Indie directors for big budget films

[terry78]

I know that is the trend to do so in order to give a film more "depth", and Nolan is always the first thing people look at it, then you go back to Singer for X-Men, and things like that. But is it always the best route to go? Gavin Hood is pretty acclaimed, yet his Wolverine is already infamous around the net. I liked Rocky and Bullwinkle, but they got Des McAnuff to direct this, who has only done independent dramas. When it comes to properties based on cartoons, comics, toys, and what not, do you prefer they go with more commercial directors to maintain the source material's already somewhat campy stance, or more independent filmmakers to give it some gravitas? I don't mean like bringing on Wes Anderson to direct the live action version of Top Cat or whatever...though that would not be too far-fetched.

 

[Figs]

Good thread terry.

That's a hard one to say, I think it really depends on the director and what kind of vision they have as well as what area/genre they excel in.

From everything I've heard about Wolverine, Gavid Hood should have stuck to more serious drama type films. I hear although it's got quite a bit of action it's rather bland and boring.

Some people say the same about Nolan, I will agree that action isn't Nolan's forte, but he seems to be getting better at it seeing him go from BB to TDK not to mention he did add some more depth to the character that was missing from the past films.

I think it's a crap shoot, some indie directors might excel and put out a great action/comic film while for others it just might not be the right area/genre for them.

 

[Galactus]

I don't think it really matters if it's and indie director or someone who is used to more commercial movies. The only thing that matters is that the director has a passion for the project, really loves the source material if it's based on a comic or book or something. Peter Jackson and Sam Raimi, for example. Two directors who didn't have any experience of big budget blockbusters before LOTR and Spider-Man. Okay, Spider-Man 3 was something of a disappointment, but Raimi didn't have complete control over that one.

Then, sometimes, it just doesn't work, like with the latest Bond-movie. If you think that you automatically can get a great movie just by hire someone who has done one or a few smaller, critically acclaimed movies before, then you better prepare to get disappointed.

 

[ChickenScratch]

Many indie directors go nutz when they have the big budget and what made them great (the storytelling) suffers. Though I think Tarsem is the exception there.

 

[Octoberist]

it depends because Steven Sodenberg has manage to go back and forth between small films and big films. And Michel Gondry is doing Green Hornet, so it really really depends on the director. I trust Darren Arononsky with any movie, and he was linked to Robocop, and previously Watchmen and Batman Year One.

So it really really depends if the person has some understand and veristility to do a big project like Batman, or whatever, WITHOUT destroying their own visual style. I think Nolan has surprisingly kept his indie style intact with his Batman films.

I can THINK OF ONE INDIE DIRECTOR who kinda sold out and went hardcore mainstream: Doug Linman who did GO.