SxSW: Everythings’ Gone

by March 10, 2007

Generation X author Douglas Coupland discussed some personal experiences and his new film Everything’s Gone Green at SxSW2007:

  • It’s hard to believe that movies actually get made given the amount of effort. Anyone in the movie industry is not in it for the money.
  • Movies can get killed by the strangest things. For example, Disney would not ship two “rodent movies” in one year.
  • What’s difference between books and film? When writing a book, you enter a trance for about 18 months: 20-30% of your mind is on it at all times. Movie scripts are more like brushstrokes can’t stop putting paint down else it doesn’t make a complete picture. Douglas writes scripts in 1-2 days.
  • Books don’t really get censored but movies do.
  • The materiality, physicality of a book is what will save it from being displaced by digital alternatives. Can’t really download a chair or a book. It’s not the same thing.
  • Today more people than ever before are being creative.
  • It takes about 6 real people to make one fake person.
  • Certain movies glamorize or fetish-zed things for you when you see them at the right point in your life.