The Energon Pub

[i_amtrunks]

The LATimes have followed up their previous story on Michael Bay and ROTF with a second article.

This second article focuses more on Bay himself, his style of filming, and the processes he uses to get the most out of his cast and crew, while also providing tidbits of information regarding the Transformers sequel.

Just like the first film, it would seem that Bay will be making the final edits hours before the film debuts, with Bay stating "This one, is barely going to make it to theaters."

Bay also discusses his 12 hour days of filming, and being the first director to be given permission to film on the Giza pyramid in 30 years.

To check out the full LATimes article, please click here.

[Baha08]

I can see it now

Transformers ROTF Now with 100% more explosions!

[Megatron Wolf]

I can see it now

Transformers ROTF Now with 100% more explosions!

Dont you mean 500% more explosions? And the uncut DVD will be 5 hours long with 3 times as many more explosions as the theatrical version.

[Fananga]

And yet another excuse for Bay to say 'Im so awesome, i got to film the Pyramids' or some crap like that.

[Venomous Prime]

And yet another excuse for Bay to say 'Im so awesome, i got to film the Pyramids' or some crap like that.

and yet another excuse for people to bash Bay for doing something that's actually pretty cool.

Getting permission to film somewhere that has been off limits like that for 30 years is pretty awesome.

[Terrorsaur_85]

yeah, really dont bitch because bay makes alot explosions and such.(as much as i dont like him) he is making time to complete the editing for the movie! thats very hard work! i should know when my school did theyre own lil show for the classes i was in the media room watching my buddies editing the show before friday. and it takes ALOT of work. so until you know what its like, keep your damn mouth shut!

Keep working micheal bay! i know that movie's gonna kick some major ass!

[SamYarbrough77]

this makes me bad. he is so full on himself. hes always reassuring how awesome he is and how he gets permission like no one else. his films are 1 trick ponys. hes 1 flop away (maybe 2) from making films for scifi network lol

[LiKwid]

And yet another excuse for Bay to say 'Im so awesome, i got to film the Pyramids' or some crap like that.

Mb is quite the braggard huh LoL..I tink he does more to digg at fellow directors who have said he is a gimmick director.. The guy knows his stuff and he stays within himself as well..He doesn't try and make every movie into something he thinks people will like, he directs the way he would like.. It just so happens that alot of people actually like his brand..

After seeing Terminator salvation tonight.. I wish I could see the look on McG's face after the first weekend that ROTF is out.. I heard T4 made 43 million(est) ROTF might double that.. On day 1 (jk)

[Venomous Prime]

this makes me bad. he is so full on himself. hes always reassuring how awesome he is and how he gets permission like no one else. his films are 1 trick ponys. hes 1 flop away (maybe 2) from making films for scifi network lol

Flops??

Bad Boys grossed $141,407,024 and Bad Boys II grossed $273,339,556.
The Rock grossed $335,062,621.
Armageddon grossed $554,600,000.
Pearl Harbor grossed $449,220,945.
Transformers grossed $708,272,592

Yeah, he's totally in the habit of directing flops

[Loki God Of Mischief]

Spoiler: Movie Companies like to make money. They don't care if the core fandom is completely happy with the adaption so long as the average film goer is. The original movie was a success. This movie will be another success. If you don't believe me that the average person liked this, most of them liked Dudepeel in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

[SamYarbrough77]

yeah pearl harbor was such a critically acclaimed film...well in the first movie he pearl harbored fandom lol... i might carve my decepticon tattoo off me!!!

[Wheeljack144]

It does seem like a bit of a brag, but I understand the difficulty that goes into editing.

However, I'm wondering if pushing the release back to its original date could avoid another Brawl-astator subtitle

[Burn]

yeah pearl harbor was such a critically acclaimed film...well in the first movie he pearl harbored fandom lol... i might carve my decepticon tattoo off me!!!

Do you have any idea how ridiculous you sound? And from my time on TF boards, I think it's safe to say the majority of the "fandom" was quite happy with how the first film turned out. Your own personal opinions do not necessarily equal facts.

[grimlockprime108]

this makes me bad. he is so full on himself. hes always reassuring how awesome he is and how he gets permission like no one else. his films are 1 trick ponys. hes 1 flop away (maybe 2) from making films for scifi network lol

well known fact about studios:they like movies that turn a profit regardless of acclaim.if your movies make money,the studios will continue to throw money at you to keep churning out blockbusters

[cybercat]

I am not exactly filled with confidence. Nothing says 'confident director sure of his craft' like limping across the finish line.

But you skipped the BEST part of the article--after saying that this movie is 'barely going to make it', he adds, 'my life is so complicated.'

Yeah, he and Denise Richards.

(Oh, and btw: there are no pyramids in GAZA. It's *GIZA*. Gaza's a strip of land next to Israel, Giza is part of Egypt. You know, where the pyramids are. Gaza's where the terrorists are.)

HK, geographically accurate.

[dragons]

argh that sucks........ as long as it turns out good he can delay by couple days if he needs to

[Fananga]

Sorry i wasnt just trying to have a go for the sake of having a go at him.

Listen to the DVD commentary for the first film and you'l get my point. He spends about 5 min talking about the film in a way that doesnt include 'oh that was my idea, I was the first person to shoot those, i did this, i did that, kiss military arse, im so awesome' etc

Its the only Commentary ive seen recently where the Director does the whole thing alone. They usually get the Cast or writers to sit in with them but no, this is all Bay, all the time. Just the way he likes it.

[Covenant]

I'm sorry, but am I the only one that really wouldn't care to hear the director responsible for a cg heavy, multi-million dollar film that has a stake in a franchise I dig (regardless of feelings for the film franchise itself) telling everyone under the sun it's a rush job with an air of douchbaggetry that seems to sound like he thinks its a good thing and he supposedly kicks ass for it??

[Rodimus Prime]

Nothing says 'confident director sure of his craft' like limping across the finish line.

I was thinking the exact same thing.

(Oh, and btw: there are no pyramids in GAZA. It's *GIZA*. Gaza's a strip of land next to Israel, Giza is part of Egypt. You know, where the pyramids are. Gaza's where the terrorists are.)

I am surprised we were the only ones to catch that. I seriously doubt israeli terrorists would let him shoot in the Gaza Strip.

[mandingo_rex]

The article says "Giza". The poster in these threads spelled the typo, not Michael Bay or the LA Times writer.

Did you guys even read the article? I hate Bay as much as the next, and he is probably a huge douche, but he does do some amazing things with budgets and if he's given an absurd budget, he will use it fairly well. He definitely gets the "most bang" for his buck, literally.

He makes movies that studios want and the general populace wants to see. The blockbusters are the cash-cows that keep the studios alive so they can make quality art-house films and other Oscar-winners. I think that summer blockbusters are mostly fluff, but for all the whiners out there who bitch about quality films, we wouldn't have "great" films if it wasn't for the popcorn flicks that rake in the big bucks to satiate the studio heads so that proper films can be made.

[Rodimus Prime]

That's all good and well, because Bay's flicks are pretty much the financial grease that keeps the studios' wheels spinning, but it doesn't excuse the fact that he's had 2 years to work on this, and he's still messing with it. It's one month before release, he should have it in the can by now.

And yeah, i did read the article, and no, I am not a Bay basher. I like all his movies except Pearl Harbor. The Rock is my all time favorite action movie, and I think he's done really good with the Transformers, with the exception of the script, but that blame falls on the writers just as much.

Bottom line, he makes a lot of money. And studios love him for it.

[Burn]

Considering he only finished the first movie 12 hours before it's Australian/World premiere, I don't see why people are so upset.

The first one seemed to have turned out fine, sheesh, 'scuse the guy for wanting to really polish his movies.

[cybercat]

I have no doubt that Bay's a genius in 'doin' his thang', which is making big-explosion high budget actiony flicks. Let's face it, though: this ain't _Apocalypse Now_ or _Scarface_ we're talking about here. From Coppola, I'd buy the auteur and vision stuff and last minute editing and dementia. From Bay? Not so much.

Doesn't mean I don't love his movies. Also doesn't mean he's NOT a megalomaniac. "(His) life is so complicated." Prithee tell me why shouldst I care?

I do wonder, though, if Bay's NEXT step *would* be to try to film in Gaza. There's a truly tasteless joke about Hamas and explosions in there, which I'll leave you to make yourselves.

HK, btw: HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY US VETERANS! (Or is it just me?)

[i_amtrunks]

Considering he only finished the first movie 12 hours before it's Australian/World premiere, I don't see why people are so upset.

The first one seemed to have turned out fine, sheesh, 'scuse the guy for wanting to really polish his movies.

And it is not just Bay who finishes his edits only hours before the first screening. With technology allowing Directors to send out the final edits closer and closer, plus the tight deadlines given to them by the studios, it's becoming a common practice with these summer blockbusters. (Don't have a heart attack about me defending Bay Burn).

Bay would have the main story set, all he would be tweaking would be his shot selection, camera placements and the order of fight sequences, its not like he is ordering re-shoots and re-animations only weeks out from release.

And thanks for pointing out the Gaza/Giza error, that has been changed. Reading the world news and doing tf stories simultaneously caused that error.

[Fananga]

Yeah its as you say its a more common occurence thanks to modern tech but who is it that decides to try and make a big point of it to make him seem even more dedicated when as you say, its a common practice now?

The dude is so far up his own ass he can check the back of his fillings...

*edited for good taste *