Introducing...Mat Whitecross [Director: Bigger Stronger|Violet Hill Dancing Politicians|Lost...et al]

Mimixxx · 17-07-2009, 04:17 PM

Mat Whitecross, 31, started making films at 13 using his father's camera, a toy gun and lots of ketchup. 'Someone would enter a room and kill about ten people and that was that.' While studying English at University College London, he met an unknown band called Coldplay and directed their first video, Bigger Stronger.

'We shot it on the beach in winter and I made Chris Martin jump off a cliff into the ocean. It was haphazard and shambolic, but great fun.'

After working as a runner and editor, Mat co-directed the documentary Road to Guantanamo, about prisoners released from Guantanamo Bay, with Michael Winterbottom in 2006. 'I had the idea but nobody would give me the money to do it, so Michael suggested we do it together. We were both quite drunk, but the next day he got the ball rolling.'

Mat is currently finishing another documentary, Moving to Mars, about Burmese refugees in Sheffield, a subject that is close to him because his parents were political exiles from Argentina. 'My mother was an Argentinian teacher, my father was English and worked in publishing. When Argentina became a dictatorship in 1976, they harboured Chilean refugees. They were in prison for six months. My English grandfather launched a campaign with Amnesty International and they were freed, but exiled.'

What inspired you to direct?
We used to live next to a cinema in Oxford, so I grew up watching films. At school they told me to become a librarian because I was into books. Thankfully, I didn't listen.

What are Coldplay like?
Their record company wanted them to wear shades and walk in slow motion, and they just wanted to be filmed looking like idiots. So that's what we did. I have memories of pushing Chris Martin around London in a supermarket trolley.

What's better, drama or documentary?
With a documentary, you enter somebody's life. You're supposed to observe objectively, but you can't help forming a bond. Drama carries great freedom, because if something screws up you can do it again, but is a nightmare because you have limited time and money.

Who do you admire?
Michael Winterbottom because he's constantly pushing himself and coming up with new ideas.

What's next?
I'm working on a script for a film on Alzheimer's, because my dad had the disease.

Mat's first feature film, the Ian Dury biopic Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, is out next year. Moving to Mars will premiere on More4 in November

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/lifest...oss/article.do

pickle · 17-07-2009, 04:26 PM

"they just wanted to be filmed looking like idiots"

thanks for the interview!

SueDeNimes · 17-07-2009, 04:35 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mimixxx;3241702
Mat Whitecross:
I have memories of pushing Chris Martin around London in a supermarket trolley.

A wonder he stayed inside then

Thanks for finding and posting Mich!!!
His first film with the ketchup sounds interesting as well...

coldplay_are_forever · 17-07-2009, 04:35 PM

^^

!!

Pris · 17-07-2009, 04:57 PM

Nice interview!! Now I won't be able tp get the image of Chris in a trolley out of my head

Thanks Mich

Arantza · 17-07-2009, 06:01 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mimixxx;3241702

What are Coldplay like?
Their record company wanted them to wear shades and walk in slow motion, and they just wanted to be filmed looking like idiots. So that's what we did. I have memories of pushing Chris Martin around London in a supermarket trolley.

!

coldplayisawesome · 17-07-2009, 06:01 PM

ooh, he's a cutie.

"Their record company wanted them to wear shades and walk in slow motion, and they just wanted to be filmed looking like idiots. So that's what we did. I have memories of pushing Chris Martin around London in a supermarket trolley." i can imagine what that would look like.

katja · 17-07-2009, 06:02 PM

Yeah, that must be funny!!!

scusi · 17-07-2009, 06:13 PM

i can imagine what that would look like.

Me too....come on then all you Photoshop experts, put Chris in that! Haha

MartinFan · 17-07-2009, 09:43 PM

That Mat is a cutie too!!!! Thanks for the article!!!

flickahidalgo · 17-07-2009, 09:56 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by SueDeNimes;3241781

A wonder he stayed inside then

Thanks for finding and posting Mich!!!
His first film with the ketchup sounds interesting as well...

Ab · 18-07-2009, 06:47 AM

Okay...

Mat is one hell of a cutie patootie!

but a dream · 18-07-2009, 08:11 AM

Ooooh his picture is distracting me from reading the interview

Zeya · 18-07-2009, 08:14 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by but a dream;3245442
Ooooh his picture is distracting me from reading the interview

Good thing for me the photo came out after th article So I managed to finish reading it first...

17-07-2009, 04:17 PM	#1
Mimixxx If we could float away... Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 42,489 My Mood: Location: London Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Introducing...Mat Whitecross [Director: Bigger Stronger\|Violet Hill Dancing Politicians\|Lost...et al] Mat Whitecross, 31, started making films at 13 using his father's camera, a toy gun and lots of ketchup. 'Someone would enter a room and kill about ten people and that was that.' While studying English at University College London, he met an unknown band called Coldplay and directed their first video, Bigger Stronger. 'We shot it on the beach in winter and I made Chris Martin jump off a cliff into the ocean. It was haphazard and shambolic, but great fun.' After working as a runner and editor, Mat co-directed the documentary Road to Guantanamo, about prisoners released from Guantanamo Bay, with Michael Winterbottom in 2006. 'I had the idea but nobody would give me the money to do it, so Michael suggested we do it together. We were both quite drunk, but the next day he got the ball rolling.' Mat is currently finishing another documentary, Moving to Mars, about Burmese refugees in Sheffield, a subject that is close to him because his parents were political exiles from Argentina. 'My mother was an Argentinian teacher, my father was English and worked in publishing. When Argentina became a dictatorship in 1976, they harboured Chilean refugees. They were in prison for six months. My English grandfather launched a campaign with Amnesty International and they were freed, but exiled.' What inspired you to direct? We used to live next to a cinema in Oxford, so I grew up watching films. At school they told me to become a librarian because I was into books. Thankfully, I didn't listen. What are Coldplay like? Their record company wanted them to wear shades and walk in slow motion, and they just wanted to be filmed looking like idiots. So that's what we did. I have memories of pushing Chris Martin around London in a supermarket trolley. What's better, drama or documentary? With a documentary, you enter somebody's life. You're supposed to observe objectively, but you can't help forming a bond. Drama carries great freedom, because if something screws up you can do it again, but is a nightmare because you have limited time and money. Who do you admire? Michael Winterbottom because he's constantly pushing himself and coming up with new ideas. What's next? I'm working on a script for a film on Alzheimer's, because my dad had the disease. Mat's first feature film, the Ian Dury biopic Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, is out next year. Moving to Mars will premiere on More4 in November http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/lifest...oss/article.do __________________ M

17-07-2009, 04:26 PM	#2
pickle a summer state of mind Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 39,109 My Mood: Location: Buffalo, NY Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	"they just wanted to be filmed looking like idiots" thanks for the interview! __________________ ♣ poke ♣ tumble ♣ tweet ♣ our careless lifestyle it was not so unwise

17-07-2009, 04:35 PM	#3
SueDeNimes CRAZY IS GOOD! Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 12,780 My Mood: Location: in my little bubble Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 28 Thanked 81 Times in 55 Posts	Quote: Originally Posted by Mimixxx;3241702 Mat Whitecross: I have memories of pushing Chris Martin around London in a supermarket trolley. A wonder he stayed inside then Thanks for finding and posting Mich!!! His first film with the ketchup sounds interesting as well... __________________ >> Parachutes 2.0 << >> CLUBBING!!! << Matt about Dom's fear during a flight: "If the plane had jolted any more he would have just come out and said 'I'm gay'." PWOPAH: Mr. Anna & Mike went to Wembellamy! TWICE, because we quite like it firm. Best weekend ever, 9th to 12th of Sept 2010. Pwopahly reuniting for Muse again: 15/12/12 Love you, Imke!!

17-07-2009, 04:35 PM	#4
coldplay_are_forever ♥Chris, Guy, Will, Jonny! Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 2,791 My Mood: Location: Swallowed In The Sea... Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	^^!! __________________ BOLOGNA, PALAMALAGUTI 15.11.2005 BOLOGNA, PALAMALAGUTI 29.09.2008 VENICE, HEINEKEN JAMMIN' FESTIVAL 09.06.2011 ARRAS, MAIN SQUARE FESTIVAL 03.07.2011 LONDON, O2 ARENA 09.12.2011 LONDON, EMIRATES STADIUM 04.06.2012 PARIS, STADE DE FRANCE 02.09.2012

17-07-2009, 04:57 PM	#5
Pris Oh, to be that bass..... Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 13,807 My Mood: Location: Where everybody's got somebody to lean on Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Nice interview!! Now I won't be able tp get the image of Chris in a trolley out of my head Thanks Mich __________________ HOUSTON·HARTFORD·HERSHEY·MÉXICO CITY·GUADALAJARA·MONTERREY Thank you VIVA Tour, it was a fun invasion.

17-07-2009, 06:01 PM	#6
Arantza Je me souviens Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2,582 Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 0 Thanked 26 Times in 18 Posts	Quote: Originally Posted by Mimixxx;3241702 What are Coldplay like? Their record company wanted them to wear shades and walk in slow motion, and they just wanted to be filmed looking like idiots. So that's what we did. I have memories of pushing Chris Martin around London in a supermarket trolley. ! __________________ Una locura muy bizarra. We Like Strange 09032010

17-07-2009, 06:01 PM	#7
coldplayisawesome Fills! (mm, pizza) Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 24,470 My Mood: Location: Good Ol' Philly Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 146 Thanked 154 Times in 89 Posts	ooh, he's a cutie. "Their record company wanted them to wear shades and walk in slow motion, and they just wanted to be filmed looking like idiots. So that's what we did. I have memories of pushing Chris Martin around London in a supermarket trolley." i can imagine what that would look like. __________________ Buckin♥♥Love Youtube - Twitter - Tumblr - ER - Fics - ColdplayingTV™ -

17-07-2009, 06:02 PM	#8
katja I ran away Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 4,418 Location: NRW Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 81 Thanked 22 Times in 13 Posts	Yeah, that must be funny!!! __________________ KÖLN, 12 SEPTEMBER 2008 DÜSSELDORF, 27 AUGUST 2009 KÖLN, 15 DECEMBER 2011 KÖLN, 04 SEPTEMBER 2012

17-07-2009, 06:13 PM	#9
scusi So I waited for you. Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,797 My Mood: Location: Cornwall UK Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 54 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	i can imagine what that would look like. Me too....come on then all you Photoshop experts, put Chris in that! Haha __________________ Keeper of Chris's Ambidextrousness, his black scarf and several other yummy items!

17-07-2009, 09:43 PM	#10
MartinFan One I Love Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 4,770 My Mood: Location: Florida Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 554 Thanked 213 Times in 116 Posts	That Mat is a cutie too!!!! Thanks for the article!!! __________________ Light's will guide you home and ignite your bones and I will try to Fix You.... Chris Martin Munich, Germany 2012 QUOTE: "THAT'S TEAMWORK, MOTHER FUCKER!"

17-07-2009, 09:56 PM	#11
flickahidalgo Montezuma Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 2,434 My Mood: Location: North Carolina Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 4 Thanked 13 Times in 1 Post	Quote: Originally Posted by SueDeNimes;3241781 A wonder he stayed inside then Thanks for finding and posting Mich!!! His first film with the ketchup sounds interesting as well... __________________ Coldplay - August 6th, 2009 Phoenix - June 11th, 2010 Music Midtown Festival: Coldplay The Black Keys, The Joy Formidable, Manchester Orchestra - September 24th, 2011 Coldplay, Wolf Gang, Robyn - July 2nd, 2012 Wolf Gang, The Royal Concept, Atlas Genius - November 3rd, 2012

18-07-2009, 06:47 AM	#12
Ab девочка Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 3,917 Location: Cairo, Egypt Gender: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Okay... Mat is one hell of a cutie patootie! __________________ "General inconsideration of humans pisses me off." - Will Champion http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/5...spinmagsig.jpg "Lore" for Mrs Coldplaying 2oo9 \|\| "SueDeNimes" for Friendliest User 2oo9 \|\| "but a dream" for Biggest Jonny Fan 2oo9 \|\| "guyluvsliz" for Biggest Guy Fan 2oo9 \|\| "Twisted mind" for Best Signature 2oo9 \|\| "bear" for Biggest Coldplaying Perv 2oo9 \|\| "Pris" for Mexican & Central American Ambassador 2oo9 \|\| "rudy_o" for Asian Ambassador 2oo9 \|\| "MK" OR "i'maveryneatMonster.'" for Eastern & Southern Europe Ambassador 2oo9 \|\| "Veckatimest" for Best Album 2oo9 & "Ab" for African Ambassador 2oo9

18-07-2009, 08:11 AM	#13
but a dream Crazy love giraffe. Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 10,614 My Mood: Location: In my place Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Ooooh his picture is distracting me from reading the interview

18-07-2009, 08:14 AM	#14
Zeya Not a true fan Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 3,661 Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Quote: Originally Posted by but a dream;3245442 Ooooh his picture is distracting me from reading the interview Good thing for me the photo came out after th article So I managed to finish reading it first... __________________ A pig in a cage on antibiotics.