Shawn Levy film director and Shawn Levy film producer live in the same head.

Do they ever argue with one another?

Directing is a very passionate enterprise, producing is passionate but also more cerebral.

In my experience, passion will always trump intellect.

That was a way more philosophical answer than you were probably looking for.

But you know what I mean?

No, thats not cheap.

Ill fight for what I believe I need filmically, and the director me will always win.

So thinking that passion drives you as a director, I wonder when intellect comes into that.

For example, how intuitive is your process with the camera?

The more Ive done, the more I realise…

I put the camera where I imagine seeing the image from if Im in the audience.

That kind of makes it right.

I didnt think more about it…

I guess what Im saying is that you learn to trust your instincts.

He said Shawn directs as if hes sitting in the audience.

This has tended to make the movies populist and of a certain genre.

Its such a subjective enterprise, directing a movie, and it should be.

This is why a movie by one filmmaker will not be mistaken for a film made by someone else.

Theres no objective right answer.

Those are cerebral decisions.

This is where the back of an envelope comes into it, I suppose?

Occasionally Ive gotten it wrong.

And that is generally true.

Ive never gotten it wrong in a scene where it risked losing comprehensibility.

Sometimes youll get it wrong in an action scene, and there it rarely matters.

you better give the audience certain anchors.

I guess its sequence to sequence.

Lets also talk about how you work with actors.

Where are they coming from?

Are they coming from a heady place?

Are they coming from a gut place?

So, yes, you gauge the effective lexicon, and you are constantly shifting, actor to actor.

Ive got a list here.

A list of 21 Laps productions.

I think the internet implies that Im doing 39 movies next.

These dont all come from the internet.

Ive got five here and I believe youve been attached to direct one of them.

I shouldnt have read that script, but I did and its fantastic.

Its awesome, right?

Its shocking to me that you read it, troubling slightly, but I agree.

I just read the new draft…

Which I have not read.

Thank god, because that was just finished, like, three days ago.

That script is one of the most special pieces of material that 21 Laps has ever developed.

Im very proud of it.

Have you read that one?Echois another rad script.

Its a good concept.

Echois another sci-fi drama, actually more of a paranoia thriller.

Its going to be directed by Christopher MacBride who wrote it.

The one with the guys going undercover?

The found footage one, thats exactly right.

Echo is something I am very, very bullish on.

Like we did onThe Spectacular Now,for instance.

Oh, you should be proud of that film.

Im super proud and I know Im going to be equally proud ofThe Story Of Your LifeandEcho.

There are lots of twists here, and some of the ideas are quiteBlack Mirror-like.

I really hope MacBride can pull this one off.]

So, while were talking aboutThe Spectacular Now,lets jump toRosaline.

Rosaline… is in a vague moment.

Its at Universal Pictures now.

We are casting that movie.

Its a revisionistRomeo And Juliet.It will require the right blend of actors to get made.

And thats the trick, getting the right combination of actors at once.

Thats the whole trick.

Its a great script, I need to find the right actors.

Table 19is going to get made this coming year.

I dont know… Ill just fucking tell you, are there any actors publicly known on that one?

Who first bought us Anna Kendrick.

Thats right.Rocket Science, Spellbound,Jeffrey Blitz wroteTable 19.

Are Jacki Weaver and Kodi Smit McPhee onboard?

Patton Oswalt…

Well, possibly Patton.

The only hard casting is Anna Kedrick.

Weve all been there.

Weve all been there.

ItsThe Breakfast Clubat a wedding.

[Extra note: There was a former draft ofTable 19by Mark and Jay Duplass.

Funny you should say that.

That was a codename for a project,Project Aloha, arbitrarily codenamed.

It was the seed of an idea that I was developing with Ben Stiller and Jonah Hill.

So whats left for you?

What can you do now?

I didnt want to give away all my movies.

How long as this project been alive?

A month and a half.

I literally came up with it then.

I called Melissa out to breakfast, I pitched her this vision I had.

Its something that Nick Stoller is writing right now.

Its kind of a dream to get Melissa and Stoller.

I dont know if it will be next.

In general terms, then, why do you choose the ones you choose?

I direct the ones I think I can direct in a unique, and the best way.

Thank you very much, Shawn Levy.

Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tombopens across the UK and US from the 19th December.