Collider Interviews Alex Pettyfer and Director DJ Caruso

If you've been following us for sometime, you know that Collider has provided the fans of I Am Number Four, with some amazing interviews with the cast and film makers. Today, yet another has been released. This time it's a roundtable discussion with Alex Pettyfer and Director DJ Caruso on the making of the film, the differences between the book and film, and John Smith as a character. Check out some excerpts below.

COLLIDER:  Alex what did you get to do on this film that you’ve always wanted to do that’s a little different from, like you did on Beastly, is there something on this that you got to do and went “Yes!”?

Pettyfer: You know every film that you go from, you have different experiences, and this experience was working with people that I idolize. DJ, I love his movies from Disturbia to Eagle Eye. I remember reading Disturbia, one of the first scripts I ever got, and I go “Pfft, who wants to make a movie about a guy in a house?” And you watch it and you are blown away about what DJ does, you know he makes an intimate story about a guy who you care about. That’s what I loved about I am Number Four, is that you have all this great action and explosions and etcetera etcetera, but at the core of it DJ makes a story where you care about every single character and you feel like it’s real. That’s why the new Batman worked so well, cause it’s real. You don’t have people flying around and this and that, you have real situations with real people and you start to care about them.

COLLIDER: Obviously, a book is a book, a movie is a movie. Could you talk about the differences from the book to the movie? And also, this is the first of what could be a series of films, how much do you know about where it might go past here?

Caruso: Well I know for me, it was really trying to make—you know you have the book, you have the novel, you have the outline for where the second book goes, the third book was sort of on track to some of the thoughts that they had. But for me, it was really very selfishly trying to make the best movie that I can, trying to stick to some of the themes and elements from the book. But we did do some tweaking and changing, for example I think the biggest change would be—and it’s not a major change, [well] it is a major change dramatically—in the book when it starts he knows who he is, he knows exactly what he’s gotta do, he already has all these powers, most of these powers. We decided for the film to make it a discovery, that he kind of knows he’s special and he’s be chosen, he doesn’t know what’s gonna happen, and so as these powers kick in we, the audience, are discovering with him for the first time what’s happening to him and then how are these gonna relate to what happens later in the movie. So for me, dramatically, that was sort of the biggest shift that we took. And then also just, there’s a lot of sort of folklore and backstory about where he came from and how he got here and flashbacks and things, and I decided in the film just to keep it straight, make that the Chinatown of the movie. We know he’s not, wherever he’s from there’s some horrible things that happened, but for this particularly first film it wasn’t an important element of dramatically telling the story. So I think those were probably the two biggest shifts.

COLLIDER:  Okay the tortured souls in different ways. This kid moves all the time, he’s got this horrible background, and your guy in Beastly is a high school student as well who’s paying for his arrogance basically. So do you pick roles like that on purpose? Why do you gravitate towards these guys?

Pettyfer: I think John isn’t a tortured soul, he is a guy who—everyone in life comes to a point where they have a choice, and John’s choice is he wants to lead a life of normality and that’s not his destiny. His destiny is he is essentially this warrior who is from another planet, and that is what’s so torturing for him. He isn’t a tortured soul; he is very vulnerable because of the situation that he’s in. And he may feel tortured, but really it’s about choice for him and him wanting one thing, yet him having to do another to actually essentially get what he wants. Because if he doesn’t become this warrior, and doesn’t go down this path he’s gonna actually lose everything he’s ever wanted. He wants to be normal.

Head over to Collider to read the full interview, there's a lot more with Alex and DJ!

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Dianna Agron --NEW Interview -- I Am Number Four

Collider has posted a new interview with actress Dianna Agron, Sarah Hart, in I Am Number Four.  In the interview, Dianna talks about how she got into acting, working with Alex Pettyfer and some memorable filming moments.  Read on for details!

COLLIDER:  So could you tell us how you started out?

Agron:  Well I was working, I taught dance classes. But I started out a ballerina and I fell in love with movies like An American in Paris and Singin’ in the Rain, just that was kind of what I was raised on. So I wanted to be like Audrey Hepburn but at the same time I was watching Lucille Ball and thinking “She’s so fabulous.” So in my mind I counter between wanting to be both of them. And so I started acting in high school and towards the end of high school I realized, as I was applying to school, this is something that [I’ve] always loved. I think I made up my mind when I was 7 or 8, and I told my mom and she said “Well you know, there’s a lot of down time on sets” and I said “It’s okay I’ll read a book.” And kind of that childhood want took in senior year and I thought, “Well, you know it’d be great to give it a shot.” I’m also the oldest of two, so I’ve always been very independent and I moved down here and I got into acting classes and it kind of all just came together in a very slow and steady pace, but I think that’s what was very healthy and very fulfilling about it cause now I’m here and I can look back and think “God if I was there again I don’t know if I would want, even knowing the outcome, I don’t know if I would wanna, you know, trek through (laughs).” But it’s the most amazing feeling when everything kinda works out the way you had hoped it would.

COLLIDER:  You spent three months in Pittsburgh, what’s the thing that you remember most about the city, and what’s the thing about the movie that you remember the most, when you think on the filming process?

Agron:  Well erratic weather, which lead to the most wonderful experiences because, it was just comical. I mean we were always filming about 30 minutes outside of Pittsburg, [with] you know beautiful towns and beautiful lush trees and bushes and just [a] wonderful set up for Ohio-feel and for this movie. And the people were so kind and so in awe of the movie, even though many films are being shot in Pittsburg now, it was such a childlike wonderment about the whole process. Which I think really is great as an actor to see because you realize, it’s such an uncanny thing for so many people, and I often feel that every day but at the same time it becomes a job and it becomes so normal, and you realize that it’s not normal to most people. So on top of that we had this crazy weather, and it wasn’t cold but it was, you know sunny and then torrential rain and then we’d have mud up to our ankles and then up to our knees and then driving on Gators to get to this location. And our producers would be on the phone, and you know because of the iPhones now and all these crazy applications you can predict and see—“Okay well the storm is gonna pass in 5 minutes, it’ll be back in 10 minutes, and then it’ll leave for 30 minutes and then it’ll be back an additional 5.” And so, you know you’d have your producer saying “Okay we have time for one take, then cover your equipment with tarps.” So you’d be rushing up there, “Okay, I can’t screw this up, one take alright let’s go,” “Okay cover with tarps! Cover with tarps! Run under the thing! Get your umbrella!” And it was so funny, and you watch the film now and you don’t see any of that, which is the beauty of it. And we’d have our crew telling us the craziest stories about filming experiences and “Well this we shot in the desert, in 120 degree heat, and blahblahblah.” And I think, because when you’re watching the film it’ll never be as fun as it was making it, you know, because it was so personal to you. It’s something to be proud of at the end, but just the experience is the best part of it. And then watching it, what brings that feeling back, is just knowing all the backstory to every single moment. Much more so than TV because TV is fast, so you’re so focused and in the moment, that sometimes you don’t really have that same feeling.

COLLIDER:  ...why is John Smith so interesting to her (Sarah)?

Agron:  Because it’s a chance to start over. She’s had this life that, maybe part of it she wanted, part of it she hasn’t, she had the high school football boyfriend, that wasn’t what she wanted. And so for the first time she has somebody that has no judgments, and is listening to her being her, and at the same time she’s not judging him. And they are so quickly drawn to each other and let down all the walls and just have these really pure, organic feelings for each other. It’s what I loved so much about their characters, and you see that that really helps them both go on this journey together, and to really strongly pursue, you know, the plan.

COLLIDER: How did it feel to costar with Alex (Pettyfer) in this movie?

Agron:  He was great. I mean, I didn’t meet him until the day before the table read. And I thought, “Okay no judgments” he’s British, he’s very attractive, he’s the lead in this movie, let’s see. And you realize quickly with him, he’s very worldly. He’s from Europe; he’s been traveling and kind of exploring and taking in people from all different walks of life his whole life. And he was very passionate about this film and about what we could do and what we could explore with it. I think it shows in the trailer, I mean he looks amazing and so focused, and yeah I can’t wait to see the whole thing and kind of really see how it all turned out.

Click here to read the full interview.

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New Interview with Director DJ Caruso, PLUS Information on 20 Minutes of the Film

Steve "Frosty" Weintraub from Collider has just posted another amazing interview with Director DJ Caruso as well as a description of 20 minutes of the film he was lucky enough to see.  In the interview we learn a lot of great details about the film, including the special effects, what's different about the movie versus the book, and how Steven Spielberg has helped with the editing of the film.  Read on for highlights!

First the interview:

COLLIDER:  It looks like you spread out a lot of the action which in the book was at the end. Was the conscience?

DJ: Not really. We have some action that is inter-stickle, but kind of gets you there. We still have the fight in the forest, still have the fight there after the hay ride in the forest. But really, I think the action starts in high school, which is all act 3, which is very similar to the book.

COLLIDER:  You are dealing with a series of books when only #1 is released, are their elements worked in that we don’t know now, but years from now will?

DJ: Yeah there are some elements worked in. Particularly the whole sort of mythology of the Mogadorians is not explained in the movie as it is in the book. You just sort of understand from John the history of the legacy. There are some things in the movie, particularly what happened to Sam and Sam’s father and why they go to Paradise. Ultimately Sam, Six, and John ultimately embark on a journey and that’s where the authors let us know book two would be starting. So we just saw an outline for book two not the whole book so we definitely kept that on track. But the movie has a beginning, middle, and end and ends in a very satisfying way. So if it does well and we want to make another one you can understand that people would want to know that John and Six are going to look for the others. And when they find the others how powerful they can be. But I still think it stands alone and has a beginning, middle and end as a stand-alone film.

COLLIDER:  How did you find the balance with him finding his powers and what to show on screen?

DJ: I think particularly in the book John is a lot more knowing about the powers he has and what is happening in his life and cinematically we thought to have him discovery more of these things. Henry sort of keeps him in check and keeps him waiting for these things to happen. I think it is much more interesting from a cinematic stand point not necessarily from a literary standpoint that you are with your character when he is discovering these things. He is sitting in science class when everything seems to be okay and he is looking for Sarah and his first legacy, like full blown legacy starts to come out from his hands and he has no idea why that is happening so he kind of needs to curtail that and run into the closet and all this stuff happens. So you experience that as a viewer with him. You are learning all about the same stuff he is, instead of already knowing he already has it.  I think it is a better story telling device.

Click here to read the full interview with Director DJ Caruso. 

Now, what about that footage??

After the DreamWorks logo appears, we pan to the right and then start to zoom in on our planet with an awesome shot that keeps on going until we ultimately end up in the jungle and in a small cabin with mosquito protected beds.  A man hears something.  He gets out of bed and grabs what appears to be a strange looking weapon.  As he walks over to the window to investigate what might be outside, we are shown another person in the cabin.  He’s younger.  Scared.  Cut to the the adult.  After believing they are safe, he turns and then….

Want more??  Then head over to Collider and check out "Frosty's" full description of the film footage.  It sounds AMAZING!!

 Haven't seen the trailer yet?  Check it out below!

Number Six Speaks -- On Set Interview with Teresa Palmer -- I Am Number Four

Yet another wonderful interview from Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub.  This time his target is Teresa Palmer, who plays the mysterious Number Six in I Am Number Four.  Number Six is another member of the Lorien Garde on Earth, but instead of hiding from the Mogadorians, she has decided it's time to stop being hunted, and stand up and fight.  She has been tracking down Number Four (Alex Pettyfer) in an attempt to bring all the Garde together to battle their enemies.  In the interview Teresa talks about the film, her character and how she trained for the "butt kicking" her character does in the film.

Here are a few excerpts:

Collider: Tell us a little about #6. Do you have a real name or is it just #6?

Palmer:  She’s just #6. It’s been really a very physically demanding role because I’ve been training for the last 8 weeks doing like stunt work. I’m on the wires doing backflips. Right now I’m all padded up because I have to do a fast frontwards roll on the concrete. And obviously I’ve been training on pads, so it’s just funny when you arrive on set and you realize it’s not rehearsal anymore. You actually have to do it. You don’t get to wear a helmet There aren’t any pads on the floor. You just have to commit to it. It’s been really exciting. It’s a very cool character.

Dianna Agron -- I Am Number Four -- On Set Interview

More interviews from Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub on the way, starting with his chat with I Am Number Four's leading lady, Dianna Agron.  Dianna plays Sarah, the ex-cheerleader from Paradise, Ohio, who befriends and eventually falls in love with John Smith (Alex Pettyfer).  In the interview Dianna talks about taking on the role, how it differs from Glee and working with director D. J. Caruso.

Here are a few excerpts:

Collider:  What about this particular film interested you?

Agron:  It was funny.  There had been this kind of push within my team to find a summer project.  I said first and foremost “I don’t want to do something if not’s right just because it fits into my schedule” because it’s so hard as an actor to really engage with a character and a script if you don’t love it.  It’s very difficult.  So this project kind of came full circle because in January I had met Steven Spielberg.  He had said “You know, there is this awesome script and we’re interested in you   But you’re not available because it shoots in October.”  And I was just flabbergasted that he knew who I was.  Then it came back around and it had pushed.  My manager, love her, was like “We can shoot for this.” and I said “You’re crazy.  The shoot goes too long and it’s not going to match with the break.’  Luckily, I read the script, and I loved it.  I met DJ and we just bonded so quickly.  Both the film and the show worked around each other.  So I’m here because of very many things, people, luck, patience, and my manager being persistent.

Director D.J. Caruso On Set Interview I AM NUMBER FOUR

As we mentioned in our previous post, Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub from Collider.com had the unique opportunity to visit the set of Dreamworks, I Am Number Four this past July.  During that time he was able to sit down and talk with the playmakers that are bringing this book to the big screen. 

One of the interviews he was able to conduct was with Director D.J. Caruso.  'Frosy' was able to talk to him about he got involved with the project as well as some wonderful insight into the book and film, and how the film differs from the book. 

Here are some brief excerpts:

How did you get involved with this? Obviously, you had the association with DreamWorks before. Did you get the manuscript back when they were first optioning it?

DJ Caruso: What happened was that I remember reading that they had bought this manuscript for Michael Bay and just thought, “Oh, that sounds like a really good idea,” and then when “Transformers 3” was definitely going to happen, Steven (Spielberg) called me and said, “Would you read this? We really want to make this movie and Michael can’t, Michael doesn’t have enough time,” and I read the manuscript for the book and liked the concept, read the screenplay and thought it needs some work but dove into it and started working on it for about five or six months and got it into good shape and started making the movie. I love DreamWorks. For me, there’s no other place where I’d rather work.

He goes on to talk about how the movie will be set up differently than the book:

So this is mostly a set-up for these characters, do we get a lot of their history?

DJ Caruso: You know what? This is interesting. In the book, you’ll get a lot more of the history of Lorien and where he came from. In the screenplay, we deal with it on kind of a level where there’s a lot of mystery, so I think God willing Movie 2 is going to be the second half of this book in a weird way, because there’s a lot more of the history of where he came from and how he got there. I was more interested in him trying to figure out who he was. Who he wants to be and who he ultimately is are two different people and I think that was sort of the dramatic conflict that I liked. This is a kid who really thinks he wants to stay in a small town and fall in love with this girl but at the same time, his destiny and what he’s supposed to do are not going to allow him to do that.

This is a very lengthy and intriguing interview, so please check out the rest of it here.

Source: Collider

I Am Number Four Set Visit Report

Back in July, some members of the media had the opportunity to visit the I Am Number Four set in Pittsburgh.  Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub was one of those lucky enough to catch some of the filming and have an opportunity to talk to the films stars as well as director D.J. Caruso.

Here's a bit of his set report,

Alex Pettyfer is freaking out.  He’s just discovered he can shoot light from his hands and it looks like he has flashlights shooting out from inside his skin.  He’s sitting in a small janitor closet in a High School hallway and I’m standing very close to director D.J. Caruso (Eagle Eye, Disturbia).  We’re all looking at the monitors.  Timothy Olyphant, who plays Pettyfer’s guardian, walks into the closet shortly after Pettyfer and he’s telling him to relax.  As Olyphant gets him to calm down, the light emitting from his hands starts to dim until it finally goes away.  While the effect is being done practically, it looks real on the monitor.  I’m impressed.  I watch take after take of Olyphant and Pettyfer trying to get it right.

The report goes on to discuss need to know facts about the book and gives bits and pieces of interviews, "Frosty" was able to do while on set.  There is also a bit more about the scenes that they were working on while he visited. You can read the rest of the report here.

Source: Collider