One Direction and Morgan Spurlock talk concert movie This Is Us

Pop megastars One Direction look set to continue their global domination with a concert movie set to be released in summer 2013.

The quintet, who made their name on the seventh series of The X-Factor , have documentary-maker Morgan Spurlock ( Supersize Me ) capturing them on tour for This Is Us , their 3D docu-movie.

Spurlock and 1D (via Skype) were on hand at Sony’s recent press conference in Cancun to talk about the movie, and here are some excerpts:

On the appeal of making a One Direction movie…

Morgan Spurlock: “I mean, what’s amazing about the lads right now is that they are at this incredible place in time where like literally the rocket is still roaring through space. And they’re about to go on the biggest tour of their lives. And we capture kind of the build up to that and them going on this worldwide arena tour.

“And you know if you look at what’s happened to them really, it’s been three years and their lives have been transformed completely. So to be able to have a window into that moment is a really unique and special opportunity to get to have. And it’s been incredible.”

On whether the film was inspired by The Monkees and The Beatles…

Spurlock: “We watched all these films that were made. I watched all these films that were made about bands and the past. And you know they are incredibly unique in what they’ve accomplished and continue to accomplish and the success that they’ve had where literally they’ve become such a global phenomenon so quickly. And for me it was really wanting to give intimacy.

"So for this film, we wanted to make sure that we gave you access to their lives, their families, their personal lives, their homes; moments that you would normally never get to share. They have such a great connection to their fans and are really so open with them in so many ways. We wanted that to continue in the film in a way that really was unique and special like the band is.

1D on Morgan Spurlock…

Harry Styles: “I think with Morgan – I think in the films he’s done in the past he’s always kind of got really involved in it. We’ve seen the stuff he’s done. Like he takes it upon himself to kind of show stuff. And you know I think we wanted someone who would get really involved in it and kind of get to know us. And not just kind of stand back and make it from the side lines. So I think with Morgan, we’re lucky that we have that with him.

“I mean, I think it’s always going to be scary when you're allowing someone to come in and kind of film everything that you’re doing. It’s always a little bit nerve racking…”

Zayn Malik: “That’s the cool thing about working with someone like Morgan. Because he is so hands-on and involved you do kind of feel like you have full control of everything that is going on.

Styles: And it is exciting as well because at the same time you know there is only so much of ourselves that people can see. You know when through social media or in interviews and stuff like that you can never really get to know someone. And I think this movie is a great chance for the fans and just people who don’t really know us to get a chance to see a different side of us that they haven’t seen before.”

On whether or not the film is scripted…

Louis Tomlinson: “No, nothing at all was scripted. You know if we are asked the questions… we just answer naturally. Because I think that’s the most important part, that we show people who we are. And you know, to do that we can’t have anything scripted. So it’s all a reality.

On the 3D…

Spurlock: “Well, they are already so handsome in 1D I wanted to make sure that we took them even closer to you. The idea of 3D was something we talked about. We had a conversation way back when we first started with the studio, do we put this in 1D or do we put this in 3D? And I think there is a level of expectation for a film like this where you want to have that experience that does takes you even closer to them.

“Our DP on this film, Tom Kruger, one of the best concert DP’s in the world, he also did U2 3D which I think is still the best concert 3D film ever made. We said from the very beginning we really wanted people who watched the film to literally feel like you could reach out and touch Louis or Harry or Zane or whomever and the 3D so accomplishes that.

“And what we shot at the concert and the footage is remarkable. And some of that will also translate into the 2D stuff that we shot. We didn’t shoot all the behind the scenes stuff in 3D - that would have been incredibly expensive and problematic, but a lot of that will be converted into 3D. Not all of it – again just based on time and money but there will be some of it that will be converted as well."

This Is Us opens in the UK on 29 August 2013.