We Talked to One of the ‘Live Participants’ Who Breaks Megalopolis’s Fourth Wall

As a seasoned actor with a wealth of experience under my belt, I must say that being part of such an audacious and ambitious project like “Megalopolis” was truly a unique experience. The live segment, though small, added a layer of intrigue and unpredictability that harkened back to the golden age of cinema, much like the classic movies of the 50s.

After decades of development, Francis Ford Coppola’s self-financed epic Megalopolis is finally in theaters. Set in an alternate America, the bewildering film explores the power struggle between visionary Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) and corrupt mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito). During its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, an actor in the crowd stepped up to the screen and addressed Catilina directly in a fourth wall-breaking press conference that stunned audiences. It’s a showstopping experience unseen in a Hollywood production since William Castle was pulling tricks on audiences in his low-budget horror films back in the 1950s and ’60s.

This short series might be mistaken for a mere gimmick, but it’s actually consistent with Francis Ford Coppola’s later work, which focuses on technological advancement and prioritizes the cinema-going experience. It’s not unprecedented for Coppola to explore immersive experiences; his 2007 film, the underappreciated Twixt, used a handful of 3D sequences to envision technology as a realm of innovation and potential. However, due to the limited release of the film and the waning interest in 3D technology at the time, Coppola felt the need to scale up his efforts to recreate the grandeur of the cinema experience he was familiar with from his youth.

In some screenings of “Megalopolis”, the unique, sometimes called “immersive” or “enhanced”, experience isn’t always present, where an actor seems to interact directly with the screen from the room. However, in the rare cinemas that offer this special fourth-wall-breaking scene, the small role of a “live participant” has become highly desirable among film enthusiasts and actors. It’s more than just being in a Francis Ford Coppola movie; it’s also an opportunity to be a part of cinematic history.

For Alex Rose, an employee at Communications MingoTwo – a press relations and promotions company situated in Montreal – it just so happened that one workday became his big break. With no aspirations for acting and no savings to boast about, Rose found himself cast in a legendary film role, almost by chance. When they required a man to portray a journalist, he was the only staff member present that morning. This is how he stepped into the limelight.

How did you land the job? When were you informed that you would be performing it? I recently received an email from Touchwood PR, a Toronto-based PR company we frequently collaborate with due to their lack of a Quebec base. Whenever they require anything specific to Quebec, they contact us. As our office is comprised entirely of women, and the male partner was on vacation during the release of Megalopolis, they stated that it required a male voice since the recording was a man’s voice. I had become aware of it from Cannes and expressed my interest because it seemed like a one-of-a-kind opportunity. I received the PDF with instructions, approximately a week before the first performance.

What items were contained within the PDF?

Who exactly was the individual on the video? I can’t say for certain, but he appeared to have a beard and glasses, and the camera angle seems to be quite distant, making it hard to identify any distinct features.

Are you curious if I’ve ever dreamed of being an actor? And are you asking if I’m getting compensated for this particular role, not just for my regular work duties as a publicist? To clarify, I didn’t receive any additional payment specifically for this. The tasks involved in this scenario likely fall within the scope of my usual job responsibilities, which I am already compensated for during my standard work hours from Monday to Friday.

Are you credited on IMDB for this project and is it a union job?
I haven’t considered that yet. To be honest, I’m not sure if I am or not. It can be difficult to determine as there are many people worldwide involved in similar projects. However, from what I understand, this particular project had three screenings here in Montreal, each featuring an interactive element. The final screening is tonight during the recording of this video, but unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend. Someone else will take my place and I have no idea who that might be. It would be great if I received credit, but I don’t believe it’s going to happen.

How have I come to understand the process of selecting or recruiting participants from different cities? Primarily through conversations on Twitter and speculation among others. In essence, my knowledge is similar to that of most people. From what I gather, an actor spoke about it at Cannes, but I’m not sure how this would translate into a more effective approach, even though I’ve been part of the process myself. So, I find myself just as clueless as others regarding the methods used for others.

It’s possible that the role fell into my lap because there wasn’t anyone else in the office capable of doing it. However, if more people were around, I speculate there might have been a casual suggestion like, “Who here fancies this task?” I can envision situations where someone would be eager to take on the role more than me. In such scenarios, I doubt I’d have competed fiercely for this opportunity. I was just glad to get it; it was an enjoyable experience. As for its impact, I’m not sure how significant it really is.

On a Monday, for the initial viewing, there was an abundance of media personnel in the crowd, which meant many familiar faces were present as they watched the movie. Seated right at the front, I kept a distance from everyone else. The majority of people weren’t aware of my presence until later when they reached out to me, expressing their surprise. They would often ask, “Was that you at the screening?”, and I would confirm, “Indeed, it was.” The sense of surprise, I believe, would have been more challenging to orchestrate if there had been a deliberate effort to draw attention to my presence.

Last night, I simply needed to go to the cinema, locate a member of staff, and ask them to connect me with the manager so they could hand over a microphone. The staff were quite hands-off about it, as if they didn’t realize there was an event happening. In fact, most of the cinema staff thought I was introducing the movie when I requested the microphone, since they hadn’t been briefed beforehand.

Did anyone provide specific guidance regarding my movements, posture, or gestures?
No, not at all. I approached it differently on both occasions because I wasn’t entirely sure how to proceed. I was essentially winging it. The second time, I took a slightly more assertive approach. The dialogue moves quite swiftly, and there’s a lot of responding to Adam Driver that is required within the scene. This leaves room for improvisation, if you will.

Did you improvise or repeat lines from Adam Driver? And were you using a script for some parts?

In your current setup at the Imax theater in Montreal, it seems the audience might not get a clear view of your mouth due to the angle. However, I chose to focus on the overall performance. This was particularly the case at the Imax theater, but I’m unsure if this is consistent across all venues. The video instructions often suggest moving across the stage, but the layout of an Imax theater is more like an orchestra pit, making it difficult to get close to the screen. Consequently, I had to adapt slightly to accommodate these unique conditions. Our Scotiabank Theater also has a specific layout where you can only approach the screen from about 40 feet away on a sort of balcony. Again, this might not be the case for every theater, but at ours, I needed to improvise a bit. The crucial aspect is ensuring that I’m within the character’s line of sight rather than focusing too much on whether the audience can see me speaking from the crowd.

Indeed, it appears those were among the guidelines provided.

Did you have to buy your own notepad?
Yes.

Have you practiced much prior to this, or did you mostly familiarize yourself with the content by watching the video multiple times?

What’s the duration of the video? Approximately one and a half minutes long. It begins with about 30 seconds from the previous scene before the cut-to-black, followed by the entire journalist segment, and finishes thereafter.

Did you create a backstory for your character?
I did not.

Is this wireless microphone plugged into anything? If I were to talk into it, would it record my voice? However, let me rephrase that for you: This wireless microphone isn’t attached to any device at the moment. When you want to use it, it’s turned off and ready to be activated.

Is it necessary for you to remain seated in the theater until that specific part of the movie, and then are you free to depart afterwards, or do you usually stay on?

I don’t think you’re required to be there beforehand. Yesterday, at least, I left after my scene because I had just seen the movie. I didn’t really feel like watching the whole thing again. I kind of regretted not seeing the other half a second time but I had somewhere to go. Before I sat down and watched it, it seemed like a daunting task to watch Megalopolis twice in a week. But turns out it wasn’t that bad.

So you’ve seen the film twice then?
One and a half times.

How would you rate the movie experience for me? It’s challenging to form an opinion. The film is quite daring and unconventional. I don’t believe it’s as poor as some critics suggest, even though I can see why they feel that way because it takes a significant risk. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s exceptional or groundbreaking or particularly successful in its intended goals. However, it attempts so many things that it’s difficult not to find something interesting about it. My perspective shifted slightly upon rewatching it. It can be dense and somewhat intimidating at times. The performances are broad, the dialogue is florid, which might turn off some viewers, especially those expecting a conventional blockbuster on IMAX. Instead, it’s a bold experiment in creating the biggest, most eccentric art-house sci-fi spectacle possible, and I think it largely achieves that goal.

In your opinion, how does the live segment impact the overall film? To be honest, as someone directly involved in it, I can’t fully grasp its effect on the audience since I’m deeply immersed in the experience myself. I’m genuinely curious about others’ interpretations because I find it challenging to step outside my perspective and view it from an objective standpoint.

Were you feeling anxious at any point?

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve got to share my take on last night’s screening. The audience had a mix of reactions, ranging from chuckles to moments of sheer disbelief. This film certainly knows how to stir emotions, sometimes playfully, other times more subtly. It’s tricky to say for sure, but I sense that much of the reaction is deliberate, perhaps even more so than viewers might realize. It was challenging for me to decipher if their reactions were positive or negative. In any case, they seemed taken aback, and whether it was a pleasant surprise or not, I’m still trying to figure out.

2024-09-28 21:54

We Talked to One of the ‘Live Participants’ Who Breaks Megalopolis’s Fourth Wall

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