Hello reddit. We are actor Guy Pearce and director David Michod of the film The Rover, currently showing in NY and LA and opening nationwide on June 20. You can watch the full trailer here. We are going to be here for the next hour or so to answer your questions, and hope to get to as many as possible."

My Proof: https://twitter.com/TheRoverMovie/status/479338871713710080

Thanks Everyone!! We wish we were faster typers so we could have gotten through more of these. Hope you had fun - Now go see THE ROVER twice!!!

Comments: 230 • Responses: 22  • Date: 

PlastilinaPosh11 karma

David - what drew you to Rob for this project? As a longtime fan of his I've felt like all he ever needed was a great director to guide him and show what he's truly capable of. Where you surprised he had it in him? Obviously you knew he could be good, but were you expecting him to be THAT good?

DavidMichod10 karma

really simple - i didn't know much about him before he came in and did a beautiful audition for me. it wasn't surprising. it was just really impressive and exhilarating because i could see the movie coming alive.

TheOrchestrator7 karma

Thanks for doing this and congratulations on another really great Aussie film. You're both gems of the local industry.

Questions for David:

  1. When I watched The Rover at the State, there were quite a few laughs throughout the film, and definitely more than I remember from Animal Kingdom. Did you set out to make The Rover to some extent funnier than Animal Kingdom or was it unintentional?

  2. Pictures of you on set of both Animal Kingdom and The Rover show you sporting what look like mullets. Why?

  3. Speaking as a Blue Tongue fan, is the sequel to Spider and Bear ever going to happen, and are you going to team up with Nash again to write it?

DavidMichod3 karma

  1. i knew it would be more heightened than AK and heightened can frequently lead to chuckling.
  2. when i start getting pulled into the giant vortex of the movie, i stop caring about things like haircuts.
  3. we've been talking about it. just need to find the time.

clobbymartin5 karma

David & Guy, what are your favorite films of the past year (other than The Rover, of course)? Thanks!

DavidMichod14 karma

i thought THE ACT OF KILLING by joshua oppenheimer was extraordinary. i loved GRAND BUDAPEST. a film called RUIN by michael cody and amiel courtin-wilson. i thought UNDER THE SKIN had some sublimely beautiful stuff in it.

i'm sure there were others...

liamquane4 karma

Mr. Michod what is your writing process like? do you methodically plan? or do you just jump straight in?

DavidMichod4 karma

i have to plan. i can't start writing without knowing where i'm heading.

liamquane4 karma

Did you do any vfx work to make The Rover seem more post apocalyptic?

DavidMichod10 karma

a company called FUEL in sydney did a fair amount of work breaking things down. removing lines on the road - that sort of thing. stuff that, hopefully, no one will really notice.

oh and by the way - the movie isn't post-apoc! it's post-catastrophic economic collapse!

liamquane2 karma

Sorry. I have it written down now so I don't forget. :~)

DavidMichod4 karma

ha! excellent.

liamquane3 karma

Why is it called The Rover?

DavidMichod3 karma

all sorts of reasons!

TheRoverFilm3 karma

David - you said in an interview that you did a few takes of Rob singing a southern, gospel tune he made up in place of Pretty Girl Rock. Would that be something that could show up as DVD special features?

DavidMichod2 karma

one day it'll rear its little head, i'm sure...

Rubydynasty3 karma

David: Given that you filmed The Rover in the desolate, deserted Australian Outback, which scene from the film presented you with the most technical challenges?

DavidMichod5 karma

ironically the scenes we shot when it rained (in places where it hadn't rained in more than a year) - right in the middle of the scene in which rob and guy buy ammo and fuel, it started raining torrentially - if you've ever been to marree (where we shot the scene), you'll know how surreal that experience was.

lena_hamilton3 karma

Hi David, what was the biggest challenge of directing The Rover and what was the most rewarding moment on set? :) Best of weeks, Lena X

DavidMichod8 karma

everything is challenging on set. that's what's fun about it. the most rewarding moments involved watching guy and rob bring these characters to life. it always felt beautiful and vulnerable and powerful and special.

thebarkingduck3 karma

David, has The Rover been an idea for a long time? And have you always considered using Guy since the start? Hearing nothing but amazing things and looking forward to seeing the film!

DavidMichod5 karma

the rover has been cooking for a few years and yeah, i wrote it for guy. i always find it useful, where possible, to have an actor's voice in my head when i'm writing a character.

Suziekew3 karma

David, will there be a featurette on the making of The Rover or any deleted or extra scenes on the DVD? I find these fascinating and love knowing what considerations went into the filming process. Thanks!

DavidMichod8 karma

there might be a behind-the-scenes thing. not sure yet. won't be any deleted scenes though - (a) because i don't like putting them on dvds (it's like showing your dinner guests the mess you made in the kitchen when you have them over for dinner) and (b) because there's only one tiny one anyway.

TheRoverFilm2 karma

David, should I be treating my infected bullet wounds with gasoline now? This is a survival tip I never would have guessed...

DavidMichod4 karma

i'd get to a hospital pronto

hostage_puffing2 karma

Huge fan of your works. How was the experience of working on Moora Walley becketts new Starz original show? And how did you guys meet each other before Animal Kingdom? Hyped for The Rover!

DavidMichod3 karma

shooting flesh & bone was fun. got to work with my good friend cinematographer adam arkapaw again. shooting classical ballet with great dancers was pretty extraordinary. moira approached me after seeing AK. i loved that she thought i'd be the go-to guy for a show set in the ballet world!

cab005E1 karma

What's your favorite sandwich?

DavidMichod12 karma

knuckle

senseandsarcasm1 karma

Great film!

I was curious as to whether either of you thought the relationship between Eric and Rey had any lasting effects on Eric.

Or did he just go forward as a solitary man as he was before?

DavidMichod3 karma

i'd like to think rey had a lasting effect on eric. definitely. what happens to eric after the movie has finished? good question.

subaahx1 karma

David: You’ve mentioned in an interview about studying philosophy at Uni. As someone who is studying phil right now I'm curious to know if Philosophy is something that you utilise in your filmmaking/writing or if it even comes into the equation?

DavidMichod2 karma

i'd like to believe it's made me a more rigorous thinker than i might have been otherwise, and i hope it has somehow made the movies more interesting than they might have been otherwise, but i don't consciously try to squeeze that stuff into them.

liamquane1 karma

Hi Mr's Michod and Pearce HUUUGE FAN OBVIOUSLY MR. MICHOD? Do you have any directorial advice?

DavidMichod4 karma

read books! (and not how-to-direct books, but just books generally)

liamquane1 karma

Hi Mr. Michod? Do you have any Screenwriting advice?

DavidMichod4 karma

read books! (and not how-to-write books, but just books generally)

liamquane1 karma

Mr. Michod? are you a self conscious filmmaker?

DavidMichod5 karma

not sure what you mean. do i feel self-doubt? absolutely. and i think it's healthy. it makes me work hard. it's just important that i keep it in check. otherwise it drifts into paralysis.

liamquane1 karma

what has been your biggest on set problem and how did you fix it?

DavidMichod3 karma

every day is a problem. that's what film sets are - big problems that need constant fixing. they all blend into one for me. but in solving problems, beautiful new things always emerge.

liamquane1 karma

how do you direct an editor?

DavidMichod2 karma

collaborate with them. treat them with respect. don't micromanage too soon.