Talking TROLLS with Justin Timberlake, Anna Kendrick & Filmmakers

How many times have you listened, danced, sung along to Justin Timberlake’s new hit “Can’t Stop the Feeling” ? It is infectious and fun and like the song says, you just  Can’t Stop The Feeling of happiness when you listen to it.  What you might have missed is that this song is for the new DreamWorks' movie TROLLS.  Even though TROLLS doesn’t open until Nov. 4, I got to sit down with the filmmakers, (Director) Mike Mitchell, (Co-Director) Walt Dohrn, (Producer) Gina Shay as well as two of the fabulous stars, Ms. Anna Kendrick and Mr. Justin Timberlake, to learn more about the making of TROLLS. 

                                                                                                             photo Jason Bush 

DreamWorks' TROLLS is a fresh, broad comedy filled with music, heart and hair-raising adventures. The creators of SHREK have been working on bringing the TROLLS to life for the last 3 years. They joked they were down in locked rooms filled with trolls and lots of glitter (more on the glitter later).  They explained that the theme of the film is happiness. “There's a big idea here that we're all born with happiness.  We just--sometimes we need someone to help us find it, but that we're all born with this ability to be happy.  And I think that's important.” 

As a parent being able to see a “kid’s movie” and laugh just as much and at the same jokes (even though maybe not for the same reasons) as your children is something they describe as “magic” and was a major part of  creating this “super irreverent comedy”.

We soon discover that the overly optimistic Trolls have a constant song on their lips. Poppy, played by Anna Kendrick, takes on some classic songs as well as a number of originals. Anna and Justin, who also serves as the film’s Executive Music Producer, talked about taking on such beloved songs as Sound of Silence and True Colors.  Justin said that his job was to” hopefully to put our own spin on it, make it sound unique, make it sound like it belonged in the scene, much like a musical theater."  They had to work together and find the right balance of mixing old and new and making the songs work seamlessly in the scene. 

Now back to the glitter that I mentioned before.  When we asked the creators what one of the biggest challenges of creating the TROLLS world was, there was no hesitation…it was glitter. They explained how “the computer couldn't understand the glitter”.  So they joked that there is ”this room somewhere where these guys have lab coats on, and they're throwing glitter.  It's a glitter taskforce, typing code.  As you will see they figured out the glitter and there are a few TROLLS, like Guy Diamond voiced by Kunal Nayyar, who only wear glitter.  Other TROLLS are voiced by Russell Brand, James Corden, Ron Funches, Icona Pop, and Gwen Stefani.