An in-depth interview with writer/director MIKE RIANDA talking about the “innovative and joyful” Oscar-nominated for Best Animated Feature animated delight, THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES, his first feature directorial.
MIKE RIANDA loves animation. To him, animation is “everything.” Just watch him accept an award or be in his presence as he talks about animation, something I was fortunate to do when he and his team accepted the award from Hollywood Critics Association for Best Animated Feature or when Mike and Jeff Rowe picked up an HCA Midseason Award for Best Screenplay for THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES. Listen to him talk about animation or about THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES. His enthusiasm and excitement are palpable while his love for the craft and the art is evident with every frame of film you see. For Mike, “The amazing thing about animation is you can literally do anything. There’s no rules. The only rules are your own imagination. . . You can tell a story where there’s a naturalistic family story that has a giant killer in the middle of it. You can adjust every single dial. You don’t have to accept, ‘You know what, it’s raining today.’ The weather can be whatever you want. The color of the sky can be whatever you want. The color of the character’s eyes can be whatever you want. Their faces can do anything you want. You have so much control and you can turn all of them out. I’ll create a beam of joy and shoot it in people’s hearts. It’s by far my favorite art form and it’s something that I don’t ever want to leave.”
And with THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES, MIke has indeed created a beam of joy and shot it straight into people’s hearts.
Co-written and co-directed by MIKE RIANDA and Jeff Rowe, THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES boasts a powerhouse voice cast including Abbi Jacobson, Maya Rudolph, Eric André, Olivia Colman, Fred Armisen, Danny McBride, Beck Bennett, John Legend, Conan O’Brien, and more. Each brings so much to their respective role, infusing the colors of life, making them burn even brighter. Particularly notable is Oscar-winner Olivia Coleman who voices the discarded “old technology” smartphone P.A.L.
The story of THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES follows the dysfunctional Mitchell family who winds up having to save Earth from a global robot uprising while on a road trip taking daughter Katie to college. While the Mitchells may be considered “dysfunctional”, dysfunction makes them a normal average family; the family members, parents Linda and Rick, little brother Aaron, Katie, and of course the family dog Monchi, are relatable and likable. We can see members of our own families and even ourselves in each of these lovable lugs. Mike together with co-writer/co-director Jeff Rowe shows us humanity and love with the imperfections of the Mitchells. And that’s not just within the story or the characters but is key in the animation and creative process itself.
Taking the time to speak with me for this eleventh-hour pre-Oscar interview, we dive into the design and construct of THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES. Like an empty canvas on which he is about to draw, Mike fills in the joys and challenges of all that went into creating the film, discussing so many elements that are often overlooked when one sees an animated film. With a father-daughter journey at its heart, Mike and the team break away from the formulaic animated molds and takes the Mitchells on the road, opening up animated possibilities which then extend into a 2D/3D blend using geometric lines of compartmentalization for the robotic mechanized world versus the “roundness” and unevenness of the human form and all of the human foibles. Color is king with three distinct layers of color styling providing specific “voices” which meld with the multiple animation styles and character personalities.
Celebrating the pop culture zeitgeist, and particularly that of the 80s and 90s, the script and visuals are peppered with homage and nods (often exaggerated) to touchstones for us all. Staying upbeat and energetic, fun and funny, one of the biggest challenges was dialogue and hitting the comedy beats through trial and error on the page and also in the editing process. And speaking of editing, finding balance was key; not only with a balancing story and shining a light on each individual character while never losing sight of the POV of our hero pairing – Katie and Rick – but with pace and energy. As Mike opined, “There are some slow moments but they’re slow intentionally because of the emotional moments. And I think that contrast is one of the things that makes the movie work where the movie can be pretty fast and frenetic, but we slow down the emotional stuff because if you don’t, your head will explode. It makes the emotional stuff feel more emotional and it makes the funny stuff feel funnier.”
And then there’s music. Not only fabulous scoring courtesy of Mark Mothersbaugh but specific needledrops which, as Mike openly admits, exceeded the budget. But so strong in the belief that the “scripted” songs were the right songs for the movie, producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller did something unheard of, and the films Mike wanted and needed are in the film.
A balancing act of animation styles, characters, color, humor, heart, and so much more, THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES pushes the envelope and breaks the tropes and traditional molds, delivering the messiness of life with a perfect melding of innovation and joy.
MIKE RIANDA talks about it all and more…even the moose.
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview March 18, 2022
THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES is streaming now on Netflix.
