The Menu with Mark Mylod and Lorene Scafaria (Ep. 392)
Dec 3, 2022
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Directors Mark Mylod and Lorene Scafaria discuss their film, The Menu, in a Q&A session. They talk about building the ensemble cast, filming in one location, and handling controlled chaos. The film follows a couple dining at an exclusive restaurant with surprise twists. They also discuss the challenges of creating a dynamic set, crafting a scary menu, and the similarities between directing and running a kitchen.
Director Mark Mylod found the right balance between dark comedy and thriller elements in his film The Menu, ensuring that the comedy was genuinely funny and not just a relief from tension.
Despite the majority of the story taking place in one location, Mark Mylod made the film visually dynamic by adding outdoor scenes and using architecture to create tension and tighten the spotlight on the characters.
Deep dives
The Challenge and Tone of the Film
Director Mark Mylod discusses the challenges and tone of his film, The Menu. He describes how the script's mix of dark comedy and thriller elements attracted him, and how he found the right balance between the two. Mylod also explains his approach to calibrating the tone, ensuring that the comedy was genuinely funny and not just a relief from the tension.
Casting and Character Dynamics
Mylod talks about the casting process and collaborating with the ensemble cast. He reveals that Rafe, one of the main characters, was the first choice for the role, and highlights the importance of finding someone who could go toe-to-toe with him. Anya Taylor-Joy was chosen for her strong presence and ability to convey the ticking mind of her character. Mylod discusses the dynamics between the characters and the equal battle that takes place between Rafe and Anya's characters.
Creating Cinematic Dynamics in the Film
Mylod explains how he made the film visually dynamic despite the majority of the story taking place in one location. He mentions adding outdoor scenes to provide a breath of fresh air and dynamism. He draws inspiration from other films that effectively use the architecture of the setting to create tension. Through production design and crafting the camera angles, Mylod creates a looming threat and tightens the spotlight on the characters to heighten the tension.
Director Mark Mylod discusses his new film, The Menu, with fellow director Lorene Scafaria in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Mylod speaks about his approach to building the ensemble of actors, finding places to put the camera in a mainly one-location film, and handling the controlled chaos of as movie set.
The film follows a young couple as they travel to a remote island to dine at an exclusive restaurant, only to find that the chef has prepared a few surprises along with the meal.
Please note: spoilers are included.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/January2023/Menu_QnA_1122.aspx
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