David Yates Interview
Half-Blood Prince Set
February 2008
Melissa Anelli / transcribed by Sarah Wilkes

Q: So I think you were quoted as saying this movie's about sex, drugs, and rock and roll.

David Yates (DY): Yeah, I want to amend that. (Everyone laughs) It's actually about sex, potions, and rock and roll. (laughs) So, it's just a- Yeah, it's that wonderfully fun, slightly rebellious, quite naughty stage of teenage life. Um, when you're kind of discovering the opposite sex and it's not- In the previous film it was about the first kiss. This is a- This story's a bit more sexualized than that, you know, in a way. We don't see sex, but it's kind of in the air.

Q: Uh-huh.

DY: And the emotional relationships are a little bit more complicated and romantic and convoluted. And so we're pushing into new emotional and kind of physical territory for Harry Potter, you know, in a way.

Q: Yeah.

DY: So it's quite- It's quite playful and fun.

Q: Yeah.

Q: Do you think Harry Potter fans are going to be ready to see him grown up?

DY: Do you know, they've been growing up with them so I figure they would be by now, you know? And that's what's wonderful about these series of films is as they grow older, the characters grow older. You know, the actors grow older. So they are ready. I think it's quite an interesting relationship they probably have with him and I'm sure they're ready for that.

Q: And you're- And there's more comic elements in this film than in the last one?

DY: Very much so. The previous one was, you know- We really enjoyed making the last film. I loved making- I liked the intensity of the story that we did last time, but this is- This has intensity, but it's very playful, you know, and there are some terrifically funny scenes. And Six is a much lighter, more playful book in some respects than Five was. It's still got some tremendous intensity at the end of the story, but it's got lots of laughs too. And for me as a director what's lovely is to change gear a little bit. And that's why I wanted to do it. I wanted to- I didn't want to make a kind of film about teengage angst. I wanted to make a film about teenage romance. And so- And when I took over for Mike Newell - Mike Newell did the fourth film - I said, "You're jammin' man." "Yeah, I'm jammin' too." The kind of teenaged love side of things. So I've got a bit of that now to do and it's really fun to come back and do.

TLC: Some of the actors have said that if given a choice, they would love to see you back for Seven. How do you feel about that?

DY: You know what? I kind of look two, three weeks in advance so I don't really think too much, but it would be great to finish this series in a way. I feel we've covered a lot of ground in the last film and this film. It's evolving all the time so it's kind of very tempting in a way to kind of see it through, but all I can focus on now is the next three weeks, in truth.

TLC: I mean-

Q: Would you see it being two films? That's been talked about, I guess.

DY: All I can think about at the moment is the next three weeks (Everyone laughs) in truth. But I think one of the things the fans always say when you ever talk to them is they always say, "You know, why can't these movies be longer?" And what you say is, "Well you know what? The movie audience is slightly different than the kind of fans of the book." And they want the experience to last two, two and a half to three hours. You can't overburden the audience with- But, you know, there's a case to be made for, you know, finally fulfilling that wish and finally giving the fans a bigger, more enriched experience that kind of covers all the lovely corners that Jo turns.

Q: Yeah.

DY: So there is an argument to be made for two.

TLC: Were that to happen, where do you think the natural end for the first one would be?

DY: Do you know what? I haven't really given it that much thought because I'm so wrapped up (

TLC: I know. (laughs)) in Half-blood Prince. At the moment just think about Half-Blood Prince, that's all.

Q: Yeah.

Q: Can you talk about the scene that you're shooting right now?

DY: Yeah, this is Ron's big Quidditch match and he's very nervous and he's not very good. And he's terrified frankly. And so it's really about him building up to the game. And Harry pretends to slip some Felix Felicis, which is this potion that gives you...apparently gives you great luck. And Harry's going to pretend to slip it into his drink to give him this kind of bravado which he doesn't have. So it's a gentle, funny scene about Ron's trepidation about playing Quidditch.

Q: Your cast members have all been raving about you today. What is it that makes you an actors' director?

DY: I'm not sure actually. You know I've always loved actors and what they do for me. It's my way into the story. Because if I believe what they're doing, I can believe the story. So for me, it's not- I've always- I mean, I'm interested in all the bits of filmmaking, the whole process. But I just enjoy particularly exploring what an actor can do with a moment. And I enjoy that. And I think they respond to that. They feel that. They feel that I'm intrigued about what they're doing at the moment. And I'm genuinely intrigued. And I don't want to control them or, or- I want to give them the opportunity to be all that they can be, really. That's my job as a director with everybody I work with, with the creative time I work with. You know my job's to bring out the best in everybody. That's what a director does when they do their job well. So I think they recognize that I'm just interested in them doing really, really well within their craft. And I am, because it gives me a great feel to see them do well. You know, 'cause I like- I love it when Dan or Evanna does a take that just makes you forget that you're watching a movie, forget that you're watching, you know, Harry Potter, what just allows you to be in the moment with that character. That for me is a really- That becomes a highlight of a day, when you get that moment on film. You know, that's- And I get very enthusiastic when that happens. I get quite carried away. And they respond to that. And so...

Q: How have you seen your actors mature or change since the last film?

DY: That's interesting. Emma's become much more confident. I mean, she was confident before, but she seems to- Her acting seems to become...is becoming more effortless. You know? And Dan's been off and done Equus and some television things, television, film, and he's grown a lot more confident and he's matured a wee bit. And they're all getting a wee bit older, you know? And the material allows them to take a few more turns again. So they're getting better as they should be, as they get older. You know, so it's encouraging and enjoyable.

Q: And how about Evanna, who was a complete newbie in the last (

DY: Yeah.) one?

DY: We haven't done a huge amount with Evanna yet, and, but what we have done has been very charming, you know? So she's...she's doing really, really well. And she loves the world. And we had a real problem at one point when she wears a lion's hat in this scene that we've been shooting at the moment. And we've got concept artists and designers who work on the film as you know, that spend hours upstairs here at Leavesden designing these things. We all looked at them and said, "Well maybe we should change that...change that..." and we got stuck with this lion's hat and we just couldn't make it work. So we just said, "Hey, Evanna, why don't you design the thing? Because you know Luna, you know the character." So she got a pad and paper and she was up till four o'clock in the morning (Man 1 laughs) designing.

Q: That's so cute.

DY: And she came up with these brilliant designs.

Q: That's incredible.) Like three or four of them, in the most beautiful charcoal. And we- And I just said, "Man, this is just fantastic." (Others laugh) And we made it, based on her

Q: Yeah, that's awesome.) design. 'Cause she knows the character like so perfect.

Q: Now-

DY: We might do that more often with the rest of them. (Everyone laughs)

Q: So it saves time.

Q: What's been the most fun to film so far?

DY: In this...these lovely- The kind of scenes that we're filming today, which are all about the comedy and the characters and the relationships. The stuff that's trickier to film and which is probably slightly less fun, is the big visual effects sequences. Those are very technical and they take time enough to just get things right. They're fun to watch, but they're not, you know, they're just not as much- Where as scenes like this that we're filming today, which is all about the human drama and the character, they're more fun, 'cause you feel closer to the characters rather than the context and the visual effects and everything.

TLC: How do you balance the needs of being an actors' director against being at the head of a blockbuster movie?

DY: You know, that's funny as well, because it's like having a big train set where the cars are not part. Initially I feel so much more comfortable with- You know I didn't feel uncomfortable with the previous film, but I, you know, I've been here now for three three years, for instance, making Harry Potter. So it feels a very- This place feels like home. And the people I work with, the designers and everybody, they- It feels- There's a family here of people who are... It's very easy. It's surprisingly easy. I find it so. We're very lucky. So- And whatever I do with actors I try to do with the trade people I work with. You know, you're always exploring things with them, trying things. And it's the same dynamic, but it's just a different craft. It might be the acting. It might be the music. You know? Or it might be the set designer. It might be the editing. You're always engaging in a dialogue and exploring what happens in their own craft that you need to express the story better. You know, so it's all the same people.





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