IESB.net has a two part video interview with Transformers producers Tom DeSanto (on left) and Don Murphy (on right). Both are apparently huge comics books and movies fans with both owning 10,000+ comics (me to but want to sell mine) and apparently thousands of DVDs (hmmm I bet the surround sound is sweet). Gives them geek creds at least. Very very wealthy geeks. Ah the things I would buy. Anyway, back to the videos.
Tidbits of note:- Transformer rights where purchased in May 2003 from Hasbro.
- Most of the studio exec pitched too at the time where to old to understand or know Transformers but at second pass they indicated that maybe hit the slightly younger demographic execs to show that the interest is there (how giant transforming robots laying the smackdown using current FX tech wouldn't be popular is beyond me).
- Tom believes that Transformers is character driven sci-fi with a great mythology (yet oddly they use very little of said mythology, maybe future sequels?).
- "The fans trust you guys."
- "...Surprised and pleased about how passionate the fans are. ...There is a solid fan base that Tom and I and the film makers are trying to service and keep happy. At the same time there is a mistake to think there is a universality in that fan base." I still say we are hearing from the vocal minority when it comes to complaints and most know that the cartoons are just not worth copying. They are filtered through childhood eyes, but when see em as adults, they suck to be blunt.
- Apparently an early script had Arcee in it. News to me anyway.
- "At the end of the day you have to stay true to the heart and soul of what Transformers are." Basically, all said and done, the goal isn't to copy the cartoons.
- The voice of Prime was decided because at the point in the film making process where a decision needed to made to move forward. They are not at that point with Megatron, but Frank Welker has been auditioned for the role and his name is being discussed. He's still in the running for the role. Ultimately, the decision on casting is Michael Bay's, not the producers.
- Soundtrack decisions are still in the very early phase.
- Tom challenges fans to bring non-TF lovers to see the movie and make them a convert.
- Don asks fans to hold their opinion until they see a 3-D CGI polished moving Transformers.
- The end of the interview was about future projects including the PG-13 animated Teen Titans (no relation to the Cartoon Network version).
The article, video part 1 and part 2.
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