Episode 01: Children of Men
Editing is this amazing puzzle that isn't this linear thing that you have to do a certain way.
-John DiMare
On The Featured Friends Podcast’s debut episode, I chat with VFX editor and longtime friend John DiMare! You might know John’s work from projects such as The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, or the touching documentary Robin Williams: Come Inside my Mind.
John shared his thoughts on the themes and technical prowess of Alfonso Cuarón’s dystopian drama Children of Men. From a haunting incorporation of T. S. Eliot’s The Wasteland to deft camera work that makes you feel like you’re in a video game, this film offers so many layers for viewers to enjoy, and I am thrilled that we got to kick everything off with a compelling piece of cinema that has both global and personal significance.
Huge thanks to John for coming on and braving his very first podcast experience. You can keep up to date with his latest VFX projects over on IMDb and find out more about what he and his cats are up to on instagram!
Show Notes:
Intro and Outro music is “Ascend” by Ketsa.
All credit to Universal Pictures for trailer & clips from Children of Men.
Be sure to check out the videos on Vulture and YouTube that explore the blood splatter we were so jazzed about (a technical accident that resulted in a “miracle” shot), as well as the contemporary reviews I referenced from The New York Times and The New Yorker.
You can find more fun facts about the movie on IMDb’s trivia page.
One fact I found really intriguing that we didn’t get to cover was the significance of names in the film! On the trivia page, there’s mention of Dylan being Welsh for “‘son of the sea/wave/born near the sea,’ Theo Faron being Greek for ‘God of Lighthouses,’ and Kee’s name…alluding to her motherhood being the key to humanity’s survival.” The significance of naming as markers of destiny or communications of origin ties back the religious components of the film, as names in the Bible and other religious texts were often tied into the individual’s narrative. #themoreyouknow
CORRECTION: I have actually seen one episode of Game of Thrones. Whoops. Also, I say “Brexhill” at one point — the predictable consequences of Brexit forever on the brain.
