In true "Wimpy Kid" fashion, the following is a diary chronicling my experiences in making “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” the movie.
October 2008
My movie "Hotel for Dogs" is in the final stages of post. I’m still recovering from shooting with a herd of animals and a whole ensemble of wild kids when producer Nina Jacobson shows me a book called "Diary of a Wimpy Kid."
It looks unlike any book I’ve ever seen. Greg Heffley’s experiences in middle school are handwritten on lined Wimpy Kid" src="/files/u3568/diary-of-a-wimpy-kid.jpg" />paper and illustrated with simple stick figure drawings that make me laugh out loud as I turn the pages. It feels fresh and honest. Also, it features a whole ensemble of wild kids. Do I really want to do this again?
November 2008
I can’t get the Wimpy Diary out of my head. One day, as I clean out my office I discover why. In a box I find old notebooks I kept from fourth to sixth grade. They’re loaded with anecdotes and drawings akin to Heffley’s diary, illustrating my life in those days. There’s even drawn fantasy scenarios of fame and fortune. A realization grabs hold: Was I a wimpy kid myself?
December 2008
I share my notebooks with Nina, producer Brad Simpson and the executives at Fox. I tell them this movie should feel like it sprung from the head of Greg Heffley -- a totally subjective visual diary of how he perceives reality. I want to mix live-action and animation to illustrate Greg’s fantasies butting up against his harsh realities. Plus, it would be fun to see those stick figures animated to life. Everyone agrees. Now all we have to do is find our wimpy kid. Piece of cake!
January 2009
After our first casting session, I know it’s going to be a long search. Greg Heffley has to be selfish, lazy AND make us care about him! Can we find an 11-year old who meets those demands and can carry a feature-length comedy? I storyboard the movie while finessing the script with the writers. The film starts playing back in my head, shot by shot.
February 2009
Our casting has produced no Greg thus far. In addition to casting all over the country, we start an online search for the role. Kids can submit their own auditions at iamthewimpykid.com. Maybe we’ll pick our actor from the throng of "Wimpy Kid" enthusiasts. With my newly hired crew, I travel to Vancouver to scout locations. With the summer production date looming, there’s an urgency to cast the role of Greg, but we’re not desperate yet!
April 2009
We are desperate. Some kids show promise, but screen tests reveal we haven’t found our Greg yet. Also, thousands of online submissions have yielded no winner. I fear there might not be that kid who can successfully embody the iconic stick figure. With the production on hold, some key crew members leave to take other jobs. Glancing at my storyboards, I fear this film might never become a reality.
