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

The emphasis is on storytelling

Q: Although it is an animated film, the play includes clips from the live-action film ` `Ferris Bueller's Day Off '' (1986), and it is full of playfulness.

Lowe: That scene was inspired by Cinema Paradiso (1989) as an idea in the early stages of the script. The Turtles touch on the daily life of the human world, so I thought about what kind of scene would be appropriate for that, and I came up with an image of everyone watching a movie in a park. Although this is a normal sight for humans, it is a bit surprising for the Turtles, and they feel isolated and alone. I chose Ferris for the simple reason that it's a movie about teenagers, and I don't have any strong motivations for it. However, the celebratory scene I used in Ferris coincided with the climax of this movie, so it ended up being the perfect choice.

Q: What kind of interaction did you have with producer Seth Rogen?

Lowe: Whenever something changed, I would email him and get his input. I think we had many, many conversations. When Seth saw the first rough version, his response was, "Amazing." From there, we made many small adjustments on-site, but in the end, it took three years from the time I got involved until it was completed.

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

Q: You've made two successful anime films, but what was your reason for wanting to become a film director in the first place?

Lowe: Actually, when I was a child, I had a dream of becoming an architect, but people around me stopped me and said, ``It's not a job worthy of dreams.'' (laughs) There, I reconsidered what I wanted to do, and since I loved watching movies and drawing, I chose a career in animation that combined both.

Q: What do you keep in mind as a film director?

Lowe: Is it the importance of storytelling? The story of `` Being John Malkovich '' (1999) written by Charlie Kaufman inspires me about the purpose and process of art. Movies have the power to transcend national borders and make people empathize with each other, thinking, ``This is my story'' or ``This is my family's story.'' If it's successful, those who watch it will feel a little more part of the world. With this in mind, I have pursued my career as a film director.

Q: So, is it ideal for you to write the screenplay yourself?

Rowe: Not necessarily. For this work, I did not participate in the script writing in the early stages. Even Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, for example, have directed scripts written by others. There are definitely benefits to looking at the script objectively, and you can think about how to direct it yourself. However, as an artist, it would be ideal to be involved in the script from the beginning and take on the challenge of expressing yourself.

“Mutant Turtles: Mutant Panic! ” Reserve now ↓

Director/Screenplay: Jeff Lowe

Screenwriter, director. He is known for his significant contributions to the animation world. From 2014 to 2016, he was the screenwriter for the Primetime Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel animated series Gravity Falls (2014-2016), and then directed the Netflix animated series Gravity Falls from 2014 to 2016. ” (18-22). In feature films, he co-wrote and co-directed the Academy Award-nominated film The Mitchells vs the Machines(21). The film, released on Netflix in April 2021, was hailed as one of the year's best animated features and praised for its unique visual style. It became Netflix's biggest animated production of the year and remains one of the most streamed films of the year. Lowe will be starring in the long-awaited animated film ``Mutant Turtles: Mutant Panic!'' in 2023. ” made his directorial debut. While paying homage to the series' rich history, Lowe's fresh artistic vision and visually striking storytelling techniques make it shine.

Interview and text: Hiroaki Saito

Became freelance in 1997, contributing movie reviews and interview articles to various media such as movie magazines, theater pamphlets, and movie sites. The column is constantly updated on Yahoo! News.

“Mutant Turtles: Mutant Panic! ”

Nationwide release on Friday, September 22nd!

Distribution: Towa Pictures

© 2023 PARAMOUNT PICTURES.TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES IS A TRADEMARK OF VIACOM INTERNATIONAL INC.