AVP-R Strause Q&A

From the AVP Galaxy forum.



Q-For Colin:

If you were to have had a much larger budget, what would you and your bro have added or made differently?

Very, very differently. Our whole approach to the film was design to squeeze every penny we could, which means that there were cuts everywhere, and it aslo menat that we couldn't control everything the way we wanted to. But at the end of the day, I guess you could argue that every director, regardless of the budget they had, would be asking for more money.

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Q-How's it feel? You've finished your first movie...big stuff and it's out today. Excited? Scared?

It was a huge relief to hear everyone cheer at the end, but I need to know that everyone feels that same way all during this week before I stop sweating.

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Q-Colin, if the opportunity arose for you to do the third Alien vs Predator, would you bring the Alien back to its beautiful bio-mech roots?

If we had more time and money we would have done it on this movie, but we felt it was more important to focus what time we had on Chet and the Predator.

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Q-Hey Colin, what was your most favourite scene in the movie? And why'd you like it?

I love the Predator homeworld, and the pregnant burst scene.

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Q-Thanks Colin (and Greg) for making a AvP movie that worked this time and actually had a heart. I liked a lot of the human characters.

Did a lot of character moments get trimmed for pacing?

A bit. Most of which is re-added to the unrated DVD.

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Q-Why did you cut out characterisation?

The film desperately needed it. We weren't given enough anchorage to care.

it was decided to make the movie tighter for the theaters, and then longer on the DVD.

But this is a catch 22. If we had too much human stuff people would be mad because it would make the creatures less important, and then the less human stuff we have the less people cared about the humans. It's a tough balance, and at the end of the day it's impossible to make everyone happy, so we made the choice to feature more of the creatures because that is what most people wanted to see.

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Q-I got a question Colin: Why was the predalien's implantation method fast? It only took about 5 minutes, and than the belly bursters came out. And another one, the predalien grew up to fast, it took about 15 seconds the most.

It was an editing thing. In the script it happened much later, but once we cut out some of the oher sub-plots that we didn't want in the film it compressed the time of the chestburster growth, so it seems much faster than it was suppose to be.

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Q-Hi, Colin... just wanted to say congrats on your first film. It was a lot of fun, I really enjoyed it.
You guys were spot-on with how an AvP movie should feel. I only hope you guys will be able to make a third one... in outer space... what I've been waiting for for almost fifteen years.

My only question:
How much money do you think this movie has to make before the studio considers making another sequel?

I hope you can answer that question, I know it's a rather controversial one.
Thanks Colin!

That's an interesting question. We cost a lot less than the first movie, so I guess if we made close to the same amount of money then people might be more in favor or making a third one. But that's only a guess, and we have no control over that stuff.

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Q-Looking back, do you think you should've tried for quality rather than quantity when it comes to fights? Having lots of fights is great, but when they're all two minutes long at most it looses a certain je ne sais quoi ...

Then people would be saying the movie lacked scope and feels small. You can't win with a limited budget. Something isn't going to be perfect, so you just have to make it all as good as you can.

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Nice find ooh great one!

Jamal said:

Nice find ooh great one!

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I was wondering whos sick idea the PA litter birth was, now i know

Doesn't surprise me...it sounds like FOX kept the leashes on VERY tight on the Strause Bros. and they could do that considering that this was a new director duo...most senior and veteran directors are also good businessmen who can haggle for more time and money. I can understand that for the Strause Bros. it had to be basically "by the book" since you want to make a good impression.

You know FOX, maybe if you gave up some more money and got some better talent as well as MORE TIME, you can get an AVP movie out that critics will LIKE and then EVERYONE will want to see it. Which means...taaadaaa! MORE MONEY FOR YOU!

For what AVP:R was I liked it, now reading those comments and knowing that FOX didn't give them a bigger budget saddens me, 'cause I know it could have been much better. Especially if the Strauss dudes could've done what they really wanted to without budget constraints. Step up your game FOX!!

The only one to blame for the film's crappyness if you will, is FOX!

p!tu said:

The only one to blame for the film's crappyness if you will, is FOX!

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Sorry, unlike AVP, AVP-R is getting more thumbs up from the fans. I'd say that it's more 60 positive, 40 negative ... as opposed to 30+, 70- of the first film. So, it may not have been a classic, but the people who felt it was "crap" are in the minority this time. However, I think we can all agree, no matter if we liked the film or not, that a bigger budget and less studio restraint would have made it even better.

P.S. Not to pick a fight, but using Josh's pic like that is really not all that funny. Kinda cruel if you think about it. You got to admit from P!tu vision, you are no Brad Pitt yourself ...

^^^ LOL man

Back on topic, some questions about the film have been answered but a budget doesnt mean crap. Terminator the original was a low budget movie which Cameron had never thought would blow up so big

DouglasMcc said:

P.S. Not to pick a fight, but using Josh's pic like that is really not all that funny. Kinda cruel if you think about it. You got to admit from P!tu vision, you are no Brad Pitt yourself ...

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I think it's funny! And p!tu pokes enough fun at himself with his videos. If you don't want your pic used in any form, DON'T POST IT ON THE INTERNET!

DouglasMcc said:

Sorry, unlike AVP, AVP-R is getting more thumbs up from the fans. I'd say that it's more 60 positive, 40 negative ... as opposed to 30+, 70- of the first film. So, it may not have been a classic, but the people who felt it was "crap" are in the minority this time. However, I think we can all agree, no matter if we liked the film or not, that a bigger budget and less studio restraint would have made it even better.

P.S. Not to pick a fight, but using Josh's pic like that is really not all that funny. Kinda cruel if you think about it. You got to admit from P!tu vision, you are no Brad Pitt yourself ...

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Yeah I liked them both myself. They are what they are. Popcorn flicks.

On a side note, Josh knows about the P!TU thing. He thinks it's funny. If you would like you could read about it in the "What do you Freaks look like" thread. I assure you he means no harm.

The ill Jedi said:

For what AVP:R was I liked it, now reading those comments and knowing that FOX didn't give them a bigger budget saddens me, 'cause I know it could have been much better. Especially if the Strauss dudes could've done what they really wanted to without budget constraints. Step up your game FOX!!

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Fox sucks have you seen some of the their putting out! And their cable news is a God damn joke.

Aya PAPA!!!

DouglasMcc said:

P.S. Not to pick a fight, but using Josh's pic like that is really not all that funny. Kinda cruel if you think about it. You got to admit from P!tu vision, you are no Brad Pitt yourself ...

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Jesus! i am no ****ing ******! i talked to Josh and he thinks its funny his dad thins its funny!! I know what im doing! Im no noob!!

Jamal said:

^^^ LOL man

Back on topic, some questions about the film have been answered but a budget doesnt mean crap. Terminator the original was a low budget movie which Cameron had never thought would blow up so big

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yeah! he wrote it and directed it! he did not have Fox telling him to have the Predalien using Predator Technology!

Exactly, a brilliant mind can make anything work reguardless of a FOX budget

Just about any successful movie that was ever made, had the studio execs, producers etc.whinging, whining, wanting to cut the budget, shut the movie down...But, then when it makes mega bucks...they are all wanting to take the credit! Like any investor...they want little imput, for maximum return....and ultimately the movie is what suffers.

Yep, too much BS because everyone wants a piece of the action and at the end of the day its really stiff **** for the fans

Jamal said:

Exactly, a brilliant mind can make anything work reguardless of a FOX budget

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FOX had nothing to do with T1, in fact if I'm not mistaken the Terminator was an independint film, I'm not sure though.

as for Control by FOX?

they control the money, they own the rights, they control how much power the director gets, regardless of how brilliant he may be.

some people think Fincher is hot stuff, yet he didn't get any real control on Alien3.

the same thing could have happend to Scott or Camron (and in a way did) what saved them was that they got started when the studios were willing to take risks.

PROWL said:

FOX had nothing to do with T1, in fact if I'm not mistaken the Terminator was an independint film, I'm not sure though.

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Thats my point, it had no real big budget or backing and it became one of the best movies ever created. Having a small budget doesnt mean anything when you have a Director/Writer which is awesome in every way