Monsters University Interview With Producer Kori Rae and Director Dan Scanlon at Cinemacon 2013

By Mark DeGuzman

(Please Excuse the site condition as we are restoring and updating following a cyber hack).

monster_u

As a bonus, here is the new trailer as well.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBzPioph8CI&w=440&h=315]

Mark DeGuzman did some great coverage for us at Cinemacon 2013 in Las Vegas. Mark had the opportunity to interview Monsters University’s Director Dan Scanlon and Producer Kori Rae, during their trip to Vegas while attending Cinemacon.

This interview was done in a Press Line interview system, where they lined up all the press and that they had Dan and Kori go down the line to each Press Reporter. Of course that creates a few time restraints since Dan and Kori had other functions to attend to that day, and every reporter wanted to get more than their fair share. But, when it came down to my turn to interview, I was able to get a few questions in before they had to go to their other functions.

Markus: First off, thank you for taking the time for letting me nterview you two. I’m sure you two have a busy day ahead of you, so let me ask, how was it, working with the cast of Monster University?

Kori: It’s fantastic! John and Billy came back to surprise their role of Mike and Sully and they were both excited to work on the film and recording them together a few times, which was fantastic and they have such a great energy, especially when working together and we hoped we captured that in the film.
Markus: What’s the hardest thing that you had, putting the movie together?

Dan: The hardest things, you know, usually with our film and this is the same, is the story. We really want to get a great story and so, at Pixar, we do the story over and over again and if something is not working, we get rid of it. We do several version some vastly different of the story and as always, that’s probably is the trickiest thing. But I think, if we just keep going at it eventually it works out.

Kori: We’re test to not making the film predictable cause it’s a prequel and so when the story fades, which is basically the whole time. It’s really tricky and so, that was probably the most challenging.

Dan: Yeah, it changes how you tell a story, you kind of have to use the fact on how people knows how it’s going to end as a benefit , as a way to tell the story. To tell the story on how we get there.

Markus: What should movie goers expect at the movie?

Kori: They should expect great relationship, tons of fun, tons of college fun and a lot of heart.

Markus: Final question. What’s a good advice for inspiring film makers?

Dan: For me, I feel like, just keep telling stories, whether you’re writing or start shooting stuff. You can shoot a whole movie on your phone now and doesn’t need to be a whole movie. I always encourage people do something within their reach. You can tell a great story in 5 seconds. So make those goals and keep practicing storytelling and film making. You just need to do it a lot.


You can hear audio of the interview below, simply click the link and it will take you to the player.


Monsters U Audio