Interview

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For students of film there are surprisingly few resources that provide a true behind-the-scenes look at what can be considered the ultimate insider industry. Enter Natalie Portman, who, at only 27 years of age makes a stunning movie veteran, and Christine Aylward, a consultant who turned her attention to film development a few years ago. A chance encounter on a film set brought them together. Years later, the result, a user-friendly web portal that covers all aspects of the movie-making process called MakingOf.com, launched on Thursday at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Aylward and Portman held court at SoHo's Apple Store in New York City to walk us through MakingOf and to answer questions. Portman, who was quick to point out, "This site, I'm not intending for it to be about me," was the clear center of attention. Apple store handlers turned dozens away from the first-come, first-serve event. Though she described herself as "near Luddite," the young actress-cum-director demonstrated a handle on what she hoped the site would accomplish, and spoke briefly about her role in the design and content of MakingOf, summing the site's features up, "What would I want to see?"

Aylward kept the discussion nailed to the specifics. There's no centralized resource for behind-the-scenes content that shows how films are made. The Mission: To champion the art and the craft of creating entertainment. MakingOf.com includes interviews with well-known directors (Ron Howard on Angels and Demons; John Krasinski on his directorial debut) and actors (Olivia Thirlby on The Answer Man). Soon they will add conversations with everyone from film editors to stuntmen to costume designers. The "Filming Now" section hosts trailers, movie clips, and on-set footage from films in progress. "The Vault" boasts the same features, but for your favorite classics of the silver screen. And "Community" provides a forum for both industry insiders and those trying to claw their way in to discuss... everything, and showcase their own work.

It's a work in progress, but the interest is there. Questions from the audience included what the guests of honor considered the most underrepresented areas of film; which directors Portman would like to work with; if Aylward and Portman have met any resistance to the site; and, perhaps inevitably, dating advice and how to win over Portman—who quipped, "not in an audience". At least one person took the site's message to heart: An actor from Puerto Rico took the opportunity to pitch his film.