Interview with a vampire's director

When you're reading the book, the character of Bella seems almost like a blank canvas. It's as if Stephenie Meyer wants the readers to project themselves onto her. Is that something that you considered when you were casting Kristen Stewart in the role?

Every girl that reads the books thinks that Bella is her. Nobody would be 100 percent pleased with how we cast. People think she's too pretty, others think she's not pretty enough. But when I watched "Into the Wild," Kristen had this toughness and strength and also this total vulnerability -- this palpable yearning and desire and openness that I just thought was really powerful and compelling. She's also exactly the same age as Bella: She was 17 when we shot. That wasn't somebody faking what it's like to be young.

In the novel, Stephenie Meyer is also always bringing up Edward's beauty, and his muscles, and how they catch on his shirt. Given that you're also trying to attract male viewers, did you have any reservations about over-eroticizing Robert Pattinson, who plays Edward in the film?

It's a bit embarrassing for any serious male actor to read the book and think that the film is going to be that adoring of him. But in a film you don't go on and on for pages and pages of description and detail. When he's on the screen, he has that powerful presence. His shirt isn't off in the movie or anything like that.

Did you make any other changes to make the film more appealing to male viewers?

The idea of vampires, with their superpowers, have always been kind of a guy's fantasy too -- that you would have every girl in love with you, and you're able to protect girls, and have to fight other badass vampires. I think the "Twilight" series did catch on first with girls, but there seem to be a lot of guys responding to it too.

We did screenings for the girls, for some friends and family and Twi-hards and one of the biggest things they commented on was that they love the action. It's not just guys who love action.

If you compare Bella to the characters in "Gossip Girl," for example -- who are so culturally savvy -- she doesn't seem especially contemporary. Did you have any interest in inserting more pop culture references?

I don't think it's trying to be a movie that's not in its time. You see people on iPods and cellphones, but it's not one of those movies where the dialogue is obsessed with super-fun pop culture references. I guess you could see it's more timeless, classic. It wasn't like we were thinking we've got to get every kind of in-joke that's hip in 2008 that won't be hip next year.

When I was reading the book I was struck by its astonishing earnestness in tone. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is very similar in subject matter, but it's also ironic and knowing about pop culture. Is that something you were thinking about when you were making the film?

This is a bit weird, but I've probably never seen one second of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." So I am an ignorant person and I cannot compare it. I know nothing about it.

"Buffy" also became a very strong feminist icon. Do you think there's a redeeming feminist message in Bella's character?

It's Bella's character arc [by the fourth book] that she becomes more powerful by the end. But she is more just a regular girl instead of a superhero in the first book. We made her a little more feisty, but we did try to stay true to the character Stephenie created. We weren't specifically going to make her this powerhouse role model. We weren't going for that kind of a message.

Do you usually try to incorporate a feminist message into your films?

No. I wouldn't say so. I try to find the inherent truth in the character. I thought it would be more powerful if it's just true to the specifics of the people instead of trying to wag my finger.

There are three more books out there. What are your plans for the sequels?

Here's the thing: The next film would be a lot more expensive than this one. It would have a lot of CGI, and werewolf transformations, and a whole new cast of characters. It goes to Italy and there's more action, jumping off cliffs and motorcycles.

If this does well enough, only then would we be able to make a sequel. I think everybody is kind of waiting and seeing if we can afford to make the next one. I haven't gone out and bought a new Prius quite yet.