“District 9“, is unlike the trend in other movies as a film adaptation of a comic book series or graphic novel or re-boots of an old franchise. Writer/director Neill Blomkamp‘s “District 9” is an extension from a short film he wrote and directed, called “Alive in Joburg” which was what got Blomkamp the job initially with 20th Century Fox and Universal to direct ‘Halo’ under Peter Jackson as producer. Check out this short film that started “District 9”:
What is “District 9?”
An spacecraft carrying hundreds of thousands of aliens breaks down above downtown Johannesburg. These stranded aliens out-stay their welcome on earth and are corralled into refugee slums. The aliens being reviled by the human population reflects on Blomkamp’s background of having grown up during white minority rule in Johannesburg and the apartheid government’s segregationist rule. Blomkamp explains:
“It all had a huge impact on me: the white government and the paramilitary police — the oppressive, iron-fisted military environment. Blacks, for the most part, were kept separate from whites. And where there was overlap, there were very clearly delineated hierarchies of where people were allowed to go. Those ideas wound up in every pixel in ‘District 9.’ “
How is Peter Jackson involved in “District 9”?
Sony’s backing of the film and this first time director came with a vehicle called Peter Jackson. The Oscar-winning writer/director was instrumental in bringing this project to reality through financing and aiding Blomkamp in the writing of the script.
Jackson on Blomkamp’s vision:
“He saw South African society — both the good and bad of the society there — and he wanted to put a science fiction spin on what he witnessed growing up because he’s a science fiction geek. I really like the idea that here was a guy who was making a movie based on life experience, not just on some movie that he was a fan of. ‘District 9’ is not reflective of any movie that I can imagine. It’s really very original, which I love about it, and that’s totally Neill.”
From the ashes of “Halo”
Jackson was originally signed to produce and write the script for the film adaptation of the video game, “Halo”, for 20th Century Fox and Universal in 2005. Blomkamp was the “someone young and new to direct” that Universal found helm the project. Unfortunately, the “Halo” project fell apart between Fox and Universal, but Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson’s partner in crime, planted a seed that would eventually grow into “District 9”. Her suggestion to him:
“Why don’t you stay and work on something with a sci-fi twist? Something that represents you.”
Walsh’s idea was to turn “Alive in Joburg” into a feature. Jackson and Blomkamp immediately switched gears onto this independent project. Blomkamp began writing the script for “District 9” with his writing partner Terri Tatchell in 2007. Costs were kept to a minimum with leaning on Blomkamp’s own skills as a visual-effects director and also by casting his childhood friend and collaborator, Sharlto Copley, as the film’s lead, a field operative for the corporate entity managing the alien crisis. (pictured left. The tables are turned when Wikus van der Merwe accidentally exposes himself to an alien biological agent.)
Just who is this Neill Blomkamp?
Blomkamp is no ordinary director. This man has skills when it comes to 3D animation.
Blomkamp talks about how he got into film at an early age:
“When I was 14 or 15, I got into 3-D animation on the computer my parents bought me. I was toying with practical effects. Prosthetics and in-camera effects. Models and photography. I knew I wanted to be involved in all that.”
Blomkamp attended the Vancouver Film School, worked as an effects artist, shot music videos, and directed TV commercials. He continued to work on special effects projects and was featured at the Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors Showcase in Cannes in 2004 that caught the eye of Hollywood.
Neill Blomkamp, 29, shot his debut feature film for only $30 million.
This documentary-style, thriller is being hailed as “one of the most original sci-fi films to come along in years”. It premieres this Friday, August 14th.
