I want you to experience what happens when you believe in a psychopath - "Ted Bundy" director Joe Ballinger [Director's Interview Vol.47]

Ted Bundy was a murderer who shook America in the 1970s. He committed extremely brutal crimes such as murdering over 30 women, crushing the victims' heads, raping them, and putting molds on their teeth. He maintained his innocence at trial and acted as his own defense attorney, making him a unique abnormality. He's a criminal.

But there was an even scarier side to him. It is the gap between the crime committed and the appearance. With his sweet mask that doesn't seem to kill insects and his good-natured demeanor, he captivated many women, and his fan base grew even more after his trial was broadcast on TV. It is said that there was no shortage of women who believed that they were wrongly accused, even though they had committed some of the worst acts in the history of sexual crimes.

The movie ``Ted Bundy'' based on Ted will be released in Japan on December 20th. Starring Zac Efron from `` The Greatest Showman '' (18). Although Ted is a handsome young man, his eyes are dark and dark, and he embodies the dual nature of Ted with a mysterious performance that overturns previous images. Co-stars include Lily Collins, Kaya Scodelario, John Malkovich, and Haley Joel Osment.

The film was directed by Joe Ballinger, who also portrayed Ted in the Netflix original documentary `` Conversations with a Murderer: The Case of Ted Bundy '' (2019). It is extremely rare to produce both a documentary and a feature film about the same subject at the same time. How did the internationally acclaimed filmmaker, whose films include the documentary Paradise Lost series, which received double nominations for the Academy Award and the Emmy Award, come face to face with the man named Ted Bundy? We asked Ballinger, who was in Japan, about the behind-the-scenes aspects of production.

Index

• A long period of time facing Ted that was emotionally rewarding.
• Taking advantage of the fan image of Zac Efron
• It was by pure chance that I decided to become a filmmaker.

A long period of time facing Ted that was emotionally rewarding.

Q: Both "Conversations with a Murderer: The Case of Ted Bundy" and this film are terrifying masterpieces, but mustn't it have been quite a challenge to portray the same incident in both documentary and feature film form? ?

Joe: We happened to be making them at the same time, but I didn't really feel like it was a challenge. I think I was able to create both a documentary and a feature film while thinking about the best format for each.

Documentaries delve deep into the psychology of the murderer, while feature films depict the experiences of the victims from their perspective. Having worked on both, it became clearer what to focus on.

Q: I see. Rather, I feel like I have everything to do organized.

Joe: Yes. Because the entire incident was depicted in the documentary first, the feature film was able to focus on one point. That can also be considered a benefit. I was able to give him materials that I had obtained during the documentary production process that couldn't be seen anywhere else for the purpose of preparing for his role and creating the art. I myself became an expert on Ted by the time we finished filming the documentary.

Actually, it's been a while since I've made a feature film, and my previous film didn't get high reviews... I don't think I'm good enough to be a movie director yet, and I can't rely on my own abilities. However, the cast and crew trusted my experience in the documentary field and my knowledge of Ted.

If there's anything that can be called a challenge, it was mentally tough having to deal with a man named Ted Bundy for a long period of time.

Q: As you said, I think this work depicts the fear of a murderer named Ted, but there is almost no direct depiction of violence. Why is this?

Joe: To begin with, I think true crime stories have become too irresponsible.

You could say it's a contradiction in this kind of work, but even if you want to convey a social Arrival, if it's not entertaining, people won't watch it. For many viewers, it's just one movie among many. As a result, there have been a plethora of movies that pursue entertainment too much and depict excessive violence.

However, since it depicts a real person, what is meant to be entertainment for the audience becomes a tragedy for the victims and their families. I think that's where the filmmakers have to take responsibility. That's why in this work, I suppressed the depiction of violence more than necessary.

Taking advantage of the fan image of Zac Efron