In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, why is Charlie so passive in the movie?

As the main character I would think he would do something during the big adventure in the factory but he does nothing. He faces no challenges. He is not tested in any way. He doesn’t even have the opportunity to make a single mistake.

He is simply the blandest and most uninteresting character in the entire group. He doesn’t even merit a song. I just don’t get it.

--Gilbert

Congratulations, Gilbert. You are now a studio executive.

The one consistent note Tim and I got from Warner Bros. about the script was, “Shouldn’t Charlie be trying harder?” To which we answered, “No.” And because Tim Burton is Tim Burton, they eventually stopped asking.

The world is full of movies where scrappy young heroes succeed by trying really hard, by being clever and saying witty things. But that’s not Roald Dahl’s Charlie Bucket at all. We didn’t want a classic Disney protagonist, so we left Charlie the way he was: a good kid.

Charlie “wins” because he’s genuinely good, in a quiet, unassuming way. He doesn’t get a song because the Oompa-Loompas only sing about rotten children.

I’m sorry that doesn’t float your boat, Gilbert, but I think the real issue may be how much you’re preconditioned by all the movies you’ve seen with plucky kids who outthink the adults. If you hurry, you can probably catch one at the multiplex.

Eds note: Penelope Spheeris is currently unable to answer new questions, as she is volunteering her time in the Mississippi Gulf area shooting several short documentaries that will air as part of the hurricane relief telethon, "Mississippi Rising". Penelope will return to answering your questions after October 1st.

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Do you think the producer has any right to be on the film set, particularly if they are chipping in with their opinions on matters of art and aesthetics?
--John Rooksby

Of course the producer has the right to be on the film set. That's the way movies are made. Does she or he have the right to pitch in opinions on art and aesthetics? Of course they do. That's the way films are made.

There are different kinds of producers. There are producers that find the money and leave you alone, and there are producers who are creative and work well with the director. I think what you're asking is what do you do as a director if you disagree with a producer's input.

Part of the job of a director is to keep the peace. A good director will take a brilliant suggestion from anybody, right down to the craft service guy. Part of the job of a director is to know when she or he hears a good suggestion.

How does a cinematographer with independent feature experience jump to mainstream or bigger budget features?

From what I've read, it seems like you need an agent, but any time you phone an agent, you are brushed aside. Living in Philadelphia certainly doesn't help with any of these answers, and I have been unable to find a cinematographer here that has successfully found an agent.

Any words of wisdom are greatly appreciated.

--Leslie

This is a common problem: how do you get from the low budget indie world to the big time?

Agents are interested in success: they want to make you successful because they get to be 10% of everything you are. Then they have loads of clients so all those ten percents mean they earn a lot more than you do in the end! They like to take on new people, but only if they think the person has a future.

How do they determine this? Awards help a lot, even if they are obscure. Being able to “talk yourself up” helps a lot too. When directors interview cinematographers for a job, they don’t always give it to the “best” cinematographer. The interview is more of a meeting for both of you to determine how you are going to get on. Some big name DP’s have shot really bad work when they are shooting with the wrong script and director. So it’s about the relationship and the same applies to the Agent/DP relationship.

Oh yes, you have to move from Philadelphia, at least to NY, but preferably to LA if you want to shoot studio movies. Sorry.

John August's screenwriting credits include Go, Big Fish, Titan A.E. and both Charlie's Angels movies. His current projects include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Tarzan, and Corpse Bride. He also maintains a screenwriting-oriented website at johnaugust.com.

Born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, John earned a degree in journalism from Drake University in Iowa, and an MFA in film production from the Peter Stark program at the University of Southern California. He lives in Los Angeles.

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