IAm brian taylor, director of Ghost Rider Spirit of Vengeance and the CRANK movies. AMA!!!

so does Jason Statham use doors in real life, or does he just kick down walls when he needs to get somewhere?

it's best to leave doors open

During sex scenes, is there something used to keep the actors' genitals seperate? I've always wondered this but have never had a chance to find out.

yes, it's called a cock sock

What should the punishment be for pirating movies?

watching a shitty, compressed version on a small screen of a movie that you otherwise might've loved

What should the punishment be for pirating movies in 50mbps 1080p and streaming them to your TV?

:(

we're sorry

don't worry about it

In "CRANK: High Voltage" during the the horse racetrack sex scene, if you watch it in slow motion, you can see Jason Statham's butthole.

I wish you guys would've edited that more carefully.

What was behind your decision to leave his butthole in the film?

if you watch c2hv in slo mo you will see a lot of asshole

Do male actors get erections during sex scenes?
Are sex scenes filmed in private at all (as in only the crew members that are needed to film the scene are present)?

1. it happens
2. not on our movies - we have 200 eyeballs minimum

What was the original spark of an idea for a movie about a dude who gets poisoned to keep moving always or else he dies?

it was a plot device designed to showcase the shit we do w/ cutting and camera movement but became a metaphor for our entire ADD approach to reality

did cage show you his octopus?

is this a metaphor?

1. Do you read unsolicited screenplays?
2. How much weed do you smoke?
3. Crank 3, when, how and hurry the fuck up.

1. no
2. got some?
3. it will happen, prob 2013. ALRIGHT ALRIGHT JESUS!

How deep is Nicolas Cage's love for Elvis Presley?

deep

There have been a lot of articles lately about Nicolas Cage's method acting in "becoming" Ghost Rider. Can you further explain what that was like from your observations in working with him?

he was fucking scary. you will have a chance to see his original performances, in baron samedi makeup and black glass contacts - without cgi - on the GRSOV blu-ray.

Was there anything over-the-top he wanted to do with the performance that you asked him to cut?

"Alright, so what i'm planning is- now bear with me here-, what i'm gonna do- bear with me- i'm gonna take a baby, yeah? Bear with me, okay? I'm gonna take the baby, and i'm gonna smear it in- now i know this is ridiculous sounding, but bear with me- i'm gonna smear it in oil, and i'm gonna take a match yeah? And i'm gonna light the baby a birthday cake, and apologize profusely to it's parents for doing such a horrible thing.
And then i'm going to stab their dog."

you were on set???

there was a part where he threatened to snap the nurse's "little neck" that was hilarious

In the original CRANK movie, how did those girls in the bubbles during the final scene not die from heat stroke? I empathize with them every time I watch the movie (it is my favorite by the way).

it was brutal. if you look close, the blonde is different in certain shots because one of the girls didnt show up for day 2.

the girl who takes the headshot is named - swear to god - jacki chan, and was such a gamer that we killed her again in gamer.

What made you decide to get into directing?

What three qualities are essential for success in your profession?

How valid do you feel the Oscars are? (Do those who receive them deserve them, or is it all politics, money, and bullshit?)

What are your top three favorite films? (As a viewer.)

Can you share your thoughts on what Mr. Cage is like, in person? Is he pleasant to work with, or is he difficult on set? Does he behave erratically, or is he a consummate professional?

i don't get the oscars. how is the hurt locker a better script than inglorious basterds? how is inception nom'd for best picture but not nolan for best director? did the movie make itself? etc. etc. they lost me when gandhi beat out ET for best picture.

nic behaves erratically AND is a consummate pro - these things are not mutually xclusive w/ him. he shows up w/ ancient egyptian voodoo artifacts in one hand and an oscar in the other. a beast among men.

Do you have any insights into Cage's views on his career/life? Has he spoken candidly about some of the roles he's taken or the ups and downs of his career? Is there a movie/performance he's talked about that he feels is overlooked?

How does he feel about his tax problems? Is he angry, bitter, or does he have a sense of humor, "I did this to myself" attitude about it?

cage's total lack of bitterness and his continued passion and intensity in his approach - after all these years - is unfuckingbelievable. he's an inspiring dude.

Who are the 'unsung heroes' of film production?

the guys who load the trucks at 4 in the morning in below zero weather? i dont know... every movie you see, even the bad ones, had hundreds of really cool people working their asses off to make it. it's a crushingly difficult process, and a miracle anything ever makes it to screen.

Ghostrider (the first one) was one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Granted I saw it because 300 was sold out so we went to that one instead. What did you think of it? (honestly) and how is this one gonna be better?

Also I was pleasantly surprised at how good Crank and Crank: High Voltage were. Awesome movies!

thank you!

i really hated the way the ghost rider looked in the first movie. the first thing we tried to do better was a complete redesign - i think the new GR is much more visceral and nasty.

how batshit crazy is bai ling?

off the charts

Why the switch from GR's traditional chopper to a street bike?

we wanted to base the action more on real riding and stunts than cgi, and choppers can't really do anything but cruise.

Who came up with the "I think yes. Hell yes?" line in Ghost Rider?

Also I'm kinda curious about the tongue-in-cheek line about "illegal downloads" at the beginning. Is there a story behind this one?

1. i did, sorry
2. be good or nic cage will rip out your soul

Who would win in a fight between Jason Statham and ten Nicolas Cages?

i could not pick a winner in this one - this would be mutually assured destruction.

Mike Patton was a great choice for the soundtrack to Crank movies. How as it working with him?

mike is a machine... he probably wrote 5 times as much music as appeared in the movie. one of my favorite soundtracks of any movie, ever. he's a mad genius.

What's your favorite TV show right now?

south park

What was it like working with children on set, and what did you do to entertain them during a lull?

definitely a challenge - usually when there is a pacing lull we just drop in a hardcore public sex scene.... had to think of different stuff this time

Why is hollywood wasting their time making sub-par superhero movies when they could be making original content instead?

fear and economics

Why action movies? Out of all the generes why choose to make action movies? I was a big fan of crank actually however I feel your talents can be applied to a good narrative driven drama as well based on the tightly written script. just asking!

i agree, stay tuned

What happened to Ghost Rider being Rated R? It had all the Comic-Con hype and then I see it got changed?

GRSOV was never rated R - maybe there was a perception based on the crank movies, but w/ sony/marvel that was never gonna happen

Do you do your own laundry?

yes

OH MY GOD Crank High Voltage is one of my favorite movies ever. Literally, the most fun. And what a soundtrack. Gamer is also criminally underrated. I have two questions. If you could go back and change anything in your films, what would it be? And I want to make movies with the same manic energy you guys have managed to achieve. Any tips for this? Do you think I should start learning to rollerblade? (Second question was a two-parter).

i would've got more into FPS gaming before making gamer. we literally had no clue. i would write a completely different movie if i had it to do over. also, gerard butler and terry crews should've switched roles.

stay away from roller blades, they're dangerous.

What movie did you enjoy directing the most?

the days where nic went nuts on ghost rider were the biggest adrenaline rush i have had on set. crank 2 was also fun - i think... it is mostly a blur

Before starting the production of Ghost Rider, how much (if any) of the comics did you read? If you read any of it, how did it shape what you did with the film?

Did Marvel have any say as to how the film would look, feel, sound like and was there ever a point where the vision they had and the vision you had came into conflict (if at all)?

there are so many different versions of GR over the last 30+ years... i read a lot but didnt find much to take from. the garth ennis/clayton crane mini-series were awesome. the first year of GR from back in the day is completely hilarious - he is basically completely embarrassed about being ghost rider and spends most of the time running away and hiding his face.

marvel was not involved in the look/feel at all. we sent them concept art and they gave a thumbs up.

Is Nic Cage really as awesome as he seems on TV/on the internet?

Also, why isn't every character in this movie played by Nic Cage? For that matter, why isn't every character in every movie ever played by Nic Cage?

1. yes
2. this is a great idea, starting with the next sex in the city movie

Please tell me this Ghost Rider won't be as fucking awful as the first one. I can't watch my favorite fictional character get shat on again.

i think you will like this one better

oh my god i love crank so much. Ghost rider is also really cool. I love nic cage so much. i felt like i had something to say, but really im just drunk. :)

cheers

What do you think about the Gary Friedrich story?

Do you prefer working with Nic Cage or Jason Statham?

Who do you think is better for box office pull?

What would you consider they're individual strengths/weaknesses?

Thanks.

1. unfortunate
2. same but different
3. depends on the movie - box office is not really as star driven as the old days
4. they are just totally different guys... it's hard to describe a guy as unorthodox and iconic as nic in terms of strengths and weaknesses

Michael C. Hall seems like one of those guys that would be just as creepy in real life as he is in most of his roles. Is he? Or is he completely different and just an amazing actor?

the latter

Hi, Crank is my favorite film of all time. Just wanted to let you know how much I love that masterpiece.

I came up with a theory about Crank that Crank 2 kind of ruined, and I'm wondering if the idea ever crossed your mind when making the film. I always thought that from the point at which Chev drinks the Plant Shit towards the end of Crank, the events of the rest of the film are just in his imagination. This was, to me, confirmed by the final shot of the film. I love Crank 2, but it kind destroyed this fantasy of mine.

Just thought I'd share.

for me the alternate theory was that he died in doc miles' apt and never went to the rooftop for the finale. but, if that were the case, why couldn't c2hv just be more hallucination? i mean, verona's head in a jar? really??

What kind of movie do you want to make, but would be unlikely to make? (e.g., romantic comedy, period piece, a movie of an obscure book)

all of the above

How much money did you personally make for Ghost Rider?

much less than you would think. i am not a 1%er.

Who is someone that you have worked with that you expected to be a total dick but ended up being awesome?

neveldine

What movies/shows do you secretly like but would never admit it?

restaurant impossible?

First off, I LOVE the Crank movies. And Statham. Do more movies with him. I also loved Gamer... And everything else you do. If you're ever in MI and need some work done, I'm your man!

Secondly, in the new Ghost rider the Swedish youtuber, Tejbz, is in it, correct? If so, about how far into the film is he and how was working with him?

tejbz, aka the swedish chuck norris, is in the movie - he is a cool dude

What are your Favorite Nick Cage/Jason Statham films other than the ones you made... and why?

nic - raising arizona statham - snatch

What actor do you like working with the most?

we've been lucky - statham, cage, idris elba - that's a good day at the office.

I noticed almost no cuds for gamer... It was a solid flick.

Did you deal with huge personalities making that film? Butler, Kyra Sedgewick, Michael C Hall, Terry Crews, Ludachris... I just assume that some people are hard to deal with, some are character actors, and some are great people.

Also, thanks for doing this.

all of the people you mention above with the exception of one diva were awesome to work with :)

kyra is NOT said diva

Crank 1 was really awesome. Loved how the film started off fast paced, and just kept on giving. Is it true that you filmed it using Canon Legria cameras? What happened to the sequel? I feel it lacked the "drive" compared to the first one.

we used sony 950s on crank. personally i really prefer crank 2 in every way to the first.

How much of your work is fun and how much is work that you don't want to do, but you have to do?

i can't complain about one miserable second of it. it's a fun job.