Roberto Orci Interview

IESB.net posted an interview with Roberto Orci, one of the TF script writers, where he talks about Transformers and Star Trek 11 (his post TF project).

The highlights:
- Started writing the TF script over two years ago. Don't know how many drafts wrote but project was green lit on the second draft.
- Spielberg's main involvement in the writing process was the "boy and his car" theme.
- Tone for the movie was to be more realistic then the movie but not "lose its sense of fun and those two things are actually at opposition, so it was absolutely a tightrope walk."
- Script wise, in writing it there was no "sequel" setup in mind as "not our responsibility" to worry about a sequel but just to make a good movie.
- Orci indicated he estimated the cost of Transformers before word one would be $150 million but apparently final cost was $147 million. Personally I am curious to know the size of the marketing budget. I am guessing in the $40 - $50 million range.
- Spike's parents, Ron and Judy, are named after Orci's in-laws.
- Orci and Kurtzman are not working on the Transformers 2 script.
- On the Star Trek info, the script is done, shooting starts in November and casting information will be revealed at the San Diego Comic-Con in July.
- The early leaked script reviews of Transformers insured greater security with the Star Trek script with encryption programs and a person hand delivering it (and assume leaving with it once read).

The full article is here.