“LAMB” Director Valdimir Johansson The most important thing in movies is “sound” [Director’s Interview Vol.239]

Disturbing. Everything about the movie is disturbing. Icelandic director Valdimir Johansson, who made such a movie, ``LAMB,'' was in charge of the art and special effects for Hollywood blockbusters such as ``Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. '' He has a unique background, having studied under him. However, it seems that he was able to create this work precisely because his backgrounds combined so well. It is only through outstanding production skills that a disturbing worldview can be created. It's no wonder that A24 bought the North American distribution rights. We spoke to director Johansson about the production of this film.

Index

• The most important thing is “sound”
• Everyone believed in this work
• It's great to be excited about talking about movies.

The most important thing is “sound”

Q: I'm impressed by the way you use images and sound to drive the story, eliminating dialogue as much as possible. What is it about this method that appeals to you?

Johansson: From the early stages, we decided to eliminate dialogue as much as possible. Whenever I watch a movie, I always think, wouldn't it be more interesting without the dialogue? and. People can read various things from visuals. This is because images are a language that everyone can understand.

Also, the most important thing when telling a story is "sound." Sound, including music, can convey many things. This time, I had an amazing sound designer participate, and my favorite part of the production process was working on the sound. Some sounds come from nature, while others come from artificial sources, and they must be fused together so that they speak to each other. As an audience member, I like works that place importance on sound, so sound may be the most important thing in movies. I'm really happy that you felt that way.

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Q: The radio on display, the paintings on the wall, the depictions of sheep, dogs, and cats, etc., are not just insert cuts, but have a driving force that drives the story. Was that kind of depiction written into the script from the script stage?

Johansson: I wrote it along with the script and storyboards. This time, the world itself is very small, as the events occur only around the farmhouse. In order to make it look bigger, I thought it would be effective to include another perspective, that of the animals. I think animals have a better ability to sense things than humans, so they may be able to sense when a threat is approaching. I thought that by using such expressions, I could create a sense of mystery.

Everyone believed in this work