David Leitch Quotes
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As a filmmaker, I'm a collaborator first.
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In the stunt world, fights and vehicles are often two different disciplines.
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It's called 'John Wick' - it's really about this guy's very simple journey. We just didn't want to clutter it. It's gratifying it in its own right, in its simplicity.
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I think what's really important is to challenge yourself. You can very easily fall into the rut of, 'We know it works! We'll use that old chestnut.'
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As a stunt guy, you become a mini-director. You're talking to actors about performance.
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You have to make bold choices to be noticed.
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The character of Cable is complex.
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You learn tricks to make action look more dynamic - having the fight come toward you or shooting on a longer lens to compress the speed.
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'Atomic Blonde' is about the characters' bigger existential crisis and their world. It's not so much the conceit of the spy game; it's more that being a spy sucks. But we're going to make it fun to watch.
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As a director, just to be able to jump in to do something that's different, and to explore comedy and be challenged by that, is great. Some directors never get that opportunity.
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The vehicle-stunt world is so specialized. But when you spend so long in it as a stunt coordinator, you're exposed to all the disciplines, so it's always fun to combine the two ideas - a car chase and a fight scene - and make something more dynamic.
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You know, the 'Atomic Blonde' universe is its own universe. There's influences obviously of Bond and Bourne and 'Wick,' all the things I've been exposed to, but it is its own universe.
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As a second unit director, you're entrusted to shoot the action sequences. On every movie, it's slightly different.
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People have given their lives to this industry to make movies compelling.
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I've been really fortunate in my career to do budgets at all different levels.
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The way you present a stunt is tied in to the way you photograph it, so you're hanging out with the cinematographer.
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People want to be empowered to the point where they can thwart their enemies physically.
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I've been doing second unit for years, which is sort of like directing mini movies. Now that I'm directing entire films, it's really just more of everything. There are a lot more questions that need answers.
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Music emotionally and psychologically transports you immediately.
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We don't want John Wick to retire again; we're glad he's back in the game. We want a sequel or a prequel. There's a lot of fertile ground to cover.
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While filming 'The Matrix,' we studied how a Chinese fight-choreography team trains actors before production starts so that they can participate in action sequences in a more dynamic way.
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The completely irreverent tone was the thing that won me over about the first 'Deadpool' movie.
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There's an arc to an action sequence, and you need to come out the other end knowing your character better, and maybe the story has moved forward in a compelling way.
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Coming from an action background, I always approach the action sequences in any script as kind of placeholders.