Moderator: 

Vincenzo, can you type?

VincenzoNatali:

 Can you see us?

DHewlett:

 DHewlett now aboard...

Moderator

Hi everyone -- thanks for joining us here tonight. We're talking with director Vincenzo Natali and star David Hewlett about the dark science fiction movie CUBE which is showing three times this weekend -- at 9 & 11 PM ET on Saturday, July 24 and again at 5 PM ET on Sunday, July 25. The channel is the USA Network, I believe. Is that right?  Vincenzo, David?

DHewlett:

David's aboard.

Moderator

 Important to get that station right and actually it doesn't specify on the Sci-Fi Channel site.  Quick review of the drill: this is a moderated chat and that means you will be sending your questions to me (Moderator) as private messages.

VincenzoNatali:

Hmmm. You probably have better information than I do!

Moderator:

Uh-oh! We're in trouble! * Moderator smiles *  Here's our first question:

<Gregslide>:

I am French and I really enjoyed Cube. How do you explain this success?

VincenzoNatali:

How do we explain the success?

DHewlett:

It's our accents. They just sound cute

VincenzoNatali:

You mean in France?

Moderator:

I'm sure they dub Gerard Depardieu talking over YOU in France, David.

Strangely I think the film did well in France because of the connection to Sarte and No Exit

No, Greg specifies -- your success all over the world.

DHewlett:

We're officially bi-lingual up here.

We're thrilled with the success worldwide. We never thought it would show outside Canada!

Which means it should also have done well in Italy because of the connection to Pirandello...Here's our next question:

<raziel22>:

Could you ask him how many rooms there was on the set?

DHewlett:

...or even Canada, for that matter.

DHewlett:

I think one and a half.... hardly ever a full cube.

VincenzoNatali:

Yes indeed. One and a half rooms. Six walls or three, depending on the shot

<DeathVegetable>:

Vincenzo: why this ending? Did you have control or the ending?

VincenzoNatali:

Yes, absolutely. In fact before the US release the distributor wanted to change the ending and I said no. I think the ending has an integrity to it that many mainstream films give up in search for a broader audience. They're afraid of a dark ending

Moderator:

David? Would you like to add anything?

DHewlett:

It stops it from being a neat Hollywood film. Neat and tidy, better description.

<Gregslide>:

When and how did you have the idea of the script?

DHewlett:

It was their lives - Andre and Vincenzo - locked in a room for a year.

Moderator: 

You wouldn't be here if you weren't interested, right?

Moderator:

Shoot me those questions! Did you see that question about how the idea for the script came about from Gregslide??

VincenzoNatali:

Sorry...didn't see the script question

Yes - as noted, it sort of came from real life, except that it's a little more exciting.

<Gregslide>:

When and how did you have the idea of the script?

VincenzoNatali:

Well, the idea came to me around 1991. It came from my desire to make a film in one room. I realized I wasn't the kind of film maker could pull off another My Dinner W/ Andre. I wanted movement unfolding within the room

...without a really high body count.

VincenzoNatali:

So I thought -- what if one set could be many. That led me to think of a maze... And I really wanted to create a modern version of Hell, with no context, no outer world

David, Vincenzo tells me sotto voce that you actually did the website for this film. Are you on the Internet a lot? Have you been reading the messages on the CUBE bbs we set up on this site?

That's definitely its strength, too - you are thrown into something that has no context . There's no frame of reference for people.

I'm gonna repeat this 'cause I think it got lost: David, Vincenzo tells me sotto voce that you actually did the website for this film. Are you on the Internet a lot? Have you been reading the messages on the CUBE bbs we set up on this site?

I haven't seen the bbs yet, but I'm on the Web too much and keep an eye on the CUBE official site all the time.

<DeathVegetable> :

 the only one to escape the cube is one who could never understand its meaning -- what does this symbolize for you?

 I liked the randomness of that ending. Maybe it symbolizes: ignorance is bliss.

He's the only character who isn't burdened by an inner demon. He's the only character who doesn't care if he escapes... That allows him to leave

<Redrum1211>:

To the both of you, just wanted to say that this movie is the BEST (and my all time favourite) and wanted to thank you both for the entertainment, you guys rock!!! :o)

<raziel22>:

How much of the SFX were CGI?

Ignorance is bliss...I wanted the ending to be ambiguous. We don't know what kind of world he went to. I like leaving that open. What it meant for me is that he's the only character without fear, or guilt -- what destroys the others.

And what about the special effects?? Did you make much use of computer-generated imagery?

VincenzoNatali:  

Thanks for the praise! Yes, there are about 25 shots that use CGI. They build the exterior rendering of the cube largely. And for a few of the traps like the spikes and the wire mesh at the beginning

DHewlett:

Much appreciated - Redrum1211.

<Zaden>:

Who took them to the cube if I might ask?

<laughing> Well, that's something I'd like to leave up to your imagination. It's more frightening isn't it? If we don't know who is behind it? They are a power we can't comprehend. We're being manipulated by a higher power. That's terribly frightening, a force you can see or understand

 Moderator:

Any thoughts, David? Who was pulling YOUR strings? * Moderator smiles *

<The-Pixies->:

Are either of you claustrophobic? Excuse the spelling...

VincenzoNatali:

I am after making the movie! You know when I was writing the script with Andre Bijelic I was feeling trapped in my life my dreams to become a director were going nowhere I was poor and I was sharing an apartment. So we were  feeling claustrophobic in our lives. Cube dealt with that.

Moderator:

We have momentarily lost David Hewlett but I'm sure he'll log back on...

<jeg>:

Another such movie called Closetland had a similar feel to it. Either of you see it? ( am an architect...you've given me a few good ideas!! :)

No, I've not seen Closetland, but I'd like to. I think the biggest inspiration was Hitchcock's The Lifeboat... About the survivors of a U-Boat attack. I'm pleased that the cube inspires you,  we spent a long time trying to design the cube as a functional space

<pi> :

What kind of ending was Natali asked to do that he didn't agree with?

VincenzoNatali:

I was asked to have Leaven and Worth to survive, and have Kazan left behind. We were supposed to reveal what was outside the Cube

<ricky>:

Are there any clues in the movie as to who made the cube or put them there for the viewer to try to figure out?

VincenzoNatali:

I think you can rule out aliens, it's definitely of human origin. Beyond that...there's a good chance that it might have been built in Canada...because it's rather ugly, and my High School looked a bit like it. I should say, we really didn't want to give anything away as to who is responsible. Any society in the world is capable of doing it in terms of moral depravity

And just so you all know... David Hewlett is having those proverbial technical difficulties... but we are working to get him back online!

<DeathVegetable> :

Are you interested in a second incarnation of the film's world in any way shape or form?

VincenzoNatali:

There will be no Cube2. It's been offered but I've turned it down. And the only reason is that if there were a 2nd it would have to reveal too many secrets. Those open ended questions that make the first film unusual

Moderator:

Okay! David Hewlett has rejoined us under the nom du wire of -- ahem! -- "groovy". Can you type, groovy?

groovy:

Hello again all! not so groovy at the typing...see what I can do

Moderator:

Good to see you back!

<raziel22>:

When did you start making films Vincenzo?

groovy: 

Grade 7 I believe it was? That's only a couple of years back :-)

VincenzoNatali:

I was around 11 when I first picked up a Super8 camera, and I think the best and worst thing that ever happened to me was knowing what I wanted to do in life

groovy:

And he kept pointing it at me! I remember this quiet little kid shuffling up and asking me if I wanted to be in a movie

VincenzoNatali:

And that was definitely the worst thing that happened to you! Oh how you've suffered!

groovy:

I think I told him to get lost...if only!

VincenzoNatali:

I have to say that David even at 14 or 15 was a complete professional, even when I covered him in chocolate sauce

Well, you know Vincenzo, when you hit 40 you get this urge to go into aluminium siding sales... So don't despair!

<The-Pixies->:

David, I'm a big fan! I think you're a very versatile actor. Are you a "method actor" or do you think that's all BS?

groovy:

Actually Vincenzo was the one that first got me on film I think? I'm being lazy here and I'm going to let someone else do the typing...

Moderator:

Ahem!

DHewlett:

I'm not a huge Method acting fan. Not enough time for that on a film.

VincenzoNatali:

hmmm

Moderator:

Mister Hewlett’s official amuenesis -- you should be able to type now!

<Gregslider> :

Do you have regrets about the movie ? Something you wish you had better developed ?

But whatever anyone needs to make the scene real...just not on my time (laughs).

What's so great about Davis is that he can be a clown on the set one minute, and then fall into character immediately when you call Action. Then at Cut he's a clown again.  That's exactly what we needed to get through Cube

DHewlett:

I think Vincenzo wishes he could've paid the actors more.

VincenzoNatali:

We needed him to relieve the tension.

DHewlett:

I was the set mascot.

VincenzoNatali:

21 days can seem like forever

DHewlett:

21 days...god, it felt a lot longer.

VincenzoNatali:

And Sex Symbol!

DHewlett:

Time doesn't fly in an easy-bake oven.

<laurapalmer>:

Where did you come up with the math concepts used in the film? Did you have a mathematician as a screenwriter?

DHewlett:

They cut out the sexy sixties room.

It was physically demanding film on the actor...Strange since they were just standing around in a 14 X 14 room... But the heat was terrible. And there were all these dangerous nooks and crannies

DHewlett: 

There was a mathematician that Vincenzo, Andre and Graham worked with. It was kind of hot - pretty toasty.

 VincenzoNatali:

David, Nicole and Andrew had a routine where they would sing 80's songs... So we had an 80's cube. Our 2nd Unit director wanted to film porn in there... On math, I'm a math idiot. The math genius is David Pravica

Moderator:

Hey, it's like Barbie says: Math Is Hard!

DHewlett:

On math - well, I think we all failed miserably in school. Barbie was right. And smarter than most people think.

VincenzoNatali:

The way worked with him was to  explain what we needed a number to do, then he'd figure what kind of number we needed. What was interesting about the maze design was that it was a process of discovery what we learned in our ignorance was that we were rediscovery a 3 dimensional graph. Once we applied the notion of movement and that one room had an exit then we'd solved the problem.  But we needed David P to work out the hard numbers

DHewlett:

You could always ask Vincenzo where you were in the cube. The hard thing was you would shoot out of sequence so it was really hard to keep track of where you were.

Moderator:

Mathematician to the Stars -- there's a job title for you.

<Zaden> :

Were there a lot of bloopers in this film?

DHewlett:

There wasn't enough film stock for bloopers on the screen.

Yes David--that's why I was so impressed with the actors -- you had no context... It was essentially a bare stage. All I could do was set the scene. 

DHewlett:

It was very much like a stage play, actually.

VincenzoNatali:

As actors you had to conjure up emotionally where you were in the timeline

 <Gregslide>:

 At the beginning, Worth seems to be a very pessimistic character. But after all, he still wants to survive. Are you happy with the evolution of his character ?

VincenzoNatali:

It's true about stock!

Interesting question...very happy because he's a reluctant hero which I think is the most realistic of heroes and yet you don't see that a lot in films. I didn't get to do a lot of glamour retakes.

We wanted Worth and all the characters to appear to be one thing in the beginning and then to reveal themselves under the stress of the Cube

DHewlett:

Vincenzo's constantly pulling the rug out from under the audience.

VincenzoNatali:

In Worth's case, that's true absolutely. Villains become heroes and vice versa

 <raziel22>:

Who came up with the cool ideas for the trap effects?

DHewlett:

 I think in the end you see everyone's true nature - which is not always pretty.

 I think that we were forced to do that rug trick because of budget and physical limitations

DHewlett:

The warped and twisted mind of Vincenzo Natali.

VincenzoNatali

We had to let the characters evolve to drive the story. We were forced to be creative...Relying on human relationships. It's a low budget trick

<Redrum1211>:

 A lot of people think the movie is a darker and more twisted version of The Breakfast Club, do you guys agree?

DHewlett:

That's perfect.

Moderator:

That's a wonderful description, Redrum, regardless of whether it's accurate!

VincenzoNatali:

Yeah, absolutely... The Breakfast Club... I had a big crush on Allie Sheedy!

Moderator:

Didn't we all...

DHewlett:

Me too.

The Cube in a way "is" like being in school. A form of imprisonment and hell for me... Only few graduate from The Cube

<DeathVegetable>:

At the end of the movie, the handicapped man steps into a bright white atmosphere. Any hints as to where or what this place is? Please tell us something! :)

DHewlett:

He walks into a bigger-budget film.

<chrislarkin>:

What is your favourite scene in CUBE?

DHewlett:

The core crew that has assembled over the years has gotten bigger and bigger over the years. I'd have to go with the julienning of the actor, Julian. I just love watching the audience react to that.

David nailed it...on where he goes...I have different ideas where he went but they're only ideas... I compare it to the monolith in 2001... 30 years after its making who knows what it was? Use your imagination

Moderator:

Got a favourite scene, Vincenzo???

VincenzoNatali:

I've seen it too many times. I know every frame...

Here's our last question for the evening... and Vincenzo and David -- and groovy -- you've been great guests!

DHewlett:

It's probably one of my scenes.

VincenzoNatali:

Wait!

Moderator:

Okay!

VincenzoNatali:

Favourite scene!

Moderator: 

Yes! We're so HERE for you, Vincenzo!

VincenzoNatali:

The moment after Holloway is murdered. I'd planned on 7 shots but because we had no time, I did it in one static shot

DHewlett:

About Holloway getting murdered - yeah - interesting.

VincenzoNatali:

That was a compromise that made the scene 100 times better. I love it

Moderator:

Ahem... can I ask you one more question BEFORE the last question???

VincenzoNatali:

Okay

DHewlett: 

 Yes

<quakegeek>:

 Vince, have you seen the movie Fortress, about a technological prison colony? Did that have any influence over your movie?

VincenzoNatali:

I did look at that early on

DHewlett:

Is that the one with Christopher Lambert?

VincenzoNatali:

I looked at a lot of prison escape movies, Papillion, The Great Escape...

Moderator:

Yes, it is. Christopher Lambert, I mean.

DHewlett:

I saw a bit of Fortress really late one night.

VincenzoNatali:

I wanted a sci-fi movie, but something different from what I'd seen before, I wanted the set to look timeless. 200 years ago...or 200 years from now. Originally I wanted it to be very bright...Not cyberpunk...No grunge... More like 2001, Pristine

DHewlett:

We've always been sci-fi geeks.

Moderator:

And now <drumroll> -- The Last Question:

<Gregslider>:

What are your projects now ? (TV, cinema, ...?)

Oh -- and we also want to know if CLUTCH did well at the Toronto Film Festival

DHewlett:

I'm doing a TV series called TRADERS. Up at 6am this morning. People loved CLUTCH, it was such a hip film. Way cooler than I am.

Moderator:

What projects are you working on now, Vincenzo? (So we can all go see 'em!!!)

I have a feature called Splice.  It's about the Bonnie and Clyde of genetics making the world's first animal-human hybrid and develop a strong attachment to it

I'm actually developing a TV series with Vincenzo, who will direct the pilot. It's called THE DOMAIN.

Moderator:

You go for those short monosyllabic titles, don't you Vincenzo?

DHewlett:

SPLICE is a great concept.

Moderator:

Vincenzo, David -- and groovy -- you've been WONDERFUL guests.

And also David, Andrew Miller, and I are writing a project starring them called Nothing

Moderator:

That's two syllables... Hmmm... How about "Null?"

DHewlett:

That's 'cause I'm involved: I get an extra syllable.

Moderator:

Ah! Membership has its privileges.

DHewlett:

To the moderator: thanks very much for moderating so beautifully.

Moderator:

Thanks you so much for joining us online tonight! You have been wonderful guests! And thanks to everyone in our audience as well -- Your questions were GREAT!