Edgar Wright: First! I get there early e
and pace nervously making a game plan
Coppola: Just after the DP.
Payne: I do not arrive before the transp
of the ADs but I always arrive early to w
the set and make mental notes for the da
Lee: I am one of the earlier ones.
DO YOU CUT WHILE
YOU SHOOT?
Michell: Only wrists.
Soderbergh: Yes. Sometimes literally w
weâre shooting.
Spielberg: My editor Mike Kahn and m
room team edit every day during principa
every moment the cameras arenât turnin
cutting trailer.
Cuarón: I do some cutting. I cut my own
during the shoot I have to cut on weeken
my time on set. I tend to cut more durin
weeks of shooting because I have more e
Iâm still in the early stage of discovering
Clooney: Always.
Nolan: No. Iâll look at Leeâs (Smith Nola
assembly if he tells me I screwed someth
Fincher: Always. I am able to sustain a
degree of self-loathing when I have imm
to all of my most recent failings...
Greengrass: Always.
Bier: Yes. And I spend a fair amount of ti
while I shoot.
Marshall: Rarely. I donât like to. Iâm foc
happening and whatâs next. Pirates Of T
was the one time I had to because of the
amount of CGI work. Luckily my partner
was there to precede me in the editing ro
work through scenes â so that I could us
more effi ciently.
Joe Wright: My editor is compiling an a
edit and occasionally Iâll pop in to check
is working but no more than that.
Whedon: And before. I usually only sho
I need. That got me into trouble in block
I made an eff ort on my last fi lm to shoot
my options open â and that got me into
Lee: No. I would rather imagine the best
reality later.
Edgar Wright: Yes. On the last two I ed
on set and it was incredibly helpful. On
I would show the actors and stunt men
that day on wrap.
Payne: Never. Actually by the time I rea
room two weeks after wrap I wish to hav
what I shot so as to approach the materi
editor not a director.
Coppola: No I like to wait until after I
REAL EXPLOSION OR
CGI EXPLOSION?
Spielberg: Saving Private Ryan boasts 1
cent practical explosions.
Payne: Never done an explosion but I h
explosive diarrhea and that was very ve
thing I have my trailer.
Edgar Wright: Real. So much more fun
p a miniature of the police station and I made
e when they detonated. Too much fun.
l is real. Nothing else is real. Unless itâs a safety
o contest.
: Real so far.
plosion. Itâs really fun.
al if possible â with CGI enhancement.
eal explosion with CGI enhancement.
occasional CGI enhancement to sex it up.
plosion.
.
l explosion is not only much more fun to
elps the actors and creates an energy on set
in the scene.
contained and easily replicable (fast
?). On set â but with countless iterations
tation.
oth. Augmented reality.
ât think Iâve done any explosions.EVER OPERATE
ERA?
my earlier years I operated the camera
day less so. Itâs not good for my back.
I love being by the DP.
fi ve times during an entire shoot. Usually
I need to work with the actor to get the
just right.
n shot on the big movies. I operate on the
.
ight: I did on Hanna but not on the other fi lms.
n: Very rarely. Iâm not experienced at it and Iâm
behind the monitor.. Too clumsy.
Very seldomly very badly.
ight: I used to operate on my amateur fi lms.
more as I am no Bill Pope. Occasionally I have
amera for an Irwin Allen earthquake eff ect.
rating is great fun but other people can do it
e. Also while doing a scene I like to look at
feel the moment and if Iâm operating I get
he frame. I like to set up the shot in detail
ovement composition etc.) and to be next
carrying a handheld monitor. I donât use
ravity was an exception because of its
ndent technology). I also prefer an apple
e action than a directorâs chair.
to but there are better people who actually
f work.
y student days with 16mm cameras. The 35mms
I donât really fi nd it that sexy.
but Iâm in the camera union from operating
eet â I pull out my card every once in a while
ff the cinematographer.
hat would not be good...
: Ye s.
ass: Once a movie.
TâS THE BEST BIT
LMMAKING?
e fi rst stage of editing before anyone sees it.
: The cutting room.
guring out the shot.
vourite bits are the hours upon hours spent