A Vampire Movie

[size=150:3deurciu]Taika Waititi &
Jemaine Clement Co-Writing A Comedy About World War II &
A Vampire Movie

Actor-writer-director-comedian Taika Waititi has been rising quickly in certain circles. He followed his critically-acclaimed directorial debut "
Eagle Vs. Shark"
with the coming-of-age dramedy "
Boy,"
the highest grossing film in New Zealand history, slated to make it's stateside debut this March. With all involved interested in forgetting his comic relief turn in front of the camera for "
Green Lantern,"
Waititi is eager to return to the director's chair, and has two projects currently brewing. And for writing help, he's enlisted his somewhat more higher profile "
Eagle Vs. Shark"
leading man Jemaine Clement.

Waititi was cagey about the details at a Manhattan screening of "
Boy,"
only sharing that his next directorial effort will be set in World War II. He would confirm that it was a comedy, however. "
It’s definitely about a kid,"
he says, comparing the film to "
Boy."
"
I swore I would take a break about doing films about kids, but this is an amazing story. It’s a lot funnier [than ‘Boy’] but [its] definitely more heartfelt."
While he's still seeking finances, hooking up with his famous co-writer is a bit of a struggle. As he wryly observed regarding "
Men In Black 3D"
star Clement, "
Jemaine and I have very different schedules."


Following the WWII film, he's working with Clement on a project on which they've toiled for six years. Of course, it's a vampire film. "
We really thought, oh, you know, no one's doing vampire movies!"
Waititi half-joked. "
It’s taken so long that vampires are now very uncool,"
he says about the film, which he would only share would be a comedy. "
But we’re hoping to get a chance to make it."
In the meantime, Waititi is currently working on an American version of the popular British comedy "
The Inbetweeners"
for MTV.

"
Boy"
opens March 2nd.

Following the WWII film, he's working with Clement on a project on which they've toiled for six years. Of course, it's a vampire film. "
We really thought, oh, you know, no one's doing vampire movies!"
Waititi half-joked. "
It’s taken so long that vampires are now very uncool,"
he says about the film, which he would only share would be a comedy.

[...]

As for what he's working on next, it seems a reunion with "
Flight of the Conchords"
co-creator Jemaine Clement: “I've written two new scripts I'm trying to make. One of them's a World War II comedy set in Europe. It's my Nazi comedy. The other one, my mate Jemaine and I are writing a vampire film. Which we would like to make because we think vampires could take off as a genre. We feel like we've had this idea—for six years—where no vampire films have come out. We should write this movie! We finally finished the first draft, it's only 160 pages long. I just shot a TV show last year, a remake of the British show 'The In-Betweeners.'”

No titles currently, but as long as the humor remains we can't possibly see a problem with a vampire comedy from the guy who forgot his own final shot: a dead goat appears at the end of the credits, walking across lighted panels: “Mm, a gag with the goat,” said Waititi, as the audience laughed. “Forgot about that. That's where we all go in heaven—to the set of 'Billy Jean.' "

[size=150:bdliwyfq]Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi Team Up on a Vampire Comedy
By Rebecca Murray, About.com Guide February 28, 2012

Taika Waititi's coming of age tale Boy is arriving in U.S. theaters on March 2nd after already winning over audiences in New Zealand. And in support of Boy's release, we talked with Waititi about that popular film which American audiences are finally going to be able to get the chance to check out [that interview will be posted later this week]. We also had the chance to ask writer/director/actor Waititi about his upcoming projects, one of which is a vampire movie. Yes, another vampire movie is on its way courtesy of Waititi and Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords). In our exclusive phone interview, Waititi gave us a few clues as to what we can expect from their vampire film:

What's your next challenge as a filmmaker? What are you working on?
Taika Waititi: "
I'm just preparing to shoot two films. One of them is in New Zealand and I'm doing that with a couple of films and that's a vampire film - comedy. And then I'm shooting another one, hopefully by the end of the year, and that will be another comedy that's set in World War II."


Vampires? Are we still stuck on vampires?
Taika Waititi: "
Well, I feel that vampires are quite a new genre that not many people have explored yet. I feel that this is the time to pull them out of obscurity and make a movie about them. No, this is my plan to finally kill the vampire film movement with this final film. This will be the last film for many years about vampires."


You will put a stake in the heart of the vampire genre.
Taika Waititi: "
That's right. The final nail in the coffin and the stake in the heart of the vampire genre."


And this is the film you're doing with Jemaine Clement?
Taika Waititi: "
It is, yes."


How is your vampire story going to be different than any other vampire story we've ever seen?
Taika Waititi: [Laughing] "
Well, it doesn't have those people from Twilight in it. That's a good start, I think. You know, it's more like the sort of down-to-earth aspect of vampires. It's like a real look at vampires, not a romantic look at vampires. It's telling their story because they've been misrepresented in most movies, I feel."


Are your vampires sexy?
Taika Waititi: "
No. Vampires aren't sexy. That's what people keep forgetting. People don't realize that. The movies have totally got it wrong. Dead people aren't sexy. Everyone knows that except for Hollywood."


Your vampires are not sexy and they're not Twilight.
Taika Waititi: "
That's right. And also, threesomes between a human, a vampire, and a werewolf are also not sexy."


So there won't be any of those in your movie.
Taika Waititi: "
I hope not."


How do you follow up Boy with a movie about vampires?
Taika Waititi: "
I don't know. I just think you don't think about your last one. It's all about what you would like to see. What I do is when I try to make a film or write one or think of one, I try to imagine a film that I would want to see. And then I spend ages writing it, and then making it, and then finishing it, and then by the end of that whole process it's the last film I'd ever want to see [laughing] because I've seen it 200 times."

Up next for Waititi, he hopes to begin shooting a vampire movie with Clement this summer.

What are you up to now?

I’m back in NZ helping build the set for a movie that I’m making with my friends. After working in America with studios, rich people, and idiots, it’s lovely to be back in a sane environment where you can actually be creative.

Set almost finished and 11 days till photography begins on the new feature. There will be a lot of blood...

Set building begins

Movie bathroom

Amily wrote:Oh, I hope there are many more pics from the set to come! :#pray#: :#excited2#:

onlyalways wrote:

Amily wrote:Oh, I hope there are many more pics from the set to come! :#pray#: :#excited2#:

It's like Matt Shane is there! :#haha#: :#excited2#:

emira wrote:I asked Taika for updates, so I choose to believe that these pictures are thanks to me

I wish he did something like blog or at least a facebook page, where he'd post about the progress like Two Little Boys team did, but I can't find nothing yet.

Deacon Brugh

emira wrote:

Deacon Brugh

I'm pretty sure he's one of the characters in the movie.

Taika waititi, cliff Curtis.. What's happening in welly?? All the Maori men out.

emira wrote:Cliff Curtis, too?! :#excited#: :#wah#: I wonder if as an actor or just a producer.

emira wrote:

chrissycubana wrote:Note the still shot of Jemaine (I think - compare to earlier pic we have of him as vampy) in the top left corner.

emira wrote:They finished filming it last Sunday, October 14 at 4 am. :#excited2#: