Wicked Director Jon M. Chu: AI Couldn’t Create This Scene
▼ Summary
– Jon M. Chu learned the immense power of direct, viral fan connection through social media while directing Justin Bieber’s concert film.
– He believes a film’s story is told before shooting and continues after release, which shaped *Wicked*’s marketing around cast relationships.
– The intense pressure to create a successful film forged strong bonds among the *Wicked* cast and crew, similar to a tech startup team.
– Chu credits early support from tech industry patrons in his hometown for giving him a crucial advantage in starting his filmmaking career.
– While fascinated by AI’s potential for organization, Chu also values the improvisation and practicality of real sets used in making *Wicked*.
For director Jon M. Chu, the journey to bringing Wicked to the screen was deeply intertwined with lessons learned from the digital world and the irreplaceable magic of human connection on set. His background, blending viral marketing savvy with traditional filmmaking, created a unique approach that has defined the project’s public rollout and its creative heart.
Chu’s understanding of fan engagement was forged early. While directing Justin Bieber’s concert film Never Say Never, he witnessed the raw power of online communities firsthand. A simple, joking post from the teenage star caused Chu’s own follower count to skyrocket by tens of thousands almost instantly. That experience cemented a core belief for him: a film’s narrative begins long before cameras roll and must continue well after the final cut. This philosophy directly informs the marketing for Wicked and its sequel, which heavily leverages the authentic relationships formed within the cast.
The pressure to deliver a successful adaptation fostered an intense camaraderie among the crew, particularly between stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. Chu compared their bond to that of Silicon Valley developers pulling all-nighters to ship a product, a fitting analogy given his own roots. Growing up in the Bay Area, Chu’s entry into filmmaking was propelled by the tech community’s generosity; customers at his parents’ restaurant gifted him computers and software, giving him a significant advantage when he later studied at USC.
This longstanding relationship with technology makes him curiously open to exploring tools like artificial intelligence. He is actively learning about AI’s potential for research and logistical organization, wanting to understand its capabilities within the creative process. However, his experience on Wicked reaffirmed the profound value of the tangible and the spontaneous. He found immense worth in building practical sets and allowing room for improvisation, elements that resist pre-programming. For Chu, the most powerful scenes emerge from the unscripted moments between actors and the physical reality of a environment, something he believes even the most advanced algorithm could not authentically replicate.
(Source: Wired)
