Neil Gaiman and Roger Avery

Emmanuel Itier: What´s going on with the Good Omens movie?

Neil Gaiman: Good question! Well, Terry Gilliam is looking for $70M, so if any of your readers has $70M, Mr Gilliam is ready to shoot Good Omens. He has a script and it would make him very happy.

EI: It seems that we are finally getting a sense of what you have written, and several of your books have been adapted to the big screen. So does it get easier for you now?

NG: It´s getting easier and easier as the years are passing by. I remember 1996 when I was taking my first round of meetings, and I would meet with executives and they really wouldn´t get it. They all were scared and bored. But for the young guys just out of college, and being an intern or some assistant at this time, I was a genius and they were totally in love with my book. They would wait for me after the meeting and get me to sign their books. And guess what happened–ten years after, these kids are running the show and are top executives in all the studios. So yes, now they do get what I´m doing, and they do understand there is a huge market out there for movies adapted from my books.

EI: What was it like shooting Beowulf?

NG: For us, it was very special. It´s not like any film experience I had before. Normally in filming, everything is about the shot. You plan your shot, you´re gonna have your making, your long shot, your lenses… and you’re gonna shoot it this way and then do the reverse. But here, everybody was wired up in a suit and then they went for it. And the computer was recording any of their moves. It truly is remarkable.

Roger Avery: The technology is indeed amazing and breathtaking. Because actors didn´t have to worry about their marks or be concerned about being in the frame or bumping into the camera, they fully focused on their performances, and every performance were so interlinked with each other. It was like theater. This technology really supports the creative process on so many levels. Because of the nature of the film, we had an incredible level of collaboration with Robert Zemeckis. We could make changes to the script until the end, It´s one of these rare situations where technology is not getting in the way. Also, the result is way beyond what we have imagined doing when we wrote the script ten years ago. At this time, it was just not possible to do such a movie.

EI: What about the cast of Beowulf?

NG: Well, of course in ten years the cast has changed. Ten years ago, we were thinking about Natasja Kinski because of Cat People, but then when the movie got off the ground, we realized Angelina Jolie was perfect. Also, we were lucky to get Anthony Hopkins. We pretty much got everyone wanted we had wanted for this movie. Also, the whole creative process about the script was great. It only was Robert, Roger and I around a big table, and it was very productive and efficient.

RA: Also, Robert Zemeckis began his career as a writer, so he has the same mind as us, and this was helpful because Beowulf was an easy script to work on. Robert wants to service the material no matter what. He has no ego, and this was great to work with someone with this ethic. We all had the same mission to make the best film possible. It´s unlike any other writing experience I had, where usually it´s always a fight, especially with so many executives who, most of the time, don´t have a clue about what they´re talking about.

EI: Are you happy with Stardust and how it came out?

NG: Yes, I really think they got the essence of the book, and it´s so vivid and beautifully shot. It´s really exciting to watch all these characters evolve and be chased. And I loved the way they restructured the film. It´s the book, but they took some liberties with it, and it´s perfect. And I´m happy with the end result. I want people to think it was a cool movie, because it is.

EI: Do you like to be so closely involved with the adaptation of your book into films?

NG: Yes, I do, and I would not want to not be involved. You eventually get hurt if you don´t get closely involved with the making of these films. To have a good experience about making a film, it´s all about choosing the right people to direct from the beginning. You need to find the right person. And it´s hard, but it´s worth the chase. I usually look for a passionate individual to be the right director for my film. I want somebody to really feel for the material and have a love for these books. I want, from them, a point of view and I want to know I can trust them.

EI: What´s going on with Neverwhere?

RA: Finally, it´s coming together. David Slade, who just did 30 Days of Night, is signed, and I´m thrilled about it. We hope to have it done by 2009.