Mr. Spurlock, how do you choose what content to cover in your films? Is there a method or do you just pick something that interests you?
I get ideas from all over, magazines, news programs, newspapers, conversations, speeches, you name it. I usually tend to only chase the one's I'm most excited about.
Any ideas where you are going to focus your efforts next?
Male grooming! MANSOME opens May 18th
How do you come up with things to enlighten the rest of us about? Where does your inspiration come from?
I just went on a trip with mom, who is still an inspiration to me, but these days I think most of that comes from my 5 year old son.
Have you ever actually used Mane & Tail Shampoo, and can you report on its effectiveness?
I still have 2 giant bottles in my shower, those things last for ever. They're giant, one horse bottle = 3 years of shampooing in balding documentarian years.
My wife has that stuff in our shower and when I figured out what it was, I couldn't stop laughing. When we watched POM Wonderful, we got a kick out of the Mane & Tail scenes.
Do you also have a miniature horse in your house?
verify, foo.
I already tweeted it foo!
Was being in jail fun? On 30 days?
How did you feel after that month of eating McDonald's?
I would never wish jail on anyone (except for terrible people who actually really deserve it.) After eating Mcd for that month, I felt miserable and sick - took 14 months to lose all the weight and keep it off.
Any lingering effects from Super Size Me? I would imagine that you continue to be a quasi-vegetarian, correct?
Never was a vegetarian or a vegan and still am not. Went on a vegan detox after the McDiet, but eat whatever I want these days.
Do you still partake in fast food?
I may get an In n Out when I'm in LA, but that's about it
What makes a topic for you "good enough" to finally want to make a documentary out of it?
Its got to be something that really interests me and that I think would make for a smart and entertaining movie.
What would you say has been your worst experience while working on a movie? (and/or best experience?)
Getting as sick as I did while making Super Size Me was a pretty terrible experience. That may be the worst.
Just to start, I'm a huge fan, and I loved your movie "Supersize Me". Follow up with a question, during your series "30 days" which of your various endeavors were most hard and which were most life changing for you.
I would say being in prison was very hard, as was working in a Coal mine (for very different reasons). Living on the Navajo Res was probably the most life changing.
Are there any that you would be willing to do again, or any you wished lasted more than the 30 days?
I wish the prison episode could have been turned into a feature length movie - there was so much content we couldn't put into the show.
You're known for doing shocking documentaries; do you choose a subject to research based on whether or not it will shock people, or whether or not you are interested in it yourself?
I only pick topics that interest me, if people are shocked by them, then that's an added bonus.
What are your favourite documentaries?
Any film- or documentary makers that you admire?
What is your next project?
Is there anything you've wanted to do, but hasn't been able to?
My have doc of all time is Brother's Keeper - amazing movie. I love the guys who made it: Joe Belinger & Bruce Sinoofsky. I also really admire Steve James, Errol Morris, Barbara Kopple, Nick Broomfield, Michael Moore. My next doc is all about male grooming - we did it with Will Arnett & Jason Bateman - its called: Mansome.
Have you seen "Fat Head?" What were your thoughts to Tom's criticisms of Super Size Me?
Never saw his film, but hear he under ate & over exercised, two things we as Americans don't do.
In Fat Head he makes the argument that you basically say that poor people are stupid and cant think for themselves and hey they HAVE to go to Mcdonalds because there are playgrounds there.
Well, I think anyone who's seen Super Size Me knows that's not what the film says at all.
Which episode of 30 Days did you find most eye-opening? I always thought this show was interesting and way under-appreciated.
My favorite episode is the Animal Rights show - NC hunter moves in with family of Peta activists in LA ... hilarity ensues.
What's the best television show you've been interviewed on? And did you take interviewing tips from any of them for New Britannia?
Also - Tuuuuuuuuuubes! Congrats on the third Soccer AM appearance.
Love me some Tubes & Soccer AM. Best show I've ever been interviewed on was an Australian show called "Enough Rope" with Andrew Denton. Brilliant show.
Do you still eat at McDonalds?
Never - there's so many better places to get a real burger.
Niether do I, It's pretty horrible, I don't know how you managed a month, well done. Thanks for answering. I see you have a new show about british food, whats that all about?
Its about all sorts of societal issues in Britian, last night's episode was about Foreigners & Immigration, next week is about Food & Diet
not even at the Airport?
I would eat at a Cinnabon in an airport before I would eat at a McDonald's
Cool, I must give it a watch. Whats your favourite pokemon?
I don't have one - do any of them have manly, handsome mustaches? I'll pick that one
Are you doing anything with Jamie Oliver in it? He's a huge champion of good food and eating. School meals here are atrocious.
Jamie is on the next episode of New Britannia, airs next Monday at 10:10 PM on Sky Atlantic in the UK. Would love to do something with that guy - love him.
First off, I'm a huge fan. Super Size Me is, to this day, my favorite documentary. Secondly, any news on upcoming projects?
Comic-Con Episode IV - A Fan's Hope opens this friday NATIONWIDE on Demand & iTunes and anywhere else you can watch digital movies. Have a Comic Con party at your house this Friday - break out your Hobbit feet and Wookiee mask and live that dream!
Worst part of living on Minimum wage is that fact that if one thing goes wrong, you're fucked. You'll be in a financial hole that could take you months or years to get out of. I really want to make Brave New World into a movie ... still believe that could happen.
How much of that is from over spending though? I have friends that make more than I do, but have much more debt.
Well, if you're living on Minimum Wage, its pretty hard to over spend, unless its all CC debt - which is a HUGE problem in AMerica.
Have you seen Doug Benson's Super High Me? If so what did you think about it?
Love Doug & love that movie. That guy's a rockstar. He's working on his new film: Chronic Con Episode One - A Fan's Dope
I always enjoy your appearances on Doug Loves Movies.
Thanks, I hope to do it again soon
Have you seen any of the stuff that came out because of "Super Size Me"? Like the guy who lived off McDonald's exclusively and lost weight? I have to think that you kinda did a biased look at it. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie, but McD's is all about moderation and you can eat healthy there.
Yeah, point is we don't eat in moderation and don't connect health problems to our diet. I think the film made a lot of people realize they needed to take some responsibility for their bodies.
30 days is awesome are there going to be any new episodes?
Sadly no, show got cancelled a few years ago - we 18 though, and I'm really proud of those
I dont know what to ask...but wanted to say hello!
HELLO!
Was the the 30 day Mcdonalds binge...enjoyable in any way?
It was enjoyable the first few days ... it was all down hill from there.
How much did you love eating McDonalds for a whole month? Also, I wish I could grow your stache.
Then you're gonna love my next film "Mansome" - its all about male grooming.
Mr spurlock, what was the greatest day of your life? Was it before or after you almost died from eating pure animal juice infused pink slime? P.s. koalas or sloths?
Best day of my life came after eating McMeaty Slime and was when my little boy was born - that day was epic - and I think I prefer sloths.
I saw you speak in Illinois. You mentioned that you were given the opportunity to be the host of The Biggest Loser. Do you regret turning it down?
I regret the ongoing giant Jeff Probst size checks I'd be getting to day, but I don't regret turning it down
Please share some ideas for new movies you have been debating.. Also, do you play video games? If so, favorite?
Just play the last Mass Effect- was pretty sweet. I really want to do a film about education. As my kid gets older, I know it will be more and more of an issue for me.
Mr. Spurlock I'm a big fan of yours and all your documentaries and shows are amazing! The other night at dinner I was even telling my mother about your stuff. But one question was bothering me during your film "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold".
Were you seriously carrying POM around everywhere and drinking it, and was it tasty? Thank you very much.
Its pretty damn tasty (and yes, I was paid to say that). We would take it everywhere, even when we traveled to countries that didn't have it just so we could have it in the interviews, which were made 18% funnier with POM.
Big fan of all your work! We met briefly after your talk at the University of Illinois back in 2005, and I've really enjoyed all your projects since and including Super Size Me.
Can you comment on the results of The Greatest Movie Ever Sold? I'm a psych professor and I showed it to all my classes to generate discussion on neuromarketing, primary reinforcers (fear, craving, sex, as it's described in the movie), the psychology of advertising, and so on. I've also shown it to other psychologists and friends.
Probably the most frequently-asked question I've been asked have been about whether the movie met its intended goal financially. Along those lines, I also get asked how that goal has resulted in you/your company receiving funding or not receiving funding from the partner companies.
Thanks again for all the great work!
We hit all our benchmarks except worldwide gross - film was in profit before it ever opened in theaters.
I am a photographer that paints with light. Do you like my work? http://www.flickr.com/photos/blaisone/
Will ck it out
I use 30 Days and your methodologies in my classroom all the time. Any plans for another documentary-style TV show?
We're developing some shows now that should hit the air soon. Have you seen our Hulu show "A Day in the Life" or the series I do for Yahoo called "Failure Club"? Those are both great doc series
How bad were your McShits after a month of eating it?
McAwful, I was McShitting all over the place.
I really enjoyed the Marc Maron episode of A Day in the Life on Hulu. I also enjoyed when you were a guest on Doug Loves Movies. Have you considered starting your own Podcast?
I would love to do a podcast, just need to find a way to clone myself and perfect a time traveling device.
Were you nervous at all while making Where In The World Is Osama Bin Laden? Did you ever fear for your safety while on or off camera?
Also, I loved The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.
Got very nervous at different times in Afghanistan & Pakistan. We were in a Taliban ambush, that was pretty f'ing scary.
Morgan, love your work! Any plans to return to TV or are you off to bigger and better things for good?
More TV coming soon - just launched a series in the UK called New Brittania, some things in the states should be out shortly!
I heard doug benson talk about that; he's going to be on it, right?
He was on the fun episode. We drank the whole show.
As an european I must ask - why do a series in UK? For the issues available or is it just easier to get a show off the ground there?
I just always wanted to do a show in the UK, and when I got the chance I jumped.
On your FX Show "30 Days" What is something you never got the chance to experience for 30 days, but wanted to?
Good question - we never to to go into bigger ideas for another season, but if I could do it today, I'd love to work in a bank or a mortgage lender to talk about the financial crisis.
How's Don Gorske doing?
Still going strong - I think he just ate more than 25,000 big macs
In "Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden" how scary was it to be at the Pakistan/Afghanistan border?
Pretty scary - my girlfriend was about to pop at that point as well, so I was ready to get home
When filming Supersize me did you cut out a lot of barfing? If so, about how many times did all the McDonald's make you barf?
I only barfed that one time that is in the film. I think it was day three and my body was trying to tell me what a bad idea this was - needless to say, I didn't listen
Any 30 Days ideas shot down because of safety/legal/boardroom issues that you think would have made for good TV? I really enjoyed the show!
In the immigration show, I wanted to have a coyote sneak me across the Mexican border, but Fox legal would have none of that.
HUGE fan of yours. Loved Super Size Me, the 30 Days TV show, and Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden.
I'm originally from Columbus, OH, which is where you and your girlfriend (now wife, I believe?) spent time for the episode of 30 Days that talks about living on minimum wage. Since all the other questions I wanted to ask have been asked in the AMA so far, I am wondering if you have any salient memories about your time in Ohio, or stories about what it was like trying to live with next to nothing... if I recall, this was before the minimum wage was increased, so I think you guys were making like $5 something an hour. What was it like?
Was difficult making that show. My girlfriend and I have since split up, my work being one of the contributing factors, but I love Ohio. We've shot there many times. I think its a great representation of the country, so we will shoot things there because I think they translate well to a large audience.
Wow, thanks for responding! Sorry to hear about you and your lady :-\
I agree that Ohio is very representative of the everyman, we used to get a lot of product trials in Columbus because it apparently provides a good cross-section of consumer acceptance of a new product or service. Apparently we also have generic accents.
Just out of curiosity, what do you think about the minimum wage increases? I remember making $5.15 an hour working at Radio Shack in the late 90s, and I find it unconscionable that it didn't increase until 2007 (at least on the national level). Do you think it should increase more than it does/has?
It can always be more, and some states are already higher than federal, but its still really low.
what advice would you give to a young filmmaker? can i have your internet autograph?
I tell all young filmmakers to be persistent and not to give up. This is a tough business, but tenacity goes far. And here's my autograph: Morgan Spurlock
thank you i have been making short films on youtube and its hard not to get down when im called a faggot in all the comments how do you deal with negative feedback?
I grew up the youngest of three ballet dancing brothers in West Virginia, all I experienced as a kid was negative feedback. My parents are rockstars.
what are your thoughts on super high me?
Love that film and DB
Do you feel that there is an underlying theme tying your documentaries together? Do you have a worldview or scheme that you're deliberately trying to uncover for your audience? Or are they a series of ideas that you find interesting despite being more-or-less unrelated?
I think they all tie together ... will have to wait a few more years to see what the final pieces form, but I think they are all interconnected
Mr Spurlock, why did you decide to release the Comic Con film simultaneously on VOD and in theatres? And what's the deal with TUGG?
When Greatest Movie came out, most of America couldn't see it. I was on Kimmel, Colbert & Conan all within 10 days, and the film opened on 18 screens. I didn't want that to happen again. I wanted the largest number of people to have access to the film as possible in the shortest period of time. Now, everyone can see it at home this Friday, and then request TUGG screenings for all your local geek friends to have a group experience
Have you ever considered doing an expose / reality investigation on some of the OWS issues? e.g. Money in politics, insider trading, or corporate handouts?
I would love to do a film about the dollars and cents of politics, especially since we're about to elect the first Billion Dollar President. We truly have the Greatest Democracy Money Can Buy.
How can I get an internship working for you?!!
email cp@warrior-poets.com
Why did you choose Comic-Con for the setting of your next movie? Last year was my first year and I fell in love with the place. I'm excited to be coming back to the Con this year as well. Also, what are your thoughts on the rise of geek pop culture? Is this movie a result of that?
I had the same experience when I went in 2009 - I loved it - and I immediately thought it would make an amazing backdrop for a movie. The film is definitely part of the rise of geek culture, its now cool to be a geek!
I always loved docs - big project will be my first narrative, planning to shoot it this summer. If I could make ANY movie, I'd make Brave New World. I was surprised when we SOLD Super Size Me at Sundance, let alone what happened after it came out
This isn't sponsored by Pom?
No, this is brought to you by Comic-Con: Episode IV - A Fan's Hope, in theaters this Friday (AND NATIONWIDE ON DEMAND, iTUNES, XBOXm etc!)
how often do you masturbate?
I'm masturbating right now, why do think I type so slow?
Morgan, I LOVE your work! I saw you in Columbia for the True/False Film Festival when you showed Comic-Con Episode IV. By the way, GREAT Doc. You showed Comic-Con in the light that it should be shown. As a filmmaker myself (I'm getting into Documentary filmmaking right now), I really admire you and your work.
Which documentary you have made are you most proud of? Which one are you ashamed of? Also, what has been your favorite memory in your filmmaking career?
I'm not ashamed of any of my work - I'm proud of everything we've made so far, but I'm probably most proud of 30 Days. It was incredible that a network let us make that show.
Hey morgan, what impact would you say failure club has had on the way you perceive sucess?
My father had a bigger impact on how I look at success and failure than anyone - I saw him succeed and fail many times during my childhood, but I never saw him quit. That's the greatest lesson you can teach a kid.
How do you feel about Mcdonalds Stock going from 34 dollars a share to over 100 since your documentary ?
I feel like they should be sending me a giant Ed McMahon Sized Prize Patrol check for all that help I gave them!
Do you plan to direct a feature film in the future?
Planning to direct my first this summer!
If given the opportunity, would you expand your film-making horizons by making a full length feature film that was not a documentary?
Planning to do that this summer - news to come soon
Comic Con comes out on Netflix this friday
Don't think it will be on Netflix this friday - but will be On Demand & on iTunes for sure.
Is there anything you've done that you feel the end product was too sensationalized, or the message became skewed from where you originally intended to go with it?
I'm sure if I went back and watched my films there would be things that I'd wished I done differently, but once my films are done, I never watch them.
How do you respond to the film "Fat Head"? Why won't you release your food logs kept during "Super Size Me"?
Never saw Fat Head, and we threw out all the production materials years ago.
How do you feel about the changes in the world that your movies have caused? For example, McDonalds and other fast food chains now sell salads and have phased out 'super size' portions in many places.
I think any time you can make something that will get people to think about their actions, then that's a great thing. God forbid we all start thinking.
I was a big big fan of your 30 days series on FX. Do you still keep in contact with anyone involved in the show?
And thank you very much for you unique style of documentaries. As a recent graduate of Film school it was something we talked about often.
I still talk to my mining family, and used to keep in touch with my prison mate, but haven't connected with him in a few years. I know he got arrested again, which was very sad to me.
How do you feel about the "Pink Slime" being taken out of burgers even though it's beef......with a little bit of cemicals in it to kill the bugs?
I don't think anyone should be eating ammonia ... ever
Ever think of a story that is fictional ?
Yes, I'm thinking of one right now. It involves a monkey and a unicorn and little girl with a magic horn that when she blows it ... that's as far as I've gotten
Mr. Spurlock, love your stuff. Particularly when you set up yourself and your wife for a month of hell time and again. Keep it up. My question, what are your thoughts on the new Woody Harrelson movie, "Rampart"?
Thought Woody was great in Rampart - that guy is a brilliant actor
Were you ever approached by McDonald's after Super Size Me?
I approached them for Greatest Movie .... they didn't call me back. Shocker
Why not verify from @MorganSpurlock instead of @ComicConMovie? The former seems more legit than the later.
Because I can't type and verify - you see how many questions there are?
Do you listen to the Wonder Years?
no, should I?
[deleted]
But what you see happen to me is what a lifetime of bad eating choices and limited exercise will do to your body - heart disease, liver disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. And yes, all my films are precious.
What do you feel about the recent raids at Oaksterdam and other dispensaries?
I think we need to change the way this system works
What's Michael Moore like?
Michael's always been very nice to me, very supportive. And so what you like about him, when he makes a movie - its gets everyone talking. What more could you want as a filmmaker?
Hey Morgan. Big fan, fellow (albeit obviously way less successful) documentarian.
Besides an interesting subject, what would you say are the most important aspects of a really good and meaningful documentary?
Subject, characters & their story rule documentaries. But emotion is by far the biggest factor, the best films evoke strong emotion.
Not a question, but when you paid my old hometown (Altoona, PA) to rename the city to "POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold", I answered the phone at my job by saying, "Thank you for calling (Store name) in Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold." Then my manager found out and I had to stop. :(
You're a hero
So, do you like, wanna hang out sometime?
Sure, I'll meet you at the Port Authority bus station at 6 PM. I'll be the guy in the mustache.
I've enjoyed most of the work you've done in the past, including but not limited to Super Size Me. I still have a chuckle every now and again when you go to the McDonald's website and it looks like something from a time period I was not alive for. That being said I have got to get this off my chest. Not sure if you still talk to her, but the lady with the blonde hair who was a vegan annoyed the ever loving shit out of me. I'd scream at my television set everytime she came on. I made an Excel spreadsheet that documented the range of emotions she had expressed in the movie, whiny / controlling was over 80%. Anyway, please keep on doing what you're doing, you rock. Take care.
Thanks, and we're not together anymore. Can't believe you made a spreadsheet?!?
Hi Morgan, I recently saw you at the True/False Film Festival in Columbia, MO. I was just curious since I'm one of the volunteers for the event, do you like going to events like that? I would probably feel overwhelmed if I were in your shoes there, haha.
I love film festivals, I just wish I could have actually seen some movies!
Just wanted to say I love your facial hair.
I thank you, and my facial hair thanks you.
Have you ever watched the documentary Fat Head? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1333994/
What did you think of it as a response to Super Size Me?
What's your opinion on the lipid hypothesis and the consumption of carbohydrates as an overwhelmingly large part of an American's diet, and the US Governments depiction of the food pyramid?
I think the food pyramid is dictated by big money lobby groups and doesn't address nutrition - I never saw Fat Head
What would you say if I told you watching Super Size Me actually made me want McDonald's?
there were 2 camps of people who saw the film: people who never wanted to go again, and people who had to go as soon as the movie was over
Has your body fully recovered from the McDonalds abuse or was there irreversible damage? Loved seeing "you" in Old Navy, by the way! :)
To this day, I can still gain weight very easily. Those fat cells don't just go away when you lose the pounds.
I've read in places that you have refused to give your food diary to anyone from SuperSize me. Is that true, if so, why? Can you post it somewhere for everyone to see if you haven't released it yet?
Not trying to be disrespectful or anything, just a genuine question. SuperSize me and FatHead started me on a life/diet change that has ended up with me losing 75 pounds, and I can do most of the P90X workouts now. :-)
Congrats on losing so much weight - personal responsibility is at the heart of Super Size Me, but you can't say that a company that feeds 45 million people a day has no role to play either.
[deleted]
Nice, way to harbor a grudge for 8 years! Really, its that big of a deal? Still??? They haven't served that size since 2004! Well, trust me, your arteries thank you.
Hi,
In Supersize me you talk about how addicting McDonalds is, but by the end of the movie you were ready and desperately wanted to get back to "real food" that you girlfriend was cooking. I found this a little contradictory.
Also, I believe there was a scene were you tell your doctor that you ate over FIVE THOUSAND calories(!!!) a day. How is that possible? Even with the super size option my friends and I had trouble coming up with anything close to that.
When you eat this type of diet, your body craves calories more and more because its not getting the nutrition it so desperately wants. What happens with people all across the country is they eat more or this food, which is high in calories and low in nutrients, and we pack on the pounds and wonder "why?"
how do you feel that someone made a spinoff of "Super Size Me" with "Super High Me"? do you support legalization, medicinal etc?
If someone made a SuperHighSize me where someone doesnt eat mcdonalds, fastfood, and instead eat healthy things, WHILE NOT GETTING HIGH, and then 30 days of eating mcdonalds and getting high everyday. THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE...for science [5]
Loved Super High Me - I definitely think we need to change the drug laws in this country. Imagine the amount of money that would be made by taxing marijuana?
A documentary centred on McDonald's was recently aired on Australian TV. The documentary purported to be a balanced documentary but was actually financed by McDonald's and they also paid for the timeslot on TV, so it was essentially a biased film meant to win the minds of the public. Do you feel that the company is still in such damage control after the release of Super Size Me that they need to pull tricks like this?
Link to article
I think companies will always do whatever they can to make it seem like they have your best interests in mind.
Greatest Movie Ever Sold? Yes, that's the first documentary I show people who say, "Hey, I don't watch many documentaries."
Thanks. Flat-out, thanks.
You should also show King of Kong, Heay Metal Parking Lot, Hands on a Hard Body, & American Movie. Some of my favorite "Gateway Docs"
Have enough people seen "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold" to actually elicit the $1,000,000 sponsorship from POM? Given the sponsorship is contingent on certain criteria, did the film receive any cash, or in-kind sponsorship from POM at this point? Was your pitch for sponsorship exactly what was shown in the film, or was their alternate negotiations going on behind closed doors?
We didn't get the full million, but we got close to 900k - pitches were shown exactly in the film, one shot deals each time. Lots of negotiations once contracts come, months worth, but you can't show all that. Pretty dull stuff
Have you ever tried any of the "I Bet You Will" challenges yourself? If so, which ones were the worst? Any hilarious stories or outtakes from them? Big fan!!
That show came out of all the stupid things my friends and I used to bet each other to do in college. I once ate a giant ball of wasabi ... not recommended
Whatever happened to your show "I bet you will"? I enjoyed it way back when it was on TV and can't find a trace of it anymore. Would you be willing to bring it back somewhere/put it on netflix? What was, in your opinion, the most controversial/grossest stunt on that show?
Show got cancelled - we made 53 episodes and then took the 50k we had saved during production and made Super SIze Me
In supersize me you said if you passed a McDonalds with your kids you'd punch them in the face. I laughed.
Not wondering if you did that, but more what you have done/will do to put your kids off McDonalds, or if you even do anything?
First, we never go there or to any fast food place. Now he has no taste of desire for it. And by not eating it myself, there's no modeling for him to follow.
Is there significance to living in a world where thousands of anonymous and likely 'unknown' individuals can have a casual, if fleeting, two-way conversation with a celebrity?
Do you feel that your audience has an undue sense of entitlement rooted in your celebrity?
I think with me what you see is what you get, whether its here or on a bar stool. So, I don't think either of else feel very entitled.
What is the single most terrifying thing you live with knowing? I ask this because you fancy yourself a documentarian and there have to be a myriad of things that scare you doing research for a possible film.
I'd tell you but then I'd have to move the body.
so whats your favorite number?
how do you feel about michael moore
have you eaten mcdonalds since. super size me
if you could be 1 animal what would it be?
7 He's made getting docs funded easier for the rest of us not since March 2nd 2003 Cheetah
I'm gonna be honest, I liked Supersize Me, but haven't been hugely inspired to watch your other projects. Is there any one that you think is particularly good that I should check out to get me back into your work?
You should watch my tv series 30 days - and if you liked Super Size Me, you'll probably like Greatest Movie Ever Sold. BUT, if you didn't like my other projects because I was in them, then you will LOVE Comic-Con: Episode IV because I'm not in ONE FRAME OF THE MOVIE!
Can you comment on the trend towards "countless other digital platforms"? Documentaries always had a problem breaking into the big-time unless they received favorable press at the film festivals... it appears at first glance that digital delivery would give them wider exposure, but does that also come at the cost of not getting enough press to make people go out and search them out? Does the ease of access make everybody with a Canon 5D a documentary film producer?
Do you see documentaries in the future going 3D?
p.s. 30 Days (especially the mining episode) is my favorite work of yours. Great job!
I think docs are fighting against big movies and if you get press you need to be able to capitalize on it. Digital delivery allows that. I've never even had a movie of mine play in my own hometown. How do you get niche movies to their audience? This is a great way
What were your impressions of Jason "Mayhem" Miller? As fans, we only get to see him in front of the camera. What's he really like? Does he ever tone it down?
Are you a fan of MMA, Mr. Spurlock?
I love MMA and I think Mayhem is a very genuine guy - I think that's what really shines through in his episode
who is your favourite Canadian?
Michael Ironside - when he made that guy's head explode in Scanners, it made me want to make movies forever
what happened to your West Virginia accent?
I lost it after everyone started branding me an idiot. I wanted to prove to them I was an idiot instead of them just assuming it
Hopefully youre still answering questions! Do you think McDonald's has done enough to change since you made the documentary? I know they have changed sizes and made "attempts" to make the kids meals a healthier choice, what else could be done?
I think they should lose the clown forever ... that would be a great start
Why won't you release your food logs from when you did Super Size Me?
Don't have them
Do you ever eat at restaurants like Chipotle that have taken investment funds from McDonalds?
never
I'm planning on doing a film where I (A lifelong card-carrying carnivore) attempt to go vegan for a month. Would you hate me for blatantly ripping off your idea?
More power to you - but you should watch Forks Over Knives and a few of the other healthy eating docs first
I feel that OTHER documentary makers too often present one very biased view of a subject. Do you believe that a documentary should be free from any bias and an honest portrayal provided to the audience?
I like making movies where audiences can make up their own mind. I don't want to tell people what to think.
My friend Amy used to eat McDonalds at least twice a week and when I made her watch Super Size Me, she insisted you faked throwing up out of your car window after your first meal (because EVERYBODY loves McDonalds).
Can you just confirm for me that it was real?
(I mean, obviously it was real. OBVIOUSLY.)
PS: You're the shit, man.
Not fake - it was real
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What can I do - I'll be that idiot who ate Mcdonalds for a month for the rest of my life. Could be worse.
The thought of eating McDonalds for a month is truly nauseating. When you switched to a vegan cleanse after, did you feel like you body was withdrawing from the processed foods?
I went into withdrawal for like three days after I finished my McDiet, it was like I was a junkie
Has your health dropped back to pre-SuperSizeME days?
Everything is back to normal now
Who did 911?
Michael Moore
Thanks for the time guys - get all your geek friends together and throw a Comic-Con party at your house this friday. Send us pix in costumes and we'll put them on our sites!