FromBackdrafttoApollo 13toRush, directorRon Howardhas overseen more than his fair share of physically demanding and logistically nightmarish productions.
Physically, right alongsideBackdraft, says the filmmaker.
Everything [on that film] was real world, real fire.
Credit: Jonathan Prime
There was an element of danger, and discomfort, and the mechanics of the filmmaking was complicated.
This one was similar to me in that way.
And it was mostly in-camera, outside of our whale.
Jonathan Prime
So, Id say those challenges were similar.
If pushed too far, the reaction is as exreme as youd expect.
What was that like?
Thats what (cinematographer) Anthony Dod Mantle and I tried to do.
This was hours and hours of the actors literally being adrift and being trapped in those boats.
It was a physical test, it was an endurance test, and an emotional test for them.
I know they were using it as well and trying to take advantage of it.
These actors showed so much respect for the story.
It was pretty inspiring to watch.
Youre not on a stage and youre not stepping off every 20 minutes to take a break.
You know, it was hours out there at a time.
Sometimes its a little cold, and sometimes its very hot, and the winds blowing.
They had to look after each other, even in terms of actor things, like makeup and wardrobe.
The usual crew of people looking after the actors werent available.
I could hear them, because Id still have my ear phones on.
All the talking stopped.
They were really putting themselves through it.
They never lost perspective on that.
How far away from the shore were you shooting?
Sometimes it would be a mile, sometimes it would be three or four miles.
If the swells got too big, wed be called in.
We did have a couple of storms that moved in and we to get out quickly.
We had a flash flood and there was only one road in and out of this little canyon.
Thankfully no injuries, but that was just a reminder of what nature can be.
Chris Hemsworth plays one of the two leaders of the crew, along with Benjamin Walker.
Was he similarly one of the leaders of the cast?
Well, Chris is pretty soft spoken and hes not showy about that leadership.
So there were three actors that everyone else on the set respected.
I didnt have to do very much of that, which I was grateful for.
When you say off-course what do you mean?
[Laughs]
So, the cast were eating virtually nothing every dayandworking out?
Yeah, they had to work out every day, even on shooting days.
Because they had to lose the weight pretty fast and they had to lose it safely.
How much experience did you have filming with, and on, water prior to shooting this?
Cocoonhad quite a bit of water.
And then I also went a long way down the road prepping two water movies over the years.
So, Ive given a lot of thought to working on the water.
You know, I dont vacation on the water.
Im a pale-skinned redhead, I get sunburned out there.
Im a little frightened of the ocean, in fact.
But I just know theres great drama out there.
you’re free to see the trailer forIn the Heart of the Sea, below.
