Director Joshua Michael Stern talks about Steve Jobs
A new video report from Jason Snell, editorial director of Macworld, explores Joshua Michael Stern's vision in how he approached and directed the movie Jobs. The screenplay by Matt Whiteley covers Jobs and Apple Computer from 1971 to 2001. Michael Stern says of his movie: "It was about how Jobs really identified himself to his product."
Snell asked some interesting questions. The interview focused on the drama and Shakespearean aspect of the movie, which highlights the conflict between the corporate entity and the person. It also covers how Jobs "orchestrates removal of the Board" to do what he wants when he comes back to Apple after he was fired. Snell brought up how hard it is to focus on technology without boring the audience, and asked how Stern was able to bring Jobs' obsession to the screen in an interesting way. Stern's answer: "You dramatize it through [Jobs'] passion."
Snell notes that "this is a period piece," covering the 1970s and 1980s, which Stern chose carefully. He said, it's about Apple prehistory, before the iMac was introduced, which Stern perceives that most people see as the "beginning of Mac." Jobs is about what happened prior to the current Apple that enabled Jobs to create the company we know today.
Stern and Snell also talked how challenging it was to create a period piece on a tight budget. The production showcases the end of an era and the beginning of a new technological revolution. They even shot part of the movie in the house in which Jobs grew up to preserve the authenticity of the movie.
Stern spoke about how hard Ashton Kutcher worked to portray Jobs well. Kutcher needed to portray the provocative, charismatic and obsessiveness of Jobs in a believable way. Stern notes that Kutcher combined his own charisma, understanding of technology and interest in Jobs the man to bring his vision and sense of him to life.
Jobs opens August 16 nationwide. The impressive cast includes Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs, Josh Gad as Steve Wozniak, Dermot Mulroney as Mike Markkula, Lukas Haas as Daniel Kottke, Matthew Modine as John Sculley and J.K. Simmons as Arthur Rock.
[Photo courtesy of TechHive]
[via TechHive]
