If you couldn't make it to Comic Con 2007 in San Diego for the festivities surrounding the newly- announced extended cut of Blade Runner, Cinema Retro takes you there courtesy of producer and writer Paul Jilbert.
In 1982, everything I thought science fiction films and
films should be went out the window after my first viewing of Blade Runner. I was numb as I walked out of the Madonna Theater
in San Luis Obispo, CA. It was evening and the rain was pouring
down as the words of Rutger Hauer’s Roy
Batty echoed in my head “Like tears in rain†I looked at the other audience
members from the show. I saw expressions of amazement and total confusion. What
had we all experienced? A masterpiece…the memories and emotions of seeing the
film for the first time will stay with me forever. A month later I directed and
photographed (35mm widescreen) my first local television commercial for a
Ferrari dealership in San Luis Obispo.
I shot all the exteriors at sunset and dusk. I filmed the models at local neon
sign company to capture the noir look. I would never shoot the same boring, flat
cable TV lighting method again. I am currently producing and shooting commercials
in Southern California and when my co-workers
ask me why I shoot some of my commercials at late day and evenings with blue
backlight, neon colors, and long lenses I say politely, “Shut up and go home
and put Blade Runner on your bloody
cue and watch it!†(Just kidding Rob and Meg!)