- Sam McPherson is responsible for this interview.
Bobby Roth
Bobby Roth is a director who has worked on Lost on two occasions. This interview took place almost a year after he had worked on "The Man Behind the Curtain." The interview was conducted on June 27, 2008.
Roth would later return to Lost to direct "Whatever Happened, Happened," and was interviewed once again by Lostpedia. That interview will be posted on May 13, 2009.
Lostpedia: How did you come to direct an episode of Lost?
I am a lifelong friend of Jack Bender, and I let him know I would love to direct there. We are fans of each others' work and he took a chance with me.
Lostpedia: Are you a fan of the show? If so, are you a casual viewer or a more serious fan? Who is your favorite character?
I am addicted, and watch every show as a committed viewer.
Lostpedia: What was working with the Lost cast and crew for the first time like?
Daunting. I was nervous, even though I've been directing for twenty-five years, but after the first day it was fabulous because of the collaborative nature of the cast and crew. Everyone makes you feel great and supported.
Bobby Roth with two DHARMA extras during filming.
Lostpedia: Out of all the scenes in the episode, which was hardest to shoot and why?
I introduced Jacob and his cabin, which felt like a tremendous responsibility because I knew it would be scrutinized carefully on the Internet. As well, we had to find the right mix of horror and suspense there. I was saved by Michael Emerson and Terry O'Quinn, not to mention fantastic editing by Stephen Semel.
Lostpedia: Did you feel any pressure on you as a director due to the fact that the episode you were directing was one of the most mythological episodes of the third season? Do you feel that you made it work?
I would have felt pressure no matter what, but I actually felt more confident because the writing was so good and I knew it would be an important show. I think I did a good job and I can't wait to go back. The WGA strike knocked me out of my last show, but I'm doing another one in the winter.
Bobby Roth on the set of the submarine.
Lostpedia: What is your favorite scene in the episode, and why?
I very much like the sequence when Ben kills his father and then returns to complete the Purge because of the mix of designing the camera and the performance of Jon Gries and Michael Emerson. I also love the scene between young Ben and Richard Alpert, because I am long standing friends with Nestor Carbonell and he plays my alter ego in my personal, independent films Jack the Dog and Manhood.
Lostpedia: You've been working on a film called Berkeley.What is Berkeley about, and what other film work have you been doing since working on Lost? If approached, would you be willing to direct another episode of the show?
Berkely is my newest personal film (which stars my own son, Nick Roth as well as Henry Winkler, Sarah Carter, Bonnie Bedelia, and Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello.) My main TV show is Prison Break.