Bad Neighbours

Cast: Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron
Director: Nicholas Stoller
Genre: Comedy
Rated: MA
Running Time: 96 minutes

Synopsis: A couple with a newborn baby face unexpected difficulties after they are forced to live next to a fraternity house.

Bad Neighbours
Release Date: May 8th, 2014

About The Production

 

Curse of Adulthood: Bad Neighbours Begins Production

 

Bad Neighbours was inspired by writers Brendan O'Brien and Andrew Jay Cohen's admitted fear of adulthood as they transitioned from their twenties into their thirties.  While they knew that this was the time in their lives when the urge to settle down should take root, the pair was reluctant to embrace adulthood and all its concomitant responsibilities.  Recalls Brendan O'Brien: 'Andrew Jay Cohen and I were in our thirties and had both gotten married.  I had my first child, and we both found ourselves struggling with the fact that we didn't feel like kids anymore but certainly didn't feel like responsible adults either." 

After hearing a story about college students at a Northeastern university wreaking havoc on the community, Brendan O'Brien and Andrew Cohen thought the scenario would serve as a humorous backdrop to explore this divide.  'We learned about how the locals have to deal with things like college kids peeing in their bushes, stealing stop signs and causing accidents, and how these are normal people just trying to live their lives," says Andrew Cohen.  'These are regular people who have families and want their kids to live in a safe environment but have these college kids at odds with them.  This got us excited because we love intergenerational stories, and there was something funny about the fact that 20-year-olds and 30-year-olds feel that they are in totally different generations."

 

The duo wrote the part of harried father Mac Radner with actor and comedian Seth Rogen in mind"a role that they knew would play against audiences' experience of Seth Rogen as a hard partyer in films such as Pineapple Express and Knocked Up. 

 

Continues Brendan O'Brien: 'Contrary to how Seth Rogan may be perceived, he's a very responsible and hard-working guy and is much more mature than most people think.  He is now married and heading into his thirties and is closer to the other side of the fence as the older guy who's telling the kids to keep it down.  We wanted to play around with that."

 

Brendan O'Brien and Andrew Jay Cohen, longtime friends and collaborators of Seth Rogen, pitched the idea to Seth Rogen and his producing partner, Evan Goldberg, to make under their banner Point Grey Pictures, a company led by Bad Neighbours' other producer, James Weaver.  The filmmakers were immediately sold on the high-concept premise.  Recalls Seth Rogen: 'It was instantly a funny idea.  Some pitches seem crazy when you first hear them, and this just seemed funny in a straightforward way."  He pauses.

 

'Almost too normal for us."

 

'Brendan O'Brien and Andrew Jay Cohen came up with one of those ideas that just can't fail," Evan Goldberg concurs.  'No matter who directs it, who produces it or who's in it, a movie about a couple with a baby and a frat that moves next door is a home run."

 

Nicholas Weaver, who most recently worked with Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg on the comedy blockbuster This Is the End, adds: 'We thought audiences could relate to this unique place in life when people are wondering if it's all over, if there's no more fun to be had and if you can still touch that place where you used to have a balls-out crazy good time."

 

With the producers committed to the project, the writing team began fleshing out the various characters and fine-tuning story lines.  Although Brendan O'Brien and Andrew Jay Cohen initially centered their story upon a guy and his group of friends who were warring with a neighboring fraternity, they evolved their protagonists into newlyweds with a baby who were struggling with their new phase of life. 

 

'Mac and Kelly are the first of their friends to have bought a house and have a baby and don't have a large frame of reference for how the whole adulthood thing works," explains Seth Rogen.  'You see early on that they're struggling with the fact that they can't go out and party anymore with their friends and keep asking themselves when things will get back to normal.  They haven't quite come to grips with the fact that once you have a baby, that doesn't happen again."

 

Seth Rogen felt that the Radners' trials and tribulations would not only be comedic, but that they would be identifiable to many.  'They are a couple with a new baby who are struggling to maintain their youth, so when the frat moves next door they think that it might be cool and that maybe they can have it all: be responsible parents and drop in next door to dance and hang out," he adds.  'They quickly realise that it's an impossible situation, and when they call the cops, it draws a line in the sand and hell breaks loose."

 

Ready for War: Mac Meets Teddy and Nicholas

 

With Bad Neighbours' Mac set, the filmmaking team began to look for the story's Teddy Sanders, the charismatic, enigmatic leader and president of Delta Psi.  The writers admit that they long had one particular actor in mind.  'Right from the beginning, we tried to imagine who would be the last person you'd want to see shirtless on the front lawn talking to your wife," laughs Andrew Jay Cohen.  'It was always Zac Efron."

Although Mac and Teddy are both having a difficult time coming to grips with entering the next phases in their lives, they are pit against one another and what each represents.  For Teddy and his brothers, Mac is the killer of all things fun, and he might as well be one of their parents.  For Mac, Teddy represents a lifestyle no longer accessible to him, and living next to them is a constant reminder to Mac that he has officially crossed over to the other side.

 

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg loved the idea of casting Zac Efron as Teddy, so they reached out to the performer.  A fan of Seth Rogen's style of comedy, Zac Efron was excited about the possibility of doing a project together.  He shares: 'Seth Rogan is a comic genius, so when he called me to ask about meeting, I was stoked.  I usually try not to talk about potential movies"I'm superstitious that way"but I was too excited about this.  I was on the phone with my mom, dad, brother and friends before I even heard the pitch."

 

During the performers' initial conversations, it was clear that the pairing for the playfully antagonistic story line was spot-on.  'Seeing the two sitting on opposite sides of the table, it was immediately clear that the movie was going to work," says Andrew Cohen.  'To have Seth Rogan and Zac Efron at odds with each other is inherently funny."

 

The sentiment was shared, and Zac Efron signed on for the project on the spot.  Remembers Seth Rogen: 'Zac Efron loved it and said -Yes' in the room.  We were super psyched."

 

Nicholas Weaver knows that there's just something about Zac Efron that makes him the 'ultimate youthful male."  The producer shares: 'Zac Efron has a positivity to him that's something all guys wish they could have.  It's like the -thing' you hear Tom Cruise has, and Zac Efron certainly brought that to the table here." 

 

Throughout the development process, Teddy morphed from a character who was completely unlikable to a more relatable and charming character.  'As the script evolved, we realised that Teddy's motivation comes from feeling that this brotherhood that's gone on for generations is being threatened," shares Zac Efron. 

 

'Throughout the film, there are moments when you realise that he's actually a nice guy who is motivated purely by his belief in this family he's created.  Yes, he does some truly heinous and messed-up things, but he feels like he is fighting to preserve everything he believes in."

 

The performer was enthusiastic about the opportunity to break into a new genre and surprise audiences with a darker side.  He offers: 'I've never had the chance to be in an -R'-rated comedy, and the only way I would dare to do it was with people that I trusted.  These guys are hands down some of the best in comedy right now."

 

Seth Rogen returns the words: 'Zac Efron is versatile, has good instincts and is funny.  Some of his activities in the movie are what will truly be shocking for his fans.  On the other side of that, there's probably a large group of people like me who will be introduced to him in a lovely way."

 

With Zac Efron locked in, the producers and the writers began shopping the idea around to every major studio in town.  Indeed, they were surprised by the responses.  Recalls Seth Rogen: 'People were into the idea, and this is one of the few movies we've made where more than one person actually wanted to make it.  This doesn't usually happen with us." 

 

'Usually when Seth Rogan and I pitch ideas to studios, people look at us like we're crazy," explains Evan Goldberg.  'We have to persuade them and make the slow climb up the mountain of resistance, but this was an idea you just get and a story that has something for everybody.  Whether you're a kid who thinks adults are losers, or you're an older person who thinks kids are dipshits, you've got something relatable to grab on to."

 

The next step was finding a director who had a firm grasp on this style of comedy.  Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg reached out to Nicholas Stoller, a filmmaker they'd previously shared an office space with on the critically acclaimed cult-classic series Undeclared.  Having had success with comedies such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Nicholas Stoller was the perfect choice to mine the right balance between crafting a big feature comedy and maintaining comedic integrity.

'Seth Rogan and I have done table reads with Nicholas Stoller, visited his sets and he's visited ours, but we've never done a movie together," explains Evan Goldberg.  'He has always seemed on a parallel track with us, but a bit further ahead in the game.  Unlike a lot of our crazy ideas, Bad Neighbours felt more commercial and we needed somebody who was edgy but understood how to entertain broader audiences."

 

Nicholas Stoller recalls his first impression of Seth Rogen, one he formed more than 10 years ago: 'I remember Seth Rogan walking into the writer's room on Undeclared and all of us wondering who this 18-year-old kid was.  He's insanely funny, and there's no ego involved.  It's whatever is the funniest and best for the story that always wins out.  I've wanted to work with him since then and thought this had a great comedic premise.  Seth Rogan and Zac Efron make no sense on screen together, and that alone equaled comedy."

 

The director offers the reasons why he connected with both of the male leads in the material: 'Mac and Kelly are struggling with being new parents and are in denial that anything in their life has changed, and Teddy is simultaneously struggling with the idea that he's graduating.  For me, graduating from college felt chaotic and terrifying, with all the pressure to have it all figured out.  I remember feeling the same anxiety after getting married and having a child, when everything is thrown up into the air and you're expected to seamlessly redefine everything in your life."

 

Nicholas Stoller knew it would be more interesting for the comedy to play around with the audience's allegiance constantly shifting between Mac & Kelly and Teddy.  He says: 'There are points in the movie where Mac and Kelly go too far, and the dirty deeds are not exclusive to the frat.  Teddy and the brothers are incredibly warm and likable dudes, which is a testament to the fact that there are no true villains in the movie."

 

Zac Efron appreciated Nicholas Stoller's support in imbuing Teddy with redeeming qualities.  He explains: 'Although Teddy is in many ways the villain, we agreed that the best villains are unafraid of what anyone thinks and will do what it takes to protect what they stand for."

 

Nicholas Stoller knows that audiences will be surprised by Zac Efron's range in the film, one that showcases his previously unexplored comedic chops.  'Zac Efron is a proper leading man and a great foil for Seth Rogan," he commends.  'He will surprise people with how funny he is.  I think that girls have been waiting for a movie with Zac Efron that they can drag their boyfriends to…with Seth Rogan and plenty of dick jokes."

 

With the director in place, the team began fine-tuning the script and researching the colorful fraternity culture, one that they didn't aim to mock, but rather explore.  As self-proclaimed comedy nerds, many of the filmmakers had no personal experience with Greek life outside of classic movies.  'My knowledge was mostly through movies like Animal House, Revenge of the Nerds and Old School," explains Seth Rogen.  'I did co-write a few episodes of Undeclared about fraternities, but my exposure was pretty limited."

 

When talking to their friends about their experiences with the hazing process, the writers didn't anticipate just how dark some of the stories were.  'Some of the stuff that our friends told us was truly shocking," tells Brendan O'Brien.  'Dark stuff that we couldn't put in the movie and some of the most horrifying things we've ever heard."

 

Well Played, Mofos: Assembling the Supporting Cast

 

During development, the role of Mac's wife, Kelly, grew from a footnote relegated to the responsibilities of adulthood to a full-on partner-in-crime.  Nicholas Stoller was adamant that Kelly be more in the forefront.  Explains Andrew Cohen: 'Initially, our biggest problem with the script was that it was too repetitious, and amping up Kelly's involvement and bringing her into the war broke everything wide open.  She's protective of her family and is just as tragically flawed as Mac is.  She's doesn't whisper into Mac's ear like Lady Macbeth, she is Macbeth."

 

'It was important for Kelly not be the buzzkill whose purpose is to stop Mac from doing crazy stuff," adds Seth Rogen.  'We wanted her to be just as into messing with the frat as my character was and make it more of a team."  Knowing that the fear of growing up isn't only the providence of men, Seth Rogen saw this dynamic among his friends.  'Mac and Kelly's relationship is so much more reflective of the couples I know.  Most guys I know really get along with their spouses, and their wives want to have just as much fun and party as much as they do."

 

As the role of Kelly became more prominent, the filmmakers knew they'd need an actress with comedic prowess who was willing to go the distance.  After working with Australian actress Rose Byrne on Get Him to the Greek and being blown away by her scene-stealing performance in Bridesmaids, Stoller knew she could carry off the insanity in and around the Radner home.  'We all thought about Rose Byrne for this role.  She is a comedic genius," he commends.  'She has to do a lot of crazy stuff here, and she isn't worried about if it's going to look goofy; she fully commits.  She is so beautiful and elegant looking, and then turns it on and has the mouth of a sailor."

 

Upon first hearing about the project, Rose Byrne loved the idea of working with Nicholas Stoller again, and was enthusiastic about Kelly's equal involvement in the story line and shenanigans.  She shares: 'Far too often in comedies, the female character can be a bit nagging and a spoiler of the fun.  This role was the contrary, and I loved that.  I was also excited about working with Seth Rogan, who is such a strong comedic talent.  I knew I was in really good hands with Nicholas Stoller and him."

 

Rose Byrne was intrigued by the couple's challenges as new parents while trying to hold on to their former lifestyle.  'Mac and Kelly are at a place where they haven't been able to step into their adult lives completely and still want to be in that other world a bit," she explains.  'They think they can still party because they're cool, hip and young and desperately don't want to fall in the trap of what getting older looks like in their minds.  Kelly has a wild streak in her, and I loved that neither of them are a voice of reason."

 

For the filmmakers, the comedic chemistry between Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen was a home run.  'The dynamic between Seth and Rose works well because Rose might be the coolest and most chill actress we've worked with and always goes for it," explains Evan Goldberg.  'They are two actors with no pretense, and that allows them to riff off of one another with the common goal of simply making a funny movie."

 

Knowing that he would be her on-screen husband, Seth Rogen was excited for Rose Byrne to join the cast.  He shares: 'Rose Byrne is someone I've been a fan of for a long time, and we are so lucky we got her.  She is hilarious, super cool and easy to work with.  I'm literally thinking of ways to put Rose Byrne into every movie I make from now on."

 

For the role of Pete, Delta Psi's vice president and second-in-command to Teddy, Stoller and the producers sought out Dave Franco.  Dave Franco appreciated that Pete wasn't just a one-dimensional, directionless party animal.  The actor explains: 'Pete is a little more responsible and actually has a future.  He is aware that the world of Delta Psi is just a footnote in his whole journey."

 

As we move into the film's second act, and Teddy's obsession with taking down their neighbours grows, Pete begins to back away from his involvement in the frat"an act that challenges his seemingly unbreakable bond of brotherhood with Teddy.  'Pete is the smart guy with a future and knows that the frat is not the be-all and end-all of his life," says Seth Rogen.  'The conflict that grows between Pete and Teddy is about the rift that Pete will be moving on and Teddy won't."

Although the relationship between the Rogen/Goldberg team and Dave's older brother, James, is better known to audiences, the filmmakers actually met Dave prior to working with James, and had wanted to work with him on a project since.  Explains Evan Goldberg: 'Seth Rogan and I have been obsessed with putting Dave in another movie since we worked with him on Superbad." 

 

Dave Franco jumped at the chance.  'Seth Rogan is one of the hardest workers I've ever been around," the actor commends.  'Not only is he acting, but he is behind the monitors throwing out alternate jokes and supporting everyone.  It's amazing to not only have someone throwing out ideas, but I love the fact that everything he throws at me is usable material."  The actor laughs: 'I thank Evan Goldeberg and Seth Rogan for making me a lot funnier than I naturally am."

 

For the role of the exceptionally well-endowed frat brother Scoonie, Evan Goldberg had frequent collaborator Christopher Mintz-Plasse"whose credits with the duo includes Superbad and their directorial debut, This Is the End"in mind.  Says the producer: 'I demanded that Chris play Scoonie.  I was obsessed with the idea and fortunately didn't need to be that stalwart; everybody agreed, so it was that simple."

 

Christopher Mintz-Plasse was pleased to have the opportunity to work with his longtime collaborators and friends once again.  Recalls the actor: 'I saw Evan Goldberg at an event where he told me he had a movie coming up and had a part for me.  Two weeks later, I got the offer.  I was taken aback.  I love working with these guys and am so grateful."

 

To give Scoonie the enhancement required to play a character whose defining asset is legendary on and off campus, Christopher Mintz-Plasse was outfitted with an enormous prosthetic penis.  That would allow for a somewhat strange and challenging shoot for the actor.  'The craziest part of this film, hands down, is the ginormous prosthetic penis I had to wear, which was basically the size of my body," says Christopher Mintz-Plasse.  'It was weird to be on set with it hanging out of my pants.  Everyone was staring at me, but I was chilling.  I just had a giant penis hanging out, that's all."

 

Remembers Andrew Cohen: 'Christopher Mintz-Plasse definitely changed when he had it on, almost like you saw the beast unleashed.  I was watching him one day and he was playing with it and staring at it.  He looked just like a little boy noticing what he had for the first time."

 

To portray Garf, the gentle soul who is wise beyond his years, the filmmakers chose stand-up comic Jerrod Carmichael.  For Jeerod Carmichael's foray into the world of movies, Bad Neighbours sets the bar unrealistically high.  He shares: 'This was a truly enjoyable set to be on, like hanging out with your friends all day.  This is my first movie, and they've kicked it off well."

 

For the role of pledge Assjuice"who plays a pivotal part in the neighborhood war"the filmmakers pegged British actor Craig Roberts, who wowed critics with his performance in the film Submarine.  Explains Evan Goldberg: 'Nicholas Stoller was obsessed with the idea of getting somebody who was a truly exceptional actor to play Assjuice, and Craig Roberts was his suggestion.  He turned out to be a total grand slam." 

 

Working on a set with improvisation so strongly encouraged proved to be an eye-opening experience for the performer.  'The set was free and offered such an amazing experience to go through," says Craig Roberts.  'It was hard to get through a take, there was so much laughing.  I always heard about how much fun these guys have on set, and they really do."

 

With the key fraternity members set, it was time for Mac and Kelly to get some help of their own.  They enlist their best friends, Jimmy and Paula, who have not yet recovered from a recent divorce.  Naturally, the ex-couple acts out in ways that speak to their new status.  Seth Rogen explains: 'Jimmy and Paula are our characters' divorced friends and are going through a transition phase.  Because they're both single for the first time in a while, they've reverted back to 17-year-olds and get caught up in helping us with our hijinks."

 

For the role of Mac's best friend, co-worker and co-conspirator, Jimmy, the team chose writer/comedian Ike Barinholtz, who currently appears on the groundbreaking comedy The Mindy Project. Seth Rogen's first encounter with Ike Barinholtz was when the actors worked together on an episode of the series Eastbound & Down with Danny McBride.  Shares Seth Rogen: 'Whenever Danny and his guys think someone's funny, they are usually very funny.  They raved about Ike."

 

Ike Barinholtz blew Evan Goldberg away during his audition.  'Ike Barinholtz was somebody I was completely unfamiliar with, and Seth Rogan and Nicholas Stoller kept telling me that Ike had to be Jimmy," the producer says.  'They told me that when he came in I wasn't going to believe how hard he'd hit it out of the park, and they were right.  He just might be the best improver I've seen in my life.  That guy is a whirlwind of comedy."

 

Ike Barinholtz walks us through his attraction to this role, and he describes Jimmy and Paula's relationship: 'They might be the world's worst couple.  Their divorce is final, but as bad as they are as a couple, they are even worse broken up.  Paula is on a constant quest for fun and wants to party all the time, and Jimmy's completely let himself go.  But Jimmy's a loyal friend and wants to help Mac and Kelly in any way he can.  This gives him a purpose in his life."

 

Carla Gallo, an actress who has previously worked with Nicholas Stoller and Seth Rogen, was chosen to play Paula.  She dove wholeheartedly into Paula's arrested development.  'Paula is a trainwreck who is convinced that she's having the time of her life but is really a mess who is drunk all the time," shares Carla Gallo.  'She dresses ridiculously for her age and is hooking up with guys who are way too young for her.  She is very hostile towards Jimmy and is fully in the midst of a life crisis."

 

Carla Gallo particularly enjoyed sparring with co-star and on-screen ex-husband Barinholtz.  'Ike is a comedic genius, and improving with him is literally like exercising," she commends.  'Afterwards, you're exhausted and feel like you've had a total mental workout.  He's got a lot in his arsenal."

 

Rounding out the supporting characters, the filmmakers brought in as many of their favorites as possible to complete their comedic team, capped off by Lisa Kudrow as the campus dean.  Explains Seth Rogen: 'It's the first movie where we've hired comedians to play every single role of the entire movie.  It's been a lot of fun because we had all these super funny people coming in day in and day out."

 

Let It All Hang Out: Improv on the Set

 

With a reputation as a director who brings out the best comedic instincts of his actors, Nicholas Stoller has established a process that helps the cast reach the material's full potential.  Starting with a solid draft of the script, the filmmakers gathers the talent for a table read to feel out what might need fine-tuning and where they need to leave room in the script for on-the-day improvisation.  He shares: 'After the table read, we did two weeks of rehearsals that provided a safe time to play around when we're not under the time pressure of shooting.  The best improvs went into the script."

 

Surrounded by a creative team heavy on comedic talent, combined with Seth Rogen's sharp ability to improvise, the performers were able to bring their best material daily.  'Working with actors and comedians who improvise all the time can be a bit overwhelming at first because you think you need to keep up with them," shares Christopher Mintz-Plasse.  'But instead, it's inspiring and makes you want to go home and prepare funny jokes for your upcoming scene to bring your -A' game."

 

Though a newbie to this style of comedy, Zac Efron was game for the challenge.  'This level of improv is unlike anything I've ever done before and is very fast-paced," he explains.  'You have to be ready for anything but it can be hard not to break character, especially when working with Seth Rogan because he is just so ridiculously funny.  He seems to never break character and if he does, the entire place starts laughing.  I've never had this much fun just existing in a scene."

 

Nicholas Stoller crafted a particular way to shoot on the day that facilitates improv and unexpected moments.  'I always try to cross-shoot to accommodate all the improv.  Seth Rogan, Evan Goldberg, Andrew Cohen, Brendan O'Brien and I all yell out jokes and it's a free-for-all."  He pauses.  'It's a controlled, chaotic free-for-all."

 

Brendan O'Brien was impressed with the quick wit and improv talents of his director.  He says: 'Nicholas Stoller has so much enthusiasm and is fun to be around.  On set, he was running back and forth between the actors and video village with alternative jokes and notes.  He's known to laugh hysterically, which kept everything light and fun."

 

Evan Goldberg appreciated that Nicholas Stoller brought a vast intelligence to the film.  He recalls: 'Throughout the shoot, I told him that he's going to watch this movie in a few years and be shocked that he directed it.  But he did direct it and he can't ever un-direct it."

 

The cast was happy to have a director who welcomes collaboration and has a great temperament.  Dave Franco sums his fellow actors' experience: 'Everyone feeds off the director's energy on a movie set, and Nichols Stoller is one of those guys who is relaxed and always positive.  That being said, he is also intelligent, on top of everything and one step ahead of everyone.  He may have ruined other comedy sets for me in the future because I just can't imagine having this much fun again."

 

Rose Byrne agrees that the collegial environment helped everyone feel at ease trying new material.  She reflects: 'Seth Rogan and Nicholas Stoller have a great working relationship, and they're very communicative and easy.  I have worked with Nicholas Stoller before as well.  He's collaborative and has a great temperament.  That sets the tone for the whole film when the director is collaborative and excited to be there."

 

Suburban Showdown: Design of the Comedy

 

As much of Bad Neighbours takes place between Mac & Kelly's house and the Delta Psi fraternity, the production team was put to the task of finding two homes side by side that could accommodate the production.  'We looked for houses next to each other that were so close that you could look in each other's windows and pass each other a cup of sugar," explains production designer Julie Berghoff.  'It was a bit challenging to find houses that were the sizes we needed, one bigger and one slightly smaller that was realistic for an accountant with a wife who works at home."

 

The perfect pair of houses was found in the historic West Adams District of Los Angeles, which became the production's home base for the majority of the shoot.  While Mac and Kelly's house was able to serve as both the exterior and interior sets, the frat house was another matter.  'Although the exterior was perfect, the inside of the frat was too small for all the party scenes and high angles needed," continues Julie Berghoff.  'So we needed to find another interior that would assimilate."

 

With Delta Psi's legacy of spawning the greatest party innovations in modern history, a great deal of effort was put into each of the epic parties outlined in the script.  Julie Berghoff and her team began researching fraternity life in the simplest manner possible.  'I literally Googled -stupid college pranks' and -outrageous parties' and a bunch of great images came up," says the production designer.  'We researched for hours and looked and presented ideas to Nicholas Stoller, who was so open to hearing ideas like a black-light party or duct-taping someone to the wall."

 

With carte blanche, the production team pushed the limits.  Shares Julie Berghoff: 'We had a blast with the black-light party and wanted to create the craziest party we could.  We wallpapered the inside of the house with black-light fabric and peppered all these various elements of white and contrast throughout.  We had black-light streamers, balloons, bubbles, glasses; it was endless."

 

Between production design and costume designer Leesa Evans' team, the various departments collaborated to create a seamless tone and palette.  When it came to the cinematography, the filmmakers enlisted Brandon Trost, who lensed Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's directorial debut, This Is the End.  'Brandon Trost's knowledge of cinematography and his artistic eye are unique," commends Goldberg.  'I was excited that he wanted to work with us on this with Nicholas Stoller because I trust him completely and think he might be the most talented person I know."

 

Nicholas Stoller also appreciated Trost's fresh perspective.  'Brandon Trost's the first DP I've worked with who's my age and also a peer," notes the director.  'It's nice when you can speak the same language.  He was open to experimenting with a lot of different methods, and the movie looks amazing because of it."

 

To bring authenticity to the party scenes, cameras and iPhones were distributed to extras, partygoers and cast members for additional first-person perspective. 

 

Andrew Cohen, who also served as second unit director on the film"was instrumental in capturing a number of the insane party moments.  'We handed out cameras to the background people and planted them in the crowd.  It gives the sense that we threw a giant party and filmed it, and it worked well," explains Seth Rogen.

 

However, filming the party scenes was not always as fun as it looks on screen.  'Shooting party scenes is actually a little unpleasant," concludes Seth Rogen.  'The black lights at the party were eventually nauseating and we were covered in toxic bubbles.  At the hot-house party everyone kept warning us not to look directly at the lasers because we'd be blind from the military-grade lasers that were everywhere." 

 

Bad Neighbours
Release Date: May 8th, 2014