Has the film really been shot in a single catch? The director explains how he did

1917 Has allowed Sam Mendes to take up a hell of a challenge: to dive the spectator into the First World War. Furthermore, having the impression of living it in real time. Meanwhile, The film released on January 15. Nevertheless, 2020 gives the impression of being made up of a unique “sequence plan” (a plan that does not stop).

For 1:50. Consequently, the public is therefore completely alongside the two British soldiers who must transmit a message behind film really been shot single the enemy lines, to avoid the death of thousands of men. However, “For me. Therefore, this film had to happen in real time in order to follow the journey of these soldiers as closely as possible,” says Sam Mendes in a Making-of Video.

Similarly, Complicated to turn, 1917 However, is what is called a “false sequence”. It is indeed not a single sequence plan that makes up the film. but several long scenes put end to end, giving the impression of never being cut thanks to mounting strings and technical virtuosity. In total. around 40 to 50 scenes that were shot for the needs of this war film, said Sam Mendes in the columns of first.

This process has already been used in other films before. as The rope from Alfred Hitchcock or more recently Birdman d’Alejandro González Iñárritu. However. the exercise was particularly complicated for 1917 : film really been shot single Not only was this sequence plan a shooting challenge, but this choice also implied that the film was completely pre-assembled: “In general, in the films, we use stuff, we can always shorten or cut a scene. There, it’s impossible”, comments Sam Mendes, always in the making-of.

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1917 film synopsis – While the First World War is in full swing. two young soldiers had to bring a message to the second battalion. If they fail, the troop will be taken in a trap of which 1600 men will not escape. Schofield and Blake have a day to infiltrate the enemy lines and avoid the death of their brothers in arms. An impossible mission on which the survival of Blake’s brother depends …

1917 seems to have won the criticism when it was released cinema. January 15, 2020: the French media are seduced by the last feature film by Sam film really been shot single Mendes. “A total film” for Cinemateaser. “virtuoso” and “exciting” for her, “brilliant and captivating” for the North Voix, the criticisms are generally rave: the crazy bet of Sam Mendes is a success, just like this real-false immersive sequence plan. In his criticism. Le Figaro stresses that “the fittings are invisible and, in addition to the technical feat, this bias creates a spectacular and threatening immersion. The crossing of No Man’s Land. landscape of desolation and death, is one of the strongest evocations of the butcher’s shop of 14-18 that has been seen for a long time”. Télérama admits it, “the director of Skyfall is particularly inspired” with this feature film.

Some negative echoes emerge. however, as the first, whose editorial staff is divided in the face of this new work: one of the journalists affirms that “Mendes has a sense of the great playful spectacle”, when another deplores a “device film really been shot single that turns empty, and systematically gives the impression of working to its own advertising”. Same observation in Liberation. who says that “Sam Mendes replayed the Great War in an immersive show and without a point of view”. What seems certain is that 1917 should satisfy war films on the one hand, on the other lovers of spectacular scenes.

The 1917 making-of teaches us more about how the film was staged. Roger Deakins, legendary director of photography had to deal with this crazy challenge. The film takes place almost entirely outdoors and. since the characters move all the time, no decor is the same, which was difficult to manage in terms of lighting. “Filming outdoors makes us dependent on light. weather and we realized that we could not light up” because the cameras sometimes moved so much that it was impossible to place lighting outside the field. We also had to film really been shot single be careful with the false-rail caused by the clouds! Below, discover the making-of video which allows us to discover how the 1917 teams noted this impressive cinematographic bet.

1917 accumulated no less than ten nominations with 2020 Oscars: it was cited in the categories Best Film, Best Director, Best Original Screw, Best Photography, Best Original Music, Best Sound (mixing and editing), Best Hairstyles and Makeup and Best Special Effects. However, the ultra-favori film only won three statuettes: best special effects, better photograph and best sound mix. On January 5. 2020, Sam Mendes’ war film won the Golden Globe for the best dramatic film and that of the best director.