FantasticBeasts:TheCrimesOfGrindelwaldscreeningandDavidYatesQ&A—live-tweets

On Friday 16 November, members gathered for a special screening of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald followed by a Q&A with the film’s director David Yates. 

The Q&A was moderated by director Charles Sturridge, (Brideshead Revisited, The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency) and covered how David went about incorporating VFX, mixing humour with darkness, and what it’s like to have a film premiering (almost) everywhere in the world simultaneously. 

That was the magical @FantasticBeasts! Our Q&A with director David Yates is about to begin #DUKbeasts pic.twitter.com/qiby8WgrN4

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

The Q&A with David is moderated by Charles Sturridge #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

Charles begins by asking how it feels to have a film that’s opening in every country in the world simultaneously? #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

(Except for Japan. That’s next week!) #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

David: You have meetings with people from South Korea to Streatham. It’s surreal but humbling #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

David tells us that the film had about two years in production, from first draft to finished movie #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

David: it’s gets bigger and more crazy with every movie we do #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

Charles asks David how they went about designing the three capital cities that feature in the movie #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

David explains that he had a clear idea of the tone he wanted for each location. It’s then a case of working with designers and artists to create that #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

They build some huge beautiful sets but then use plates of the real 1920s Paris to wrap around those real elements #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

They used real smoke to create atmosphere while filming, and so the DoP can light it there and then. They then enhanced it all using CG #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

For the large beasts, then bought in puppeteers (the ones from the stage production of War Horse) to give the actors something to work with #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

Charles: can you remember the first film you saw? David: The Battle of Britain, but the first film to have a big impact on me was Jaws #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

Asked about whether he panics about the scale, David says that he gets nervous the night before but gets through it and stays calm on set #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

I saw it again and again. I saw a photo of Spielberg and that’s when I knew what a director was #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

I even got a book called The Jaws Log, which brought to life the way you actually go about making a film #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

On the experience of making six films in the same franchise, David explains that he always leaves each film thinking ‘I didn’t get that bit quite right. I’d love to try it again‘ and luckily I get the chance to! #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

Questions from the audience now #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

David tells us that it felt strange going back to Hogwarts and those sets that he’d filmed many times before #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

But he likes the creativity that comes from those moments when things aren’t going quite as you’d wanted them to #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

And he has huge trust in the expertise of his collaborators and their ability to rise to the occasion #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

J K Rowling is very open and collaborative and he has a great working relationship with her #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

For the creatures he works with puppeteers on set. That footage then goes to the animators and David gives them notes about what he’s after #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

Question: how do you find the right balance between darkness and humour? #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

David: it comes from the first draft - that gives you what you’re aiming for. But we knew that the overall subject matter would be quite dark so we needed to put sufficient emphasis on those moments of lightness and humour #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

And the next film will be a lot lighter and simpler - we’re not on an arc where the films are getting darker and darker #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

David: We’ve got a draft of the next film already. The next stage will be meeting with my team to work out how we go about getting it made #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

David tells us that he prefers to use just one camera. They’ll occasionally use extras, but not very often #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

He likes to let scenes run on - he doesn’t shout cut as soon as it’s in the can, he wants to let things breathe and see what comes out of it #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

David: Every single actor I’ve worked with requires a slightly different approach to get them where you need them to be. And that’s one of the joys of the job for me #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

The opening carriage scene was the most difficult because it involved so many different elements: action, CG, costuming #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

David likes to have quite a fluid camera. He shoots lots of material. Everyone needs to be on all the time as they could be in shot at any moment - like a piece of theatre #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

David will often go back to J K Rowling with suggestions during filming. Similarly she’ll watch the rushes and come back with ideas - for instance, a scene she wants to write to make something else sing #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

#DUKbeasts pic.twitter.com/SLaxkMxeEd

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

And that’s a wrap! A huge thank you to David Yates for joining us and to Charles Sturridge for moderating that fascinating Q&A #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is out now and might, you never know, be showing in your local cinema. Go see! #DUKbeasts

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) November 16, 2018

Members also took to Twitter after the screening...

Mayfair Hotel tonight for screening of #fantasticbeasts and generous Q&A with the gracious David Yates. Thanks @directors_uk @warnerbrosuk #TheCrimesOfGrindelwald #ProtectTheSecrets #DUKbeasts pic.twitter.com/QtYixDbmeC

— Mike Rymer (@Mike_Rymer) November 16, 2018

At @Directors_UK Grindelwald Q&A.. how does David Yates deal with anxiety? He says he has a 48hr bender of sleeplessness, then it passes thru and he gets on with the job. The new definition of efficiency. He also knows he couldn't live without his 2nd unit director lol

— portia (@portiajoan) November 16, 2018

Excellent Q&A with #FantasticBeasts2 director David Yates after a screening of his epic film. Live tweets @Directors_UK #cinema pic.twitter.com/b4f6GtPdsJ

— Sean Spencer (@mtvnotbullets) November 16, 2018