‘Cloverfield’ techniques prove too much for some

Earlier this year, producer J.J. Abrams unleashed a new monster movie, Cloverfield. In the film, a group of friends scatter to escape a gigantic creature that is wreaking havoc and destroying New York City.

The film opened to a box office, record-setting opening weekend. However, the buzz tapered off when many filmgoers reacted negatively to the shaky filming, so far so that some it was reported that audience members getting nausea and even vomiting. This promoted several theater chains to post a warning about the possible effects from viewing the film.

Nonetheless, the film’s moderate, if not surprising, success has even prompted sequel talk.

Three of the stars, Jessica Lucas, Odette Yustman and Chicago-native Michael Stahl-David, participated in a conference call on in January to promote the theatrical release of the film.

The film is photographed using a handheld camera, from the point-of-view of citizens being attacked. The acting process was altered to accommodate this type of non-traditional filming.

"It was such a different process because we were able to address the camera which usually, you know, as actors we’re taught not to do," Lucas said. "Also, you know, there was the whole improvisation part of the movie that we were able to, you know, bring our own thoughts and our own creative processes to these characters."

"Sometimes it was interesting because sometimes you had to be super relaxed and you couldn’t," Stahl-David said. "You had to be very non-acting. The acting is just one part of it."

With the realism of the film, the online viral marketing was realistic as well, with cryptic messages and codes online. With such films as this and July’s The Dark Knight, the cast believes that such a viable advertising ploy is part of the new future of film marketing.

"I think this will be a test to see if that kind of marketing worked," Lucas said. "I think it speaks more to today’s generation. The Internet plays such a huge part in our lives. It only makes sense to market it that way."

"Clearly it worked," Yustman added. "So I think it’s a great plan."

"I think it’s cool and interesting how much the fans become part of the really the advertising, and these are just the people who are excited for it" Stahl-David said. "These fans are becoming such huge players in the industry at least collectively."

Part of the suspense of the film is gradually revelation of the monster. The cast was not shown the final product of what the monster looked like but was given advance look at concept work to aid in their performances.

"They definitely gave us a sneak peak of the beginning process," Yustman said. "I only saw cartoons and animation for the first part, and then they would show us bits and pieces."

"I only saw one small [pre-visualization] of like the monster," Lucas said. "They had like tiny models but nothing near to what the final product turned out."

"Nothing that could prepare you for what you ended up seeing," Stahl-David said.