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CHARLES GOLDMAN: How did you begin as a filmmaker?
ROGER CORMAN: I started originally as a messenger at Fox. I came out of Stanford as an engineer, worked four days and quit. The only way I could get into the business was a messenger. I worked up - became a reader - quit - went to Europe- studied in Europe a while- came back-wrote- sold a story- took the money from the story I sold (I sold the picture to Allied Artists for somewhere around $4000-3500)- borrowed some more money- made a picture for $12,000 which I produced-took the money from that and made a second picture- made a couple of pictures with AIP and on the third picture simply told them (it was partially financed by me and partially financed by them) that I was going to direct as well as produce on the next picture. I started directing at that point.
GOLDMAN: Which film was that?
CORMAN: FIVE GUNS WEST-which was the first picture I directed.
GOLDMAN: What was your association with THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS?
CORMAN: I was the producer of that picture.
GOLDMAN: Did you have any hand in directing the film?
CORMAN: Not really. I set up a little of the racing car business because I was interested in that, and I did some of the second unit stuff. But I didn't direct as such.
GOLDMAN: How much of the terror did you direct?
CORMAN: I did most of the interiors. What happened was that all the interiors were shot in two days on the sound stage that had been used for the raven. I didn't even have the script as a matter of fact. I had a previous deal with Jack Nicholson, Dick Miller and Sandra Knight. They were gomg to work two days on the film. Boris [Karloff] would work two days on the film, go back to England and then the film would be picked up later. I didn't have the money to shoot the rest of the picture union, which meant I couldn't direct myself because I was personally signed with the unions. So I would say that at one time half the young filmmakers in Hollywood did pieces on the terror. Francis Coppola directed...