![]() ![]() There was the talk of, "Can you get more coverage?" But we built it into the schedule so that we could protect that. That was something that I was very clear on that I wanted. Guerrasio: That room to play, was that a surprise to you? I think most filmmakers who do their first studio project assume that's not going to happen - that they are going to be handcuffed. It allowed a lot of room to play and a lot of it ended up in the movie. We totally played around and it was so much fun to do that on a movie like this. Every take was different and that's how I like to work. And I give every credit to Chris because he said, "What if I just move her and manipulate her like a rag doll?" And I said, "That is way more interesting." So that's what we did. Originally Harley was meant to be hung upside down and tranquilized. ![]() Guerrasio: The scene where he goes off about his scars, was that on the page? That was a lot of prep and character work. Even Chris Messina, I really wanted his character to not just feel like the henchman. There was no way for anyone to feel like a supporting character. That's how we shot "Birds of Prey." I had requested to shoot the team-up in the third act towards the end of production so we got these siloed intense week or two weeks of shooting with a certain character. I remember shooting that and feeling like we were shooting these very intense short films and then at the end it comes together. I had a little experience with this kind of ensemble with my first feature, "Dead Pigs." That had a similar set up, five different characters and all of them are sort of protagonists. I mean, we state it in the subtitle, it's her emancipation story, but it's the emancipation story of all these women. The way it was structured and written, it did give ample time because so much of the movie is through Harley's eyes. Yan: A lot of it was already in the script. Guerrasio: But how did it all come together? Was it something in the edit that kept you focused so you wouldn't fall into that common trap of suddenly some of the characters fall off the story? ![]() It was casting as if they were leads, because they are. Whether that's Chris Messina or Rosie Perez. People who could bring a lot of charm and charisma. Yan: Part of it was the casting - finding these larger-than-life and committed and talented actors. Guerrasio: Getting the job was a good indication things would go well. ![]() And for any filmmaker there's a bit of, "What is this going to be like? Am I going to be able to execute on the vision that I wanted and take the risks that I wanted to take?" But the script was already so risky, in a way, and seeing that was supported and that I got hired, I felt my hiring was a good sign. I certainly didn't know whether I could handle something this big but I also had faith that we'd figure it out. I met Margot and Christina early on so I knew who the team was and that was exciting. Jason Guerrasio: Seeing that this is such a big movie, what were the things that gave you pause before agreeing to do it?Ĭathy Yan: It all happened so quickly for me and I so wanted the job, really. Yan chatted with Insider about the challenges of taking on her first studio movie, how collaborating with her actors led to memorable moments, the audition tape by Chris Messina that left her and Margot Robbie speechless, and the little details Yan put in to honor her Chinese-American heritage. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. ![]()
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