Ender's Ansible

Harrison Ford is Silly on Set

Alexis Allen, casting assistant for the ‘Ender’s Game’ film, has done a Reddit AMA, where she invited internet users to ask her anything. One ‘Ender’s Game’ fan asked her about what casting the ‘Ender’s Game’ movie was like. Allen responded that it was difficult finding home-schooled kids for the film, especially with only a few casting assistants on staff. She also teases that Harrison Ford liked to make the crew laugh during screen tests. Read below:

Q: I know you’re not allowed to get in to specifics.. but what was Ender’s Game like? Lots of extras? Did they get trained a lot?

A: I won’t give away any plot points or details- but it was a very arduous process. Because it filmed for months, with the same kids needed everyday, we had to find kids that were homeschooled, or willing to go into homeschooling. Then we had 2 months of prep to hold open calls and auditions, and then train the kids that were chosen to march and hold a gun properly. Luckily, we were filming at the same time and at the same place as GI Joe and Oblivion, so we had a lot of references for military techs who came and worked with us.We didn’t have a lot of extras, but the ones we had were needed almost everyday for the duration of filming, which meant they couldn’t be in school or have another job. They all has to be fitted for our wardrobe and get haircuts, and they all had to get Background checks I get NASA badges, since we filmed on the Michoud base. The minors all had to get work permits, which we had to do all of the paperwork for.Ill say the worst part about extras casting is that we usually only have 2 people in our department, and it’s often impossible to get approved to hire on more help (even at minimum wage). And then to see productions throw tens of thousands of dollars at locations and picture cars, it’s annoying, to say the least.Tl;dr lots of kids, had to be homeschooled and get basic boot camp training, shit tons of paperwork.

Q: wow definitely sounds like a lot of work.Willing to share any other interesting TidBits?

A: My favorite part of going to set was seeing the actors training on the wires to simulate a zero G environment. Also, in the screen tests to see how the costumes looked on camera, Harrison liked to make the crew laugh. He’d scratch his bum, pick his nose, pick out a wedgie. I loved the crew on that movie.

Follow Alexis Allen on Twitter, @AlexisRAllen. Thank you, dannydawg, for the tip! Also, we would like to thank Alexis Allen for entertaining the ‘Ender’s Game’ fandom by tweeting pictures of the casting sessions last year.

The ‘Ender’s Game’ film will be released in U.S. theaters on November 1, 2013.

Cannes 2011 was a hit!

At the Cannes 2013 Film Festival, the CEO of Sierra/ Affinity, Nick Meyer, spoke about his company’s future with ‘Ender’s Game’ and other young adult franchises. He recalls how, “Launching Ender’s Game to foreign buyers at Cannes in 2011” was a turning point for his company. He also describes how foreign rights to ‘Ender’s Game’ sold out quickly and hints that he thinks the film will perform well internationally. Read below:

Q: There are high expectations for fall’s YA adaptation Ender’s Game. How did the movie come about?
A: Gigi [Pritzker] was a partner in the company and we talked about how we could help with the foreign piece and arrange financing. OddLot and [director] Gavin Hood had developed an outstanding script, and we created a sizzle reel. We sold out in almost every foreign territory, while Summit struck a domestic deal.

Q: Do you think you can replicate the wild success of Twilight or The Hunger Games? Earlier this year, Beautiful Creatures failed to gain a foothold.

A: Ender’s Game is a unique property with a legacy. It’s a book that’s been around for 20 years and it’s back on the New York Times best-seller list. Part of it is the fact that it is required reading in middle schools across the country. I don’t think people realize how well Drive, and now The Place Beyond the Pines, did internationally, where you consulted with foreign distributors on the marketing. Drive grossed $41.1 million overseas, compared with $35 million in the U.S. The Place Beyond the Pines has grossed $33.2 million globally, including nearly $15 million internationally.

Read Nick Meyer’s full interview over at The Hollywood Reporter.

The ‘Ender’s Game’ film will be released in U.S. theaters on November 1, 2013.

Hasn’t Seen Footage

In a recent interview with Daily Echo, Sir Ben Kingsley (Mazer Rackham) spoke about ‘Ender’s Game.’ He admits that he has not yet seen much of the footage, but says that movie is going to be ‘spectacular.’

“I have only seen some tiny clips of it but I loved working with the director and I think it is going to be an absolutely spectacular film.”

Thanks @EnderSpeaker!

The ‘Ender’s Game’ film will be released in U.S. theaters on November 1, 2013.

Horner Out

Despite rumors that James Horner would score ‘Ender’s Game’, this rumor is squashed. Today Summit Entertainment confirmed that American composer Steve Jablonsky will score ‘Ender’s Game.’ His credits include all four ‘Transformers’ films, ‘Battleship,’ ‘Gangster Squad,’ and several other films and video games.

The ‘Ender’s Game’ film will be released in U.S. theaters on November 1, 2013.

Now on Sale!

Today, ‘Ender’s Game’ and ‘Speaker for the Dead’ are included under a special omnibus edition titled ‘Ender’s Game and Speaker for the Dead’ to celebrate the Science Fiction Book Club’s 60th anniversary. The sale of this special edition hardcover is not open to the public. You must be a member of the Science Fiction Book Club to access the limited sale.

Order it here.