The time it was about All Together Now

When I got the invite to participate in a round table press interview for All Together now, I was instantly intrigued.  I loved All the Bright Places (directed by Brett Haley) and of course Moana is fantastic (voiced by Auli’i Cravalho), so I quickly said yes after watching the trailer.

Hubs and I watched the movie and we both loved it so much. Before we get to the interview aspect, let’s check out the synopsis!

Title: All Together Now
Director: Brett Haley
Novel by: Matthew Quick
Screenplay by: Brett Haley, Marc Basch, Matthew Quick, Ol Parker
Format: Digital
Time: 93 minutes
Release Date: August 28, 2020
Platform: Netflix

Amber Appleton (Auli’i Cravalho) remains an optimist even when her personal life is far less stable than it appears on the surface. A musically gifted high school student with aspirations to attend Carnegie Mellon, Amber balances work, life, and some tough life secrets with a smile. But when new obstacles present themselves that threaten her dreams, Amber must learn to lean on the strength of her chosen family to move forward.

Directed by Brett Haley (All The Bright Places, Hearts Beat Loud) and based on Matthew Quick’s novel Sorta Like a Rock Star.

Cast: Auli’i Cravalho, Justina Machado, Rhenzy Feliz, Judy Reyes, Taylor Richardson, C.S. Lee, Anthony Jacques, Carol Burnett, and Fred Armisen

And here’s the trailer:

I don’t think it’s a secret that I’m not one to share photos or video of myself. Even putting up the new photo for the rebrand {where you can’t even see my head} had me a bit itchy. So, you can only imagine my reaction when after I signed up for the press event, I found out that it was going to be a Zoom call. {cue the head explosions}

I ditched work on the day of the interview and spent some time sort of familiarizing myself with the site {fairly easy to use} and finding semi-decent lighting {I basically live in a cave}. Once I was in the chat, we were told how it would all work: the entire thing would be moderated and each person would be called on to ask a question in the order they entered the room.

There were so many great questions asked and Auli’i and Brett gave fun and heartfelt answers. We were given a transcript of the interview, so there are a couple of sections that didn’t come across the speaker, but I didn’t want to edit anything.  The below is exactly what I received.

And now my question and their answers:

First of all, the movie was fantastic. My husband and I both loved it. With this cast of characters and the actors that you had, were there any fun on set stories that happened while you guys were filming?

Auli’i Cravalho:  Yes. Brett Haley, can you tell us your three rules for shooting, please?

Brett Haley:  Yes, so I have three rules of shooting, and I announce them a lot but I do it traditionally right when we set up the first setup day one, and I get the entire crew around the camera, and I say okay here are the three rules.

So the three rules rule number one is be kind, it’s pretty basic. I don’t allow anything other than kindness on my set because I think kindness goes a long way, I don’t like rudeness, or you know meanness so I say please just be kind to one another if you need something if you are whatever just be kind.

The other one is be gracious. Rule two is be gracious, just be gracious, just say please and thank you, and that will go a long way too. So it just establishes, and I say I am going to do this as well, and then rule three is what I call ABS which is always be shooting, and what that means is we will always be shooting if we can. I am not going to waste your time because your time is valuable and we are going to always be shooting, so that also is a heads up to everybody hey, be ready we are here to work it’s like be kind, be gracious and be ready to work and I’m not going to waste your time. Right?

So it establishes an environment on set very quickly that is one of we are all in it together if you will like the title says we are all together now. We are going to do this thing as a team, as a collaborative organism of a bunch of different amazing artists, we are going to work together to go do this thing, and I think that environment allows for a better movie and a better experience for everybody involved. In turn it allows for us to laugh and have fun and know that you are in a safe place and that it’s not–you are not going to be yelled at, you are not going to be–I’m not some angry director.

We try to have a kind and wonderful and open and welcoming set that is you know I set that and then Auli’i sets that. Auli’i is the other leader of the set. Everyone looks to her, and I think that we laughed a lot on this. I mean Carol Burnett did her Tarzan for us. I mean that you remember that, Auli’i? We were like in this small room, and she did her Tarzan, and I mean, we were losing our minds like I was like I can’t believe we get to experience it like it so loud.

Auli’i Cravalho:  And she went for it too like it was–

Brett Haley:  Full on. It’s like she’s 86 I think and it sounds the same. I was like whoa like, and I think like the kids you know what I call the kids they’re not kids, but I call them the kids, the kids they–I allow them to hang with each other and be friends and goof and have fun, and I mean Auli’i I’m sure you guys had when you’re in the car and you’re goofing around in your listening to music between takes as we’re like circling the block those are really important moments on a film you know. Like those to find the experience beyond what you are shooting.

Auli’i Cravalho:  It’s really funny actually that you bring up the (INAUDIBLE) because some of my favorite scenes are like truthfully in cars but more specifically–

Brett Haley:  There’s a lot of car scenes in this movie.

Auli’i Cravalho:  They are all great.

Brett Haley:  A lot of parked car like very intense scene that is because it rains a lot in Portland you guys so some of those scenes we were planning on doing outside, and it was just pouring down rain I said well I guess we are doing it inside of a car now so.

Auli’i Cravalho:  It was so fun but like one Rhenzy Feliz had to learn how to drive stick shift for that (INAUDIBLE).

Brett Haley:  Yes, loved it.

Auli’i Cravalho:  (INAUDIBLE) he learned that within like a week or two of shooting.

Brett Haley:  Killed it, and he learned how to play piano.

Auli’i Cravalho:  Yes, he surprised us so much. He learned the entirety of Feels Like Home, which is the song that I sing in the film and like he just knew it day of. He was like you’re not making me play it, and we were like we didn’t know that was an option, bro, like–

Brett Haley:  Yes, we were like we’re going to shoot around it, and he was like I can do the whole thing, and I was like great, so he’s really doing it there. It’s amazing.

Auli’i Cravalho:  And I’m sorry the last thing we did this scene in the (INAUDIBLE), and it is actually right before the variety show, and I remember we found that on the day like it was in that exact moment, we had no idea how it was going to be played. I remember we tried really angry, we tried sad like, and it felt like an acting class which it was great, it was so much fun, and we got to listen to each other and try new things, and that is one of my favorite scenes one because Rhenzy will kill me but he could not remember the lines for the life of him. He was so stressed, and it was because we didn’t know what it was going to be, so it was truly like a get out of your head get into character and take a breath because there’s no expectations so–

Brett Haley:  Yes. It was like allowing that seem to be discovered and it was fun, it was exciting because we didn’t have it and then we had it, and then we had it some more and discovered it and it was emotional, but it was funny like Rhenzy found so many fun little things and Auli’i found emotional things and I mean that is the kind of set you want.

You want a fun, free, open, you can fail, you can succeed it’s okay. It’s not the end of the world, it’s just the movie, and I hope it comes across on screen. I hope that people–for me this is a small film, but it’s a big hearted film. It’s a film about big things, it’s a big emotional journey, and I think it is Auli’i’s–it is such a powerhouse performance, and people are I think I mean I am sure you are all nodding your heads because you agree with me that this performance is something worth really talking about and I am excited I just feel like it’s a movie that people can use right now and I hope that’s the case and it’s just from our hearts.

It’s from our hearts to the audiences, and we are hoping that you can sit with your family and watch this film together and talk about what it means to have hope, what it means to lose hope, what it means to accept love and accept help when you need it and also ask for help when you need it. My last movie is also about that, don’t forget to ask for help. So yes. This was a lot of fun, you guys. Thanks everybody.

Auli’i Cravalho:  Thank you. Take care.

Huge thanks to Netflix for the screener, trailer, and photo stills, Big Honcho for the interview opportunity, and to Brett and Auli’i for taking the time to chat with us. All Together Now is out today and can be found on Netflix.

Will you be watching All Together Now? How much do you love Moana?