Hello all!

Well, we returned from MagFest this past Sunday and all I can say is that it was an AMAZING experience. Great attendees, panels, and entertainment. The hotel was extremely nice and comfortable. I’m 99% I’m going back next year! Great gaming convention with an amazingly down to earth vibe.

On to the highlight of the trip for me: the “Megaman” movie panel. We ere scheduled for Saturday, 4PM. We arrived to our assigned room 10 minutes before presentation and, to my sadness, the room is almost empty…I got nervous. .

4PM comes….PACKED room. All seats filled, people are standing all around the back of room against the walls. And thus, my nervousness subsides. I get up in front of everyone, introduce actor Jun Naito and Producer/Costume Designer David Horowitz. and I say “I guess everyone is here for the Megaman movie, huh?”. LOUD cheer. Oh man, I’m feeling soooo good.

So the 15 minute preview screens. People are laughing at the right play, they are loving the character, loving Megaman, Roll, Wily and all the rest. At the end…..BOOM, LOUD applauses. I get up and ask the crowd “I guess you like it?”. Unified YES from the crowd. I’m overwhelmed with joy. We go into a 40 minute question and answer session. and after that, we pass out special DVD of the trailer and behind the scene footage to those who asked questions.

Afterwards, we signed autographs, chatted with other fans, and just had some fun! It does WONDERS to talk to other fans who truly believe in the film. Really helps one’s morale. Best of all, it’s shows how genuinely nice the supporters are. They were all kind, happy, and fun to talk to! A weekend I’ll never forget…

Also, a few unanswered questions were finally answered but that’s for another day…

This week, expect the “Megaman at MagFest” video which is a video of the Q and A session. Hope you guys enjoy and happy new year to all!

Eddie

It seems many people have many question regarding this film. This is not just including Ningin visitors. All fans have thrown questions my way so I wanted to answer the a few of them! Also, after seeing the same questions on the forum, I figured it was time to answer these questions for everyone as well! These questions are either frequently asked, very unique, or unanswered questions that haven’t been featured in interviews I’ve done.

What bosses will be in the film?

Every boss present in the first Megaman game will be featured in the film. When I say every boss , I mean EVERY boss. This is in addition to the 6 main robot bosses from the first game. Timeman and Oilman will NOT be featured.

What makes you a suitable director for a live action Megaman film?

I love Megaman, I love video games, and I believe in giving a video game a faithful and loyal film adaptation (something that, arguably, has yet been done). I’m angry with what has been done to video games in the past when translated to the big screen. Sometimes it’s the studio executives to blame, sometimes it’s the directors. Money, profit, and creative liberties will come into play and shape the film in something that’s either disrespectful to the video game it’s adapting or shape the film in a horrid mess. “Super Mario Bros.” can be a good example of this….

Also, my intentions are NOT fueled by money or fame. Surely, I want to make a film everyone can see but I want to make a film that will, first and foremost, do Megaman justice. When I was a youngster, Megaman was god almighty to me. I loved the hell out of the games, the characters, the designs, and music. I didn’t play cops and robberies with my friends. I role played Megaman instead!

What is it about Asian culture that interests you? How did you come about making film like this? Is there any difficulties in creating short films with such a feel?

Anyone who knows me knows I love Asian culture and that I’m mostly influenced by Asian cinema when it comes to my work. When it comes to Asian culture, I love many aspects of it. Traditions, designs, approaches to art, and architecture. As much as I love these aspects, I can’t deny my love for Japanimation, J-Pop, Canto-pop. and much of the pop culture in general. This developed over the past few years as I’ve became more fascinated by the artistic and creative approach to film and pop culture that Asia overall takes. As my fascination went on, I started watching more foreign films, more animations from abroad, and studying the culture. Of course, this transcended over to my films since when I started watching films from Asia, my eyes opened up and I realized I can artistically relate more with these types of films and visual mediums.

Up to this point, my last few films have been heavily influenced by Asian pop culture. When it comes to my style of film, the films that influenced me the most were “Akira”, “Ghost in the Shell”, and “Blade Runner” (which had many Asian influences featured well). These represent the types of films I enjoy. Films with a great sense of atmosphere, deep characters, and unique visual approaches. With such influences combined with my current understanding of the film making process, this is how I approach my films and how I developed my own style.

I guess that’s enough writing for now! In addition to what I said, you can also view the various interviews I’ve done online for the film. One of which can be seen here:

Rockmanpm.com Interview:

http://rockmanpm.com/?p=interviews/eddielebron

When more interviews are posted online, I shall link them here. As more questions are thrown my way, I will post more “Burning Questions” articles and answer them!

-Eddie Lebron
Writer/Director of “Megaman”

Tags: anime, eddie, game, lebron, megaman, video