Heads on and We Shoot: The Making of Where the Wild Things Are

by Dave Eggers, Spike Jonze, Michelle Quint

Maurice Sendak's classic book Where the Wild Things Are follows the adventures of Max, a headstrong young boy who leaves home after having a fight with his mother, only to find himself in a mysterious forest bordering a vast sea. Misunderstood and rebellious, Max sets sail to the land of the Wild Things, where mischief reigns. But how do you turn one of the world's favorite children's books into a movie? This film incorporates the most dynamic elements of voice performance, live-action puppetry, and computer animation into a live-action adventure story that captures the magic of the book-and takes it to a new dimension. In order to preserve the realistic nature of the film, the Wild Things are not created digitally. Instead, Spike Jonze brings these characters to life in the form of physical suits built by the Jim Henson Company. These creatures, operated by a suit performer, interact with the live actor playing Max on set in front of the camera. After principal photography is finished, CGI is being used to make the creatures completely lifelike and convincing. HEADS ON AND WE SHOOT unveils the unique collaboration behind this highly anticipated film-the combined work of Maurice Sendak, Spike Jonze, Dave Eggers, and all the cast and crew. The book design is heavily image-based, a mix of early sketches, storyboards, character designs, and extensive behind-the-scenes photographs that show both incredible live-action puppetry and computer animation. The text includes forewords by Jonze and Eggers, interviews with the cast and crew, stories from on and off the set, and early drafts of the screenplay. The resulting book will be simultaneously a beautiful object for collectors, an insider's guide for devotees, and an intimate window into the creative process.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061645567
• ISBN13: 9780061645563
• Release Date: October 2009
• Publisher: It Books
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 2.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 9.5" x 10.2"

Customer Reviews

Heads Up!

A pleasant little surprise, //Heads On and We Shoot: The Making of Where the Wild Things Are// from the editors of McSweeney's is a quaint and entertaining title. Designed like an accordion, //Heads On and We Shoot// consists of three sections, or "books," that are back to back and separated by a zig-zagging spine. The three books center on pre-production, production, and post-production, respectively, and the way that they and the entire book is set up is quite creative. Each book goes through every step of its respective process, from the book concept all the way to the final pieces of post production, and does so with a variety of different and interesting techniques. Interviews with staff, cast, and crew give a multitude of individual accounts that highlight just as many different nuances about the production of the film. Photography of the set shows day to day activity both on and off the various shooting locations, and really ties the book together. For those interested in the film, in the book, in Dave Eggers, in production processes of movies, or in photography //Heads On and We Shoot// is a great little gem of a book. Reviewed by Jordan Dacayanan

Just fantastic

Anything having to do with the making of movie is going to be an interest to me, but this book was just so well made. I really enjoy putting faces to parts of the movie like editors and sound directors. You don't realize how important these people are until you can really see what they do and I think having a face for them makes them seem even more important. Overall the book is amazing, the movies amazing, and the people who worked on it are absolutely fantastic. It's a good buy.

A Wild Ride Through A Wild Production!

A beautiful and honest account of 5 wild yet painfully tough years of labor of love for Spike Jonez and the hundreds of unbelievably talented people involved in the production of this masterpiece!

Creatively bound & informative book

The film making process has always been fascinating to me. When a film comes along that I love and supplemental material is available I am usually intrigued. This book grabbed my attention right away because of it's unique binding. It's bound into 3 sections, each detailing a different aspect of production. The book is filled with, stories, art, photos, and more all related to the production of this amazing film. This is a book for someone who loved this film and wants more. With it you will be able to get a bit closer to the filmmakers sensibilities. The film was very open and vast in it's scope. The book will help to open up the film even more and show behind the scenes of how it was all accomplished. My son and I loved the film and have bee pouring over this since we got it.