“Transformers: Awakening of the Beast” Director Stephen Caple Jr. Should robots breathe? [Director's Interview Vol.338]

`` Transformers '' was made into a movie in 2007, produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Michael Bay. Since then, six movies have been made, including the spin-off `` Bumblebee '' (2018). “Transformers: Awakening of the Beast” is the reboot of such a popular series. Familiar characters such as Optimus Prime and Bumblebee will appear, but this time a group of "Beasts" (Maximals), which are transformed animals such as gorillas, cheetahs, and rhinos, will appear. An unprecedented battle unfolds against Unicron, a gigantic enemy that can swallow entire planets.

The director entrusted with restarting it is Stephen Caple Jr. This is his third feature-length film, and even movie fans may not be familiar with the name. However, the previous work was `` Creed II '' (18). The development of this work from there is proof that his talent has been recognized in Hollywood. Were you originally deeply attached to the world of "Transformers"? And how did they update the popular series? We asked some questions to the up-and-coming director.

“Transformers/Awakening of the Beast” synopsis

One day, Noah, a young man living in New York, gets trapped in a mysterious car. After a car chase with the police, the car transforms into a robot life form called a ``Transformer,'' and Noah gets caught up in the battle. Unicron, the worst scourge in the universe that was thought to be a myth, swallows and devours all the stars, and has set out to make Earth his next target. Optimus Prime and the Autobots are in a desperate situation when they are attacked by Unicron's brutal advance team, Scourge, and beasts that transform into animals appear before them. Will the Autobots, Beasts, and humans be able to change the fate of Earth's destruction by Unicron?

Index

• There is hesitation about making two “sequels” in a row.
• The relationship between car models and robots, and the history behind the details
• Photographing Machu Picchu after suffering from altitude sickness and bad weather

There is hesitation about making two “sequels” in a row.

Q: First, please tell us how you came to direct ``Transformers: Awakening of the Beast.''

Caple Jr.: Although I didn't actively promote it, I was given the opportunity to make a presentation before I received a formal offer. However, at that point, the project was not a new chapter of "Transformers" but a sequel to " Bumblebee ." In fact, I personally wasn't keen on the idea of ​​a sequel, so I was considering the option of turning it down. Then, the coronavirus pandemic started and the project came to a halt. When things started moving again, the finished script was not a sequel, but a new Transformers story.

Q: Since you directed the sequel to "Creed," I can understand why you would be hesitant about making two sequels in a row. The new script included elements from the animated series ``Beast Wars: Transformers,'' which was popular in the 1990s.

Caple Jr.: I watched all the live-action Transformers movies and animated series, and I was a big fan of Beast Wars . I thought I had a deep knowledge of `` Beast Wars, '' and I was proud to know everything about it. When I read the new script, I was inspired and thought, ``I really want to shoot this myself,'' so I presented my ideas and opinions to the studio and received an official offer to direct.

“Transformers: Beast Awakening” ©2023 PARAMOUNT PICTURES. HASBRO, TRANSFORMERS AND ALL RELATED CHARACTERS ARE TRADEMARKS OF HASBRO.©2023 HASBRO

Q: The first film in the live-action series, “Transformers,” also served as the starting point for subsequent works. Did you have that in mind when directing this film?

Caple Jr.: I was a college student when `` Transformers '' was released, and as someone who aspires to be a filmmaker, it had a big impact on me. Specifically, I felt that the way robots perform slow kicks and punches in action scenes was innovative and cool. This time we followed that approach.

Q: Even compared to the previous six films in the series, I felt that the images for this transformation were "easier to watch."

Caple Jr.: For some of the characters' transformation moments, we filmed them at a slightly higher speed and then showed them in slow motion. As a result, it is easier to convey the movement to the audience. This time, if a large number of characters such as Autobot and Maximal appear on the screen at the same time, there is a risk that it will be difficult to tell them apart. It's like I don't know what's going on (lol). In their battle scenes, we had to get closer to each character, even more so than in past series. For example, even in the scene where he gets beaten up, I tried to create a sense of realism that would make the audience say, "Wow!" by not neglecting each punch. For that reason, I paid an unusual amount of attention to the camera work and angles.

Q: You also carefully calculated how the many complex parts would transform, right?

Caple Jr.: Of course! We designed a prototype of the robot after transformation, and carefully considered how the details would transform from that design into a car or motorcycle.

The relationship between car models and robots, and the history behind the details