Interview with Director Aaron Lee Yeager
Question: So, the third book takes on a much more serious tone than the first two. Can you explain to me the thought process behind that?
Answer: Was it? I dunno, I didn’t really notice, what with all the pixie problems we had.
Question: Pixie problems?
Answer: Yeah, one of the blasted producers decided to come down and visit the set first day of shooting. First time I had ever met him, to be honest. I would have had security drag him away but luckily I recognized his name from the letterhead on my checks.
Question: That must have been quite an honor.
Answer: Maybe, I guess. Anyway, he brings this bratty kid with him, I guess it was his daughter or something, I dunno, and she starts complaining about wanting to see the Pixies. “Where are the Pixies,” the guy asks like I’m supposed to just wiggle my butt and make some appear for him or something.
Question: Sounds like there was a miscommunication.
Answer: Oh, there was no miscommunication. He told me in no uncertain terms that I’d either add pixies into the script or I’d be sent back to making infomercials for the prison system. So, we rounded up a bunch of pixies and put them in a few scenes.
Question: That must have been fun.
Answer: Are you insane? It was a disaster! Stupid little dust-balls came to set every morning and got rip-roaring drunk at the catering table. By mid-day, they’d be puking everywhere. Do you know how hard it is to get glitter-puke stains out of hardwood flooring? Whole place looked like a big bright colorful sparkly splatter house crime-scene.
Question: I had no idea alcohol was allowed on set.
Answer: It isn’t. At least, not in any large quality. Union rules, or something, I dunno. But pixies are so small, just a few drops of the stuff is like a keg to them. So when the cleaning bill for glittery puke started cutting too deep, we had to switch over to a completely dry set. That was tough on Evere. I don’t think the man’s acted a scene dead-sober his entire career. Privet threatened to walk off the production, and we had to write him out a few scenes when he didn’t show up in protest.
Question: Yes, the pics of Privet standing atop his trailer with a thousand female fans holding solidarity signs went viral for about a week.
Answer: Yeah, it was a real shame when the roof of that thing collapsed. I can promote more extras to leads, but I can’t make trailers.
Question: It’s ingenious how you were able to work his injuries into the story, though. He’s up for an Oscar nomination for all the scenes he filmed while in his cast.
Answer: I guess so. You know what the worst part was?
Question: What could be worse than a severe spinal injury?
Answer: The worst part is, those blasted pixies kept getting drunk on set. Drove me crazy. I tore the place apart at night, trying to figure out where they were getting their liquor. Finally, I found it, after three weeks of searching every night all night long. I showed them, conflabbit.
Question: Did you just say conflabbit?
Answer: I did.
Question: Like a gold-rush era prospector?
Answer: Yeah, why?
Question: Uh…no reason, I guess. So, what did you find?
Answer: Turns out the pixies had constructed a tiny little distillery in the pantry wall out of a teapot and a swizzle straw. They were making adorable little batches of moonshine and storing it in thimbles. 
Question: I see…
Answer: Darn thing was so cute, I didn’t have the heart to destroy it.
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