Michel Gondry
Michel Gondry
Michel Gondryis a French independent film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is noted for his inventive visual style and distinctive manipulation of mise en scène. He won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay as one of the writers of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which is often ranked one of the greatest films of the 2000s...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionDirector
Date of Birth8 May 1963
CityVersailles, France
CountryUnited States of America
My grandfather lived across the garden from us, and in his attic he had a lot of radios, appliances and inventions that he had made over 50 years, such as a keyboard called a clavioline, which can be heard on some Beatles songs - it was popular in the 60s. So we had all that at home.
I always wanted to create this community that would come and tell their own story, shoot it - and watch them. The idea is to not have one entity who creates the work, the project, and another entity who consumes it; the idea is people create their own work, like somebody cultivating his garden.
The beauty of doing film is that you construct whatever you do block by block and you can build something that will stay.
I try to learn from both, from features and documentaries. In both cases you have to find a way to make the camera as discreet as possible, and flexible enough to be able to capture the moment when it happens. I know from documentary how to not have a preconceived idea of what the scene could be.
There's nothing worse than a dream sequence done all in post-production.
We were hoping to define an era and a community without being too lecturing - to show people having a good time. On camera and off, Dave is charming. I thought it would be good to follow him around with a camera because he generates so much warmth.
I think it was interesting not to lie about it and see that it's actually their work to entertain people and they have their own way to do it.
It is not pretentious. It just gives you the feeling you could do it yourself.
I always had disturbing dreams from when I was a child. Seeing that they disturb me, I might as well make money from it.
He doesn't believe he loves his relationship until he dreams it.
Childhood occupies the biggest part of your brain, so a lot of my memories subconsciously (and consciously) enter the videos I do.
You can't feel sorry for a scene. If the movie works without the scene, then you don't need the scene.
I like collaboration, I like to incorporate other people's ideas [and] that's what happens when you do a big movie. Unless you're called Stanley Kubrick and you do an independent movie for like $200 million.
I love 3D a lot, I have a great interest in 3D, so if I am given the tools to do a project with 3D, it's a dream for me.