Alice Through the Looking Glass Director James Bobin was a delight to interview. He made me laugh the moment he walked into the room. We were all sitting ready for the interview on a long rectangle table and his first comment was, "It's like a tea party!" I thought it was a perfectly fitting comment for an Alice interview. If only we could have had the table filled with delicious little cakes like in the movie!
I was so impressed with him as a director for this movie the moment he started talking. He loves the Alice in Wonderland Story and it has been a part of his life since he was growing up. James Bobin grew up in England where Alice is really a part of their life. He mentioned that Lewis Carroll always made him laugh and so he was excited to share this story. You could tell that he was so passionate and that truly makes a great director. Here are my favorite parts of our interview:
- Alice Through the Looking Glass started in 2013 with a conversation and finished in May 2016 with final 3D images.
- James Bobin spent so much time on the movie and was so passionate that he was excited to finally let it go and show people.
- He recognized that this was a sequel and wanted to pay respect to the first movie but make this one different.
- He wanted to bring in photo real design and a brighter pallet to the sequel. He wanted to portray a world of Victorian Imagination. He wanted to create a world where people would be happy to spend their time.
- In making a movie, it is important to create characters that people will believe in the role. For example, Lewis Carroll always talked about time as a person. James Bobin wanted this in the movie but needed to create it in a believable way.
- Time isn't meant to be a bad guy. You don't need two bad guys in a movie and he already had the Red Queen. Time is more of an obstacle that they need to tackle. James Bobin felt that Sacha Baron Cohen was perfect for the role of time because of how he handles himself, how he sits, and how he moves. He believes that time can seem sad but it is important to appreciate each moment. To James Bobin, time is such an important lesson in the movie as you can't change the past but you can learn from it.
- When asked what was the most challenging aspect of making this movie, James Bobin felt it was the story. He really wanted to pay tribute to the book, but it isn't the story of the book. He wanted to make the movie in a way that it felt like a puzzle that the kids watching it could solve while watching it. They did pay tribute to the book in the movie. For example the chess match and the mantle piece clock are both in the book.
- He loves the flexibility of animation because you can add ideas later if you are watching the edit and felt changes needed to be made. One of the biggest changes in animation is that they can make eyes that feel totally real.
- One need tip that he gave us that I didn't realize my first time watching the movie is that when the Red Queen hits her head, the first thing she sees is White roses. This is why when she is older she doesn't like white roses. You can watch for that part while watching the movie.
- The main home is located in Surrey but the exterior is in a different location. When filming the dock scenes, they really hand the WONDER come to dock.
I loved the Alice Through the Looking Glass movie. The lessons that I can learn and that I can teach my kids are amazing. They really made you take a look at your life and re-evaluate your priorities. Having the opportunity to interview Director James Bobin and see the excitement and passion that he had for this film helped me to appreciate the look, design, characters and story even more. I am so impressed with how much time they dedicate to making their films. Director James Bobin was so kind to share the making of his movie with us and I loved the passion he had for the movie and the Alice in Wonderland name.
ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS is now playing in theaters everywhere!
This amazing trip to Los Angeles was hosted by Disney. All opinions are my own.
Hi, my name is Melissa! I live in Spanish Fork, Utah. I'm happily married to Rob, and together we have five wonderful kids. Our family loves to embark on adventures, often in our RV, exploring the great outdoors. I'm an avid reader and a big fan of Hallmark movies – they always have a way of lifting my spirits. Hiking is another passion of mine; there's nothing like the tranquility of nature. I have a sweet tooth for chocolate and a love for Mexican food, both of which make life a little more delicious. In my downtime, I enjoy playing games with my family, creating memories and sharing laughter. Life is an adventure, and I'm here to enjoy every moment of it! I'm the blogger and creative mind behind the blog A Sparkle of Genius! Check out our posts on recipes, crafts, kid stuff, printables, travel and more!