“Mutant Turtles: Mutant Panic! ” Director Jeff Lowe Aiming for “cool” video and music [Director's Interview Vol.354]

When directing, I was conscious of the live-action production. Japanese movies too?

Q: I feel like this work and `` Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse '' (23) are setting trends in anime.

Lowe: It certainly seems like Hollywood animation is entering a new era. With the success of Into the Spider-Verse, the same approach may feel outdated to audiences as studios focus on unique visuals and unique stories.

Q: The camera work, which is reminiscent of a live-action movie, also adds to the coolness of the work.

Lowe: That would be my personal preference. My favorite directors are Paul Thomas Anderson and Alfonso Cuarón, and their films often feature long takes where the camera follows things from a human perspective, or where characters just walk and talk. I also adopted those methods. This is to make the audience empathize with it. The opening imitated Denis Villeneuve's `` Sicario '' (15). In addition, the overall color scheme is based on live-action films such as Seijun Suzuki's `` Tokyo Wanderer '' (1966), and the free movement of the camera is based on Wong Kar-wai's `` The Chungking Express '' (1994).

Q: What are your thoughts on character design?

Lowe: The giant monster character that appears in the second half is, frankly speaking, on a level that would be impossible in anime. But that's why we took on the challenge and aimed for a cool finish here as well. I would like everyone in Japan to watch this movie while also watching Godzilla.

“Mutant Turtles: Mutant Panic! ”© 2023 PARAMOUNT PICTURES.TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES IS A TRADEMARK OF VIACOM INTERNATIONAL INC.

Q: And the music is the charm of this work. The score was composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, known for their work by David Fincher. Isn't it rare for them to take on animation work?

Rowe: That's right. I'm a fan of their music, and I recommended them as my first choice for this movie, but I never expected them to accept the role of an anime, let alone ``The Turtles.'' That ``unbelievable'' thing happened (lol). I asked them to watch the roughly edited video, and when I expressed my wishes, they immediately created a song for me. He even adjusted the beat of the score to match the hip-hop song we had already decided to use, and Seth (Rogen) and I were so impressed that it was the coolest music we've ever heard. I rolled it up.

Q: In these animated works, famous stars are often used to voice the main characters, but in this work, the Turtles were intentionally cast by teenage actors.

Lowe: In the previous Turtles movies, even though they were set as teenagers, they were never played by actors their own age. There were also cases where the voice was deep and bossy, like that of an adult. I decided to cast him because I believed that by conveying the emotions unique to a teenager in his voice, his lines would be absolutely convincing, and the audience would be able to empathize with him. And I am confident that things went better than I expected.

Q: On the other hand, Jackie Chan, a legendary actor, also participates in the film as a voice actor.

Rowe: I was surprised at how humble he is for such a star. He is someone who has the attitude, ``If you give me instructions, I will do exactly what you say,'' and in other words, he is a person who does his work accurately. Having Jackie in my production feels like a dream come true.

The emphasis is on storytelling