Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Friday 4 May 2018
Before 'Solo,' Ron Howard debuts an online directing class

By JAKE COYLE sider the cars like charac-
AP Film Writer ters in a scene. For advice
NEW YORK (AP) — Ron on rehearsing the cast of "A
Howard's 40-year directing Beautiful Mind," he sent out
career almost ended be- an "S.O.S." to Martin Scorse-
fore it began. His first day se, Sydney Lumet and Mike
directing a feature film, the Nichols. An impressionable
high-octane road movie dinner with Akira Kurosa-
"Grand Theft Auto," came wa gave him the sugges-
the day after his 23rd birth- tion of working in teams of
day. three, since odd numbers
"I thought I was going to be are good for resolving dis-
fired by lunchtime," remem- agreements.
bers Howard. "The second One of Howard's most trust-
day felt more comfortable. ed friends and mentors was
By the wrap party, it had George Lucas, who direct-
fulfilled all my expectations ed him in "American Graffi-
for how the job would en- ti." Howard would also later
ergize me and satisfy me." direct "Willow," from Lucas'
Howard's continued exhila- story. Though Lucas no lon-
ration for the challenges of ger has any direct role in
filmmaking are evident in the new "Star Wars" films,
an online course he devel- making "Solo" was a new
oped that debuted Thurs- and deeper connection in
day. The class, featuring their lifelong relationship.
32 roughly 10-minute video Early in Howard's shooting
lessons, is part of the online of "Solo," Lucas visited the
tutorial series MasterClass, set and even advised on
an instructional program how to shoot a scene.
that gives paying students "George has a real under-
access to the advice and standing of what the me-
teachings of famous ex- dium can do in terms of re-
perts. (Customers can learn ally transporting audiences
ball-handling from Steph — which I discovered in
Curry, jazz piano from Her- great detail when I came
bie Hancock, or screenwrit- In this Feb. 20, 2018 file photo, director Ron Howard attends the 2018 Esquire "Mavericks of Hol- onto 'Solo,'" says Howard. "I
ing from Aaron Sorkin.) lywood" Celebration in Los Angeles. began to see how dimen-
sionalized the tone is. It's
Howard's class gives a win- on the challenge of com- playful but it's also themati-
dow into the director's film- ing in on 'Solo,'" Howard cally centered and serious.
making approach, shortly said in a phone interview. It's visual and imaginative
before he debuts one of "There's no single way to and yet there's something
his greatest directing chal- skin this cat," says Howard connected to our past ex-
lenges: "Solo: A Star Wars of directing. "But I found perience, in a way. It's al-
Story." Howard, the Oscar- that I was at my best both most like retro sci-fi, and yet
winning director of "Apollo contributing to and lead- it's cooler than hell and cin-
13," ''A Beautiful Mind" and ing talented people, trying ematically cutting edge."
"Parenthood," came into to create an environment Howard, who taped his
"Solo" midway through where collaborators could class about a year ago, fin-
production to replace the really flourish and partici- ished post-production on
directing duo of Phil Lord pate, and then having the "Solo" on Friday — about a
and Christopher Miller, who courage to be the editor- week early, he cheerfully
departed over creative dif- in-chief of these ideas and points out. (The film opens
ferences. make it that kind of benign May 25.) Even after a gru-
The experience, Howard dictatorship the process eling editing process, he
says, was a learning one. seems to require." remains as thrilled by mov-
It also was a production Movie directing is famously iemaking as he was when
that depended heavily on impossible to watch some- he began.
Howard's personal direct- one do — there are thou- "It's endlessly fascinat-
ing talents — of positive sands of decisions made ing. They are adventures.
energy and eager collabo- over a year or more. Many They're like a voyage.
ration. Howard, among the of the anecdotes related Some are more satisfy-
most widely-liked directors by Howard in his Master- ing than others. You might
in Hollywood, needed to Class are bits of guidance get frostbite on one and
turn around a massive and that he — a child actor break a toe on another,
wayward production. turned filmmaker — re- but they're these great life
"When I think back on it, a ceived over the years from experiences," says Howard,
lot of the principles of col- fellow filmmakers. chuckling. "I mean that
laboration of creating those Uncertain of how to stage metaphorically because
kinds of dialogues that lead the action scenes of I've never gotten frostbite
to good decisions, I exer- "Grand Theft Auto," Roger or even broken a toe on a
cised that experience a lot Corman urged him to con- movie."q