches a veteran hero who is dealing with all kinds of quirky personal and professional problems with a young partner who is impulsive and unmanageable. When they team up to fight crime, they also usually end up battling each other. TIGER & BUNNY is a fun new series that combines plenty action and humor with an exploration of an unlikely friendship, and we invite fans to catch the premiere!”

To view the official trailer and to follow TIGER & BUNNY on the official Facebook page, please visit http://www.facebook.com/TigerAndBunny. For more information on TIGER & BUNNY and other animated titles from VIZ Media please visit http://www.vizanime.com/.

Jeff Bridges' TRON: Legacy Interview Part 3

This is part of an interview series provided by Walt Disney:

AN INTERVIEW WITH JEFF BRIDGES FOR TRON: LEGACY

Hi Jeff! How would you describe the story of TRON: Legacy?

BRIDGES: TRON: Legacy is a father and son story set in a crazy computer world. It’s the sequel to a movie that was made 28 years ago!

How much fun did you have shooting TRON: Legacy?

BRIDGES: The movie was a lot of fun to film because every day was different. Some days, we’d be working on a sound stage with an amazing set. Other days, I’d be walking around a huge, empty warehouse wearing a leotard with little balls all over it.

That sounds a little crazy…

BRIDGES: It was very crazy and very bizarre, but it was a fun challenge because that’s how the special effects were shot. My face was covered with 100 tiny dots and I wore a helmet with two antennas sticking out of it. I am used to acting in costume, but this was very different. I soon learned to get used to it, though.

How has technology changed since you made the original movie?

BRIDGES: The first TRON movie was made nearly 30 years ago. Back then, there was no internet and there were no cell phones. There were no personal computers either. It was a completely different world.

How did you shoot the special effects for the original movie?

BRIDGES: It was all very basic back then. There was a lot of adhesive tape and tennis balls used on the set of the first film. TRON: Legacy benefits from advancements in technology since then. It’s a completely different world now.

When did you first hear about the sequel?

BRIDGES: There’s been a rumor of a TRON sequel going around Hollywood ever since the first movie was released. I kept waiting and waiting to get a script, but I never heard anything until a couple of years ago. I think Disney was very wise to wait for the right script and the right story, but it’s here now.

What went through your mind when you heard a script was on its way?

BRIDGES: I was overjoyed. To be honest, I was very excited when I heard about the original movie – and I had the same excitement when I found out that the sequel was going to be made. I couldn’t wait to read what was going to happen.

How was the original movie pitched to you?

BRIDGES: The original movie appealed to the kid in me. They said, “Do you want to play a guy who gets sucked inside a computer? We’ll be using lots of cutting edge technology to shoot the film and it’s going to be very different to anything else you’ve seen at the movies.” It was like being invited over to the house of the kid who’s got all the latest gadgets and games. I immediately said to them, “I’m in!”

How was the sequel pitched to you?

BRIDGES: The director told me it was going to be a father and son story, and he said we were going to be using cutting edge filming techniques again. It sounded great to me.

Did you hesitate before signing up for the sequel?

BRIDGES: Oh, sure. I hesitate before I sign up for anything, but I was extremely excited about the prospect of the sequel. I thought to myself, ‘I can’t wait to mess around with all that great, cutting edge technology. I can’t wait to see what the visual effects will be like now.’

What made you hesitate?

BRIDGES: I wanted to make sure the story of the sequel was strong. I knew there was going to be a lot of visual candy, but you need to care about the characters for a movie to work. As soon as I heard the story was going to be a father and son adventure, I knew it was going to work out.

Is it true that you kept your TRON helmet from the original movie?

BRIDGES: I kept the helmet and the leotard from the original film and I actually wore it for Halloween one year. I dressed up as my character, Kevin Flynn, and walked around! It got a lot of strange looks, but I didn’t care.

What science-fiction books and movies were you into when you were young?
BRIDGES: As a kid, I loved science fiction. When I was growing up, I read books by Ray Bradbury and Robert Heinlein – and I’ve always loved science fiction movies. I don’t think you can get a much better movie than 2001. However, I also like the movie Starman, which I appeared in. Science fiction is great.

Are you into video games?

BRIDGES: I was really into video games when we made the original TRON. The walls of the soundstage where we shot the original movie were lined with video games and they were all free. You didn’t have to put any money in them.

That sounds amazing…

BRIDGES: It was great! Everyone would be playing them all day long. The crew would come up to me and say, “Come on, Jeff… We need you on set.” And I’d reply, “I’m preparing, man. I’m getting into character.”

Do you play many video games now?

BRIDGES: I don’t play too many video games now. I feel like I’ve fallen away from technology. I have a love-hate relationship with the internet, although I have a website that I like to play around with.

We’ve heard a rumor that you’re interested in photography…

BRIDGES: I am! I usually take photos on the set of all my movies. In fact, you can see some of the shots on my website.

Did you take many pictures on the set of TRON: Legacy?

BRIDGES: I wanted to take lots of pictures, but the lighting was very dark on the set. I didn’t take as many pictures as I usually take, but there are a few out there.

What advice do you have for aspiring photographers?

BRIDGES: I don’t know if I have any advice! Just keep taking pictures of things you think are interesting. That’s how I started out.

And what advice would you give to aspiring actors?

BRIDGES: Train hard and practice your craft. Get involved in all aspects of drama, but keep on trying because it’s a tough industry to crack. Good luck!

TRON: LEGACY is Available on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, DVD and Movie Download April 5th!

Jeff Bridges' TRON: Legacy Interview Part 2

AN INTERVIEW WITH JEFF BRIDGES FOR TRON: LEGACY

How did the film shoot for TRON: Legacy compare to the film shoot for the original movie?

BRIDGES: The first movie was shot in 70 mm, black and white. Our set was mostly made from a black material called Duvetyne that was hanging on the wall along with some white adhesive tape – and that was it. They sent the film overseas where people hand-tinted all of the glowing lines into each shot frame-by-frame. It was a mammoth undertaking and it was extremely cutting edge. However, the process for the second movie was completely different.

Can you take us through the filming process for the sequel?

BRIDGES: TRON: Legacy was the first movie that I’ve been involved in where many scenes were shot without cameras. We used a process called motion capture and we shot the movie in a space called The Volume. The Volume can be any size, but the walls are covered with optical sensors. They’re not cameras, but each sensor gives information to a computer. To begin each scene, we had to stand in the shape of the letter T. You stand with your hands out and the sensors grab you – and then you carry on. You’re wearing a suit with little sensors all over it, so all of the makeup, the costumes, the camera angles, the lighting… Everything is added in post production. It was very different to anything I’d worked on before.

Were there any similarities between the shooting of the two movies?

BRIDGES: The biggest similarity between the filming of the two movies was the way that you have to act a lot with your mind. We spent a lot of both film shoots in huge rooms with no sets, so you have to imagine where you are and you have to imagine what’s going on in the scene. It’s always a challenge, but it’s also a lot of fun.

What do you think of the new light cycles in TRON: Legacy?

BRIDGES: I think they’re great. They are much better, more sophisticated and more refined than the light cycles in the original movie. [Director] Joseph Kosinski was an architect, so he came at the project from a new angle and the film has a heightened design feel to it due to this. He hired a wonderful production designer called Darren Gilford who worked in car design, so that also added a different element to the project. I’m really impressed and happy with all of the vehicles in the movie. I think they all look great.

Did it take a lot of persuading to get you on board for the sequel?

BRIDGES: Not really. Joe Kosinski made a wonderful pitch to me about the story of the movie, so I knew where the film was heading and I was immediately intrigued. This is Joe’s first film and I have to give Disney credit for taking that risk in choosing him, but he pulled it off with ease. He has a background in commercials, so when he pitched the story to me, he showed me his commercial reel and I saw the technology that was available to use in the movie. I signed onto the original TRON because I was excited about using cutting edge technology, and that’s exactly the same reason why I signed on for the sequel.

What was it like to play two different characters in the movie: Kevin Flynn and Clu?

BRIDGES: It wasn’t too difficult. The director did his best to separate the days where I played Flynn and Clu, which made the work much easier. The makeup process was very different for each of the characters, so it was much better to separate the days and keep these two apart.

What was it like to see a younger version of yourself in Clu?

BRIDGES: It was a little bizarre, but it wasn’t too strange for me because I have movies that chart my different looks over the years. However, I was amazed that they could pull off this feat with such accuracy. What they did in TRON: Legacy was amazing. They modeled Clu on the period of my life when I worked on Against All Odds – and it all looks so real. The guys who worked on it are magicians.

Did you have any input into the look of Clu?

BRIDGES: I helped in any way I could, so I gave them a lot of family pictures to use as reference. The same guys who worked on Benjamin Button came in and worked on Clu. When they first arrived, they brought along Brad Pitt’s head in a glass box and they set it down on the table. It was uncanny. It wasn’t like a wax head that you might see in a museum. In fact, it looked like Brad Pitt’s head had been cut off and it was just sitting there. You were waiting for him to, “Hi.” It was so realistic.

What inspired your performance of Clu?

BRIDGES: My inspiration came from the script and the story. That’s always the place where I start my work on a character, but then I look at aspects of myself that might apply to each character. In this case, I’m playing a couple of guys, so I would magnify certain aspects of myself for one and maybe dampen those for the other.

Video games and arcade games are constantly featured in both TRON movies. Are you a gamer?

BRIDGES: I don’t play video games much now, although I remember playing one with my daughters. I believe it was called Myst. I hope they make a movie of that game because it was a wonderful world to visit. You weren’t killing anybody in the game, but it was very dramatic. That was the last video game I got into.

Were you interested in arcade games in your youth?

BRIDGES: I think I was a grown man when arcade games came into fashion. I can remember playing Pong, but that wasn’t in my youth. I played Pong on the movie set where I met my wife, which must have been 35 years ago. That would’ve been the 80s and I was working on a movie called Rancho Deluxe with Harry Dean Stanton. I distinctly remember playing Pong there.

Were there many arcade machines on the set of the first TRON movie?

BRIDGES: When we filmed the first movie, Steven Lisberger – the director – had video games all over the soundstage and I used to get locked into them. Have you heard of a game called Battle Zone? I used to love that. They had to tear me off of that thing to get to work.

We can’t let the interview end without mentioning your Academy Award win for Crazy Heart… Where do you keep your award?

BRIDGES: It’s sitting on the shelf by my kitchen.

How did it feel to win?

BRIDGES: It was truly wonderful. To get that acknowledgement from your peers is fantastic, but the really cool thing was that the movie was all about music and it’s caused my own music to bloom. I’m in my sixties and I’ve been working on music since I was a teenager, but I’ve had to put it in the back burner. However, I’ve now been able to go back into the studio and make an album. That’s amazing for me. I couldn’t be happier.

TRON: LEGACY is Available on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, DVD and Movie Download April 5th!