Generic interview with McG  - Director of TERMINATOR SALVATION By Elaine Lipworth

     
Q: What intrigued you about this project?  Were you a big TERMINATOR fan?
A: "Yes, I'm a huge TERMINATOR fan and did not like the idea of a fourth picture at first. However once I found out more about it and that the film would be set after 'Judgment Day', I was intrigued. The most important element was we had a great John Connor or we had nothing, so I went for a meeting with Christian Bale.  He was truly the only person I ever considered for the role."

Q: What is it about him that is so compelling?
A: "He has total credibility.  His credibility jumps off the screen and I think he has what it takes for people to believe that he could overcome the odds and become the leader of the resistance.  There isn't a long list of actors from that generation who have the sort of gravitas that Christian Bale embodies. It was very difficult to get him to agree to the role, because we didn't have the script where we wanted, but eventually I was able to sit with him and promise that the script would be great

Q: How daunting or perhaps I should say exciting, was the challenge? 
A: "It was daunting because I have a great deal of respect for the TERMINATOR franchise. But I sort of have a waste basket in my own life of my own personal anxiety issues, so I don't really have anything left over in terms of experiencing   trepidation or fear regarding the challenges I take on in my professional life. That helped actually, it meant that I acted from a place of confidence and a bit of fearlessness, regarding what we were trying to do with this film.  I believe in the vision of the film.  I believe in my own intimate understanding of what it is that's great about the TERMINATOR concept and theme."

Q:  So what is it that's great?
A: "What's great about the Terminator is the idea that the things which makes us great - will be our undoing. I think that's a wonderful and fascinating story construct.  We are the ones that create the computers, and fighter jets that patrol the skies, but should they ever become cognizant and aware, we could be in trouble. Also I love the strong characters    that you see in films such RAGING BULL or SCARFACE. It's the drive of the characters that makes them great, then of course it's their undoing.  I like that in the face of   humankind's collective achievement in the great computerized age, it could all come back to bite us."

Q:  Can you explain as much as you can about the story, without obviously giving the plot away? 
A: The movie is mostly designed for those who have seen all three TERMINATOR films but can also work for those who don't know anything about them. It is a stand-alone movie, which is why it's a truly new beginning.  What is happened in our story is that the thing humanity developed to protect itself (The Skynet) - has now turned against us. It was originally an anti-missile defense system that eventually became aware and targeted us as the enemy. It became aware in an artificial intelligence sort of way, and now we are fighting for our lives to destroy it. It is dangerous; it is a very delicate balance as to who is going to win in the end."

Q: How can humans possibly challenge the power of the machines?
A: "We are the underdogs in terms of hardware, but our great advantage is that we have something that cannot be measured by machines, and that is the strength of the human heart. The machine can't comprehend that our will and strength can supersede logic. For example, a mother who has a baby trapped in a car can find the strength to rip the car off the child and free that child, but the machine world could never calculate that.

Q: What happens in the plot as the story progresses?
A: "We meet a guy who's being put to death in the present day, he has lost faith in himself and has lost faith in humanity because all he's ever seen is cruelty. He is then resurrected to live again in a strange new world. Christian has to ultimately make the decision if he can be trusted, or if he is part of Skynet's larger plan. That character is Marcus (Sam Worthington)." 

Q: Can you explain more about Sam's role in the story?
A: "He is put to death and he gives his body to science in the present day and then he finds himself alive again without an awareness of who he is. He has no idea if he is in heaven or hell. He comes to realize that he has a few metal pieces inside of him and he struggles to figure out who he is. And at the same time you have the concurrent story of Christian's character, John Connor, trying to galvanize the resistance to do what he knows is right, in the spirit of ending Skynet, the machine world. The fate of these two men collide and there's a very critical moment when Christian needs to decide if he can or cannot trust the machine.

Q: So there is no   obvious humanoid sort of Terminator like Arnold this time?
A: "That's correct, but that was critical to me. The first one has Arnold as the Terminator, the second one has the T-1000, (Robert Patrick), the third one has a woman who's the T-X Terminator.  I didn't want to make the fourth one with a transvestite.  (laughs) I needed to go beyond creating the new machine that chases people.  I felt the need to begin again and tell the tale about the dark space between Judgment Day and 2029, which is where James Cameron picked up the story. Ours is the story of that space between, how Skynet came to power, how the resistance galvanized the forces worldwide, how it all happened and how we got to 2029.  It's the story of that dark space."

Q: Do we need to know the mind bending precise details about time travel?
A: "No, you just need to know that it's there to honor the aficionado, but by the same token the film is designed to work for the virginal viewer. It is great entertainment."

Q: How does Kyle Reese (played by Anton Yelchin in this film) come into the picture, because we know from the earlier films that he is John Connor's father, having fallen in love with his mother, Sarah Connor?
A: "That's correct and Christian's character knows that he must keep Kyle alive.  He knows that one day Kyle will become his father and it becomes a burden on Christian to spend 10 years with someone who looks at him as a role model but will eventually become his father.  It's really rather beautiful and all credit due to James Cameron for creating the whole thing."

Q:  How does James Cameron (who of course wrote and directed the first two films and wrote the third one) feel about you making this one?
A: "I actually went to see him on the set of AVATAR because I didn't feel right about moving forward on this project without discussing it with him. James was supportive and wished us well.  In the end we shook hands and laughed and he told me a story about how he felt following in the footsteps of Ridley Scott on ALIEN, because at the time Ridley was untouchable. People were saying: who was this guy Jim Cameron? Who did he think he was trying to follow ALIENS? But he knew he could honor what Ridley had put in place and he could continue to develop the story and I think we're all very thankful that he made ALIENS.  I would never be so bold as to say that's what we've done, but that is certainly the intention. And I think this idea has even more resonance in contemporary society than it ever has before, it is a gripping, timely story."   

Q: What is it that impresses you about Sam Worthington?
A: "His ability to be tough and vulnerable at the same time, it's very rare. I needed someone who could stand up to Christian.  Christian has a very powerful screen presence and Sam can stand his ground. He's so powerful on screen. He was a bricklayer from Western Australia, he has a strong sense of character that is required when an actor brings that toughness to the screen. He is fantastic."

Q: Why did you pick New Mexico as your main location?
A: "I wanted a David Lean style vastness for my canvas.  We were originally going to shoot the picture in Budapest but there were too many rolling hills, too much foliage, too much warmth and comfort. I needed the desert expanse of either North Africa, the American West or parts of Asia and it made more sense to go the Western United States, where we could still get that feeling."

Q: Where is the film set?
A: "It is set around the world. We've gone beyond the other films that take place in Los Angeles. This is now a global conflict and all of humanity has come together. It is about letting go of petty differences, sexism, racism, ageism, all of that nonsense that is still alive.  Should the day ever come where we need to band together and fight, we'll realize how silly it is to put any energy into these foolish ideas."

Q:  Can you discuss the other main stars?
A: "Bryce (Kate Connor) is required to be the leader of the resistance. You need to believe that she can lead this very tough crew on her own and she brings that to the screen with her poise and her presence and most importantly her intelligence. She is such an elegant, well-trained actor and what she does well is listen. She listens to what is happening in the body of the scene and that ability colors her performance in a wonderful way."

Q: And Anton Yelchin?
A: "Anton is a great young actor with a lot of depth.  We needed a young actor who could play the young Kyle Reese, with the same feeling of a scrappy survivalist. I needed someone in his late teens or early twenties that embodied that idea and Anton has a seriousness and a credibility about him. Then Moon Bloodgood as Blair Williams is such a survivalist fighter. You believe that if something tragic were to happen, she would indeed be the last woman standing. She is so clever and such a scrappy survivor and I needed that to be reflected in her performance as Blair.  She's a fighter pilot.  She's empowered."

Q: You have two strong women in the film, is that important to you?
A: "It is, I am following Jim Cameron, who always has the woman make the first move and empowers female characters. It is critical to note that at the end of the day, everything flows from the mind and womb of Sarah Connor.  She is the source.  She is the goddess, both literally and metaphorically. I am very interested in empowered, strong, multi-dimensional wonderful female characters. I like Bryce because she embodies that in her own way and I like Moon because she's also multi-ethnic. I didn't want everybody to be lilywhite, running about in a lilywhite world."

Q: What about Common who plays Barnes?
A: "He is great too, I like the idea of overcoming a white world and I like that ethnicity is represented in this film and that you hear a great many languages being spoken."

Q:  Can you discuss Helena Bonham Carter's character?
A:  "Helena plays a doctor who's doing stem cell research. She has excellent intentions, but things do not turn out the way she imagined they would. The road to hell can often be paved with good intentions and she's a victim of that. I cannot say more because it is a surprise. But I can say that she's dying of cancer.  She's a scientist and is very motivated to find a cure. She wants to do stem cell research to help facilitate a cure but the research falls into nasty hands and is mutated into the service of Skynet."

Q: Can you discuss the Terminators in the film?
A: "I've built everything and there's some CG extension, but I like a very practical tactile world.  I want you to touch and feel it.  I don't like actors emoting with C stands and tennis balls on blue screens.  I like Stan Winston built machines that the actors can work with.  Christian actually smashed his hand fighting one of the machines. In this film we find out how we got to the T-800, the Arnold Schwarzenegger model.  Like any other technology, the machines start big and bulky and get leaner and more proficient.  Some are made of steel and some are made of titanium, the T-800's are made of titanium. We built hydrobots that control the water. The Terminators are made out of many elements including steel, rubber and foam.  We have life sized T-600's, T-800's, T-1 s, hunter-killers, even the transporters to a large degree are built. In this film, you will see the research and development of the machines in the water, ground and sky.

Q:  Your enthusiasm is infectious. Is directing a total passion for you?
A:  "It is a passion and I have an overwhelming desire to execute the vision that everyone agreed to be a part of.

Q:  I know you are interested in psychology; this film must have been fascinating for you from a psychological perspective?
A: "I wanted to be a psychiatrist but I didn't go to medical school because I realized as an undergraduate, that I was only interested in psychology because I'm so neurotic. (laughs) Once I reconciled that, I was free to pursue my real passion and love of music and film. Psychology is a useful interest when making films and creating characters."

Q: Would you be interested in a sequel?
A: "Well, that's up to the audience but we have begun working on stories for further pictures.  The second picture involves Robert Patrick and   possibly Linda Hamilton (who played Sarah Connor) and involves people doing molecular, cellular research that allows us to live as an idealized version of ourselves.

Q: That sounds very exciting. Do you have any new films after this one that you're working on?"
I'm developing 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA right now.  I am very excited about it and we'll see where that takes us."

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