Interview (Video): J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”)
A half-hour conversation between J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan, co-writers of Star Wars: The Force Awakens which Abrams directed… which is why this event took place at the Directors Guild of America.
It’s interesting listening to Abrams talk about directing because it’s clear much of his approach is informed by his background as a writer. For instance, Kasdan’s first question to Abrams is about how he [Abrams] goes about blocking and staging a shot. Abrams acknowledges the value of shot lists, “pre-viz”, and the rest of the prep process, but he always wants to remain open to the possibility of how a shot can best service the “emotional punch” of each scene. He dials into the characters, where they are in the moment and in the context of the overall narrative, in order to maximize the chances he can find some special emotional magic in the moment.
HT to Indiewire and The Playlist.