Shawn Records, father of Max, was our on-set observer. I love his photos. I would say he related to the aesthetic family of Joel Sternfeld and William Eggleston, his photos have a delicate wit and affection to them. I love how much of him comes through his photos. a sweet kind man with a keen eye and always soft spoken and understated. Please check out his photos at his website too. I’m lucky enough to have a print of the boy with his head in the bush. I think it is of Max in their backyard a few years ago.
The other added benefit of Shawn being a photographer that I didn’t realize until long after we cast Max was that by growing up with your dad always with a camera in hand you become used to having your picture taken and not even thinking about it, so Max is very unselfconscious in front of the camera. And also very natural because Shawn is not the kind of dad who is real loud, trying to force a shot yelling “Hey everyone, look over here! Hug your mom! Smile!” he couldn’t be more opposite actually. And that is what is so special about his pictures. Patient and observed.
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wow, what an eye. he has such natural composition for the most random subjects too.
i cant wait to see more of his behind-the-scenes stuff.
That second photo of Max with the Wild Things is just great. I love the fact that the Wild Things actually exist rather than being rendered completely with CGI – it just makes it seem all the more real.
Things like this – and the trailer, which had more heart in the space of two minutes than a lot of films I’ve seen recently had in their entirety – are really whetting my appetite for the finished movie; I can’t wait to see it!
if the film is as good as the last two stills in this post, you have a masterpiece on your hands.
I met Shawn while spending a year shooting in Portland, and couldn’t have said it better. He is a fantastic person to be around, and his photos are witty without being too deliberate. Great post!
-Scott
This photo reminds me of My Neighbour Totoro! When Mei runs into the bushes. It’s lovely!
That is extremely amazing. I especially love the one with the hat, the shoes on the ground and all the production pics. really cool
[...] San Diego sun. Amidst the flurry of activity I was lucky enough to get a chance to catch up with Shawn and Max Records (stay tuned for a video interview!), the couldn’t-be-radder Catherine Keener, [...]
[...] since principal shooting wrapped on Where the Wild Things Are. While Max Records and his father Shawn haven’t drifted into complete Hollywood radio silence– they flew to Serbia, for [...]
Muy bonitas!
Can hardly wait too see the film. Where the Wild Things Are ie..book – was such an inspiration to me as a kid. Yes, Shawn is an amazing fotographer as well. Viva Portland !!
The work of Shawn Records is amazing! great photographer, such gifted family also! Just started reading weloveyouso and couldn’t stop reading the wacky and beautiful adventures you guys here have had! BTW Just watched Where the Wild things are and I have to say one of the most beautiful films ever in my opinion, and also bought back many childhood memories!