The rats that you used in the movie, were those dummy rats? What kind of rats did you use?
Quentin Dupieux: I’m sorry to say that they were real rats. So basically this company, I don’t even know the name, they specialize in animals that you can buy that have nothing inside. They are replaced inside. It looks real because it’s not stiff, but I have to say that they are still gross to touch. You don’t want to touch them.
When you are working on these films, challenge and self-challenge is one of the big things for you, correct?
Quentin Dupieux: Yeah, that’s basically why I found the good energy. It’s a different job. That’s why I don’t like to call myself a director because that’s a different job. I’m supposed to conceive a movie, but to me it’s not even what we call a movie. It’s more like, even if it’s stupid and full of jokes, an artistic experience. Even if it looks like a movie, there’s like some storylines and characters and stuff, it’s not really just because the way it’s done is so different. To me it’s not a movie. Usually you don’t go out shooting when the script is not perfect, nobody does that anymore. If you say to me, “Ok you have 20 million and you’re going to shoot in four years. Write the script,” I won’t do anything because that’s not exciting to project myself in four years. I’m bored already. I’d rather shoot for a little bit of money but shoot very quick, soon.
How difficult was it to assemble the cast? Were they all for it or did you have to talk them into it?
Quentin Dupieux: There are different types of actors in this movie. For example, you have guys like Ray Wise, you have Grace Zabriskie, these people we just offered the parts. We just sent the script to their agents and basically we said, “Look, we have no money, but we just need you for a day or two. Would you do it?” And when they liked the script, they came on board.
I also have this great casting director, Donna Morong, and she tapes like 20 or 30 people per role, and I just watch everything carefully and usually I find gold. For example, Mark Burnham, who plays the lead cop (Duke), he was cast in my previous movie Wrong and he was here just for two days for this small cop scene. He was the same character in the other movie. You watch 20 cops trying to be cops and you’re like, “Okay, okay, okay, next, next, next,” and suddenly BOOM! There’s this guy and he’s so strong.
Usually I like to bring back people I’ve worked with already. So for example, Steve Little, he was in my movie Wrong too. The first time I work with an actor, it’s nice and we’re trying to find a connection, but then when the actor comes back on the next movie, he works instantly. From the first minute we have a connection and everything is perfect. That’s why I like to find good actors that like the way I work because half of the job is already done. When you know an actor, when he knows you, when he likes your stuff, when you love to see him onscreen, that’s half of the preparation.
