8 Secrets That Directors and Even Actors Won't Reveal
Behind every film lies a long and arduous process, the subtle aspects of which even the most avid viewer cannot imagine. For example, have you ever wondered why movie trailers are often literally filled with spoilers? We found answers to this and many other intriguing questions that have been troubling cinema enthusiasts.
During filming, costumes are prepared in multiple copies due to the possibility of tearing or getting dirty. Backup costumes are also necessary for stunt doubles. By the way, sometimes the personal items of actors are used as well. There is no difference between being a background actor or a leading star in this case. For instance, many of the clothes worn by the Dude in "The Big Lebowski" were from Jeff Bridges' personal wardrobe.
When filming scenes where limbs are cut off, the actor wears green socks, and then the necessary image is added during editing.
Musical scenes are filmed in silence, and the sound is added during editing. Many cameras are used during the filming process, and achieving perfect sound through editing is simply impossible. Excess noise on set can also be disruptive, especially when there is dialogue between actors in a scene.
Relying on weather data for filming is futile and very expensive. Therefore, companies specializing in creating artificial weather conditions for cinema are responsible for this.
The "rain" effect is created using water sprayed from hoses connected to fire hydrants from a great height.
Snow is actually nothing more than crushed paper or plastic. Sometimes, a soap-based mixture is used for a more realistic appearance. This mixture is passed through a special machine and turned into snowflakes. Such a substance does not dirty clothes and does not make the ground slippery.
To create fog, glycol, liquid nitrogen, and carbon dioxide are used. These substances are covered with protective casings to prevent them from damaging the equipment.
Any cameras and phones are prohibited on filming sets. This is necessary to prevent information about the plot from leaking before the film's release. Violating this rule can even result in losing your job and ending up on a "blacklist" — meaning you will never be hired for film shooting again.
Now, actors do not have to lose dozens of kilograms for a role or spend months working out in the gym. Of course, there are still those who achieve the desired figure in the old-fashioned way. However, in many cases, the actor's face is digitally altered to fit a certain physique. For example, the creators of "Unbreakable" took this approach to give actor Jack O'Connell a more robust appearance. In the series "Homeland," actress Claire Danes' pregnancy was concealed using this simple method.
Background actors must wear the same costume for several days, and before each shooting day, they are photographed by the costume assistant. This is done to prevent errors in the shots, as the same scene may be filmed on different days, and there is no other way to control the process.
To elongate their necks, actors wear special platform shoes during filming. Robert De Niro wore such shoes while filming "The Irishman," Robert Downey wore them for his role as young Sherlock, and Daniel Craig wore them to match the height of his co-star Gemma Arterton in "Quantum of Solace." This method is also used to make shorter actresses appear taller. For example, in "The Avengers," Scarlett Johansson appeared in front of the audience wearing high platform boots, even though her character, Black Widow, was supposed to wear flat-soled shoes.
By the way, previously filmmakers had about 2 minutes to capture the audience's interest, but now, considering the development of the internet, there is only 5 seconds to grab a person's attention. This is precisely why today all the most exciting shots are moved to the beginning of the trailer. After all, if this precious time is not used wisely, the clip will simply be closed with a single motion, and that's it.