We all know that Twitter can mostly be a roiling fetid pit of despair and dysphoria. It’s what makes the place so much fun. But occasionally, there are those moments when you get to see the way this forum can be used as a tool for good. Or, for entertainment.
One good part of Twitter is that unique access to the players in industries can be found. While many are familiar with journalists being available (like sending potato gifs to Brian Stelter), the players in Hollywood can also be a good source of insight. Look beyond the celebrities, and you can sometimes get a peek at how the sausage gets made.
One recent example is due to a few of the artisans from the industry discussing how some amazing photography took place in the filming of Tom Cruise in “Mission Impossible: Fallout.” Cruise is often hailed as an actor for performing many of his own stunts, but the crew that has to film him frequently are just as outlandish. Screenwriter Cheo Coker was impressed.
You know one of the baddest muthafuckas on the planet is? That muthafucka who jumped out of the plane backwards to keep Tom Cruise's face in frame on "Mission Impossible: Fallout." They should have Oscars for camera operators and shit.
— Cheo Hodari Coker (@cheo_coker) November 2, 2019
Then fellow scriptwriter Christopher McQuarrie, who wrote the Cruise film, provided some amazing details.
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His name is Craig O’Brien.
He’d never shot narrative film prior to Fallout. He learned visual storytelling quite literally on the fly.
He did so with a 20 pound rig on his head.
While pulling focus.
Without a monitor.
He’s a category of one. https://t.co/HQdkdQqfu1 pic.twitter.com/6DnH5LYyQH
— Christopher McQuarrie (@chrismcquarrie) November 2, 2019
The really great thing is how this tweet sparked more questions, and McQuarrie was most accommodating in lending more insight toward those he has never met.
I guess it worked out but I’m surprised that being a big budget picture you didn’t have anything better than gaff tape to secure that camera to his head…. but mad respect.
— Ben Staley (@DailyStaley) November 2, 2019
The tape isn't keeping the camera on his head. It's keeping the camera components from coming apart at 200mph.
— Christopher McQuarrie (@chrismcquarrie) November 2, 2019
An inexperienced cameraman was shooting in true guerrilla fashion while plummeting at 200mph. And it gets better.
Didn't the crew do 22 jumps or something!? Seriously inspiring stuff
— proudfoot (@shamehand) November 2, 2019
109
— Christopher McQuarrie (@chrismcquarrie) November 2, 2019
Over 100 jumps, just to get the shot. Moreover, in order to match the natural lighting, they had only two minutes in which to shoot within a 3-minute window each day. So they could only execute one jump per day. That is over three months’ worth of skydiving in order to capture what was less than one minute of screen time.
sitting in the theater it took a few seconds to release the cameraman just fell out the damn plane. incredible.
— mxyplyzyk (@mr_mxyplyzyk) November 2, 2019
It was so good, I was certain it was faked.
— Kevin (@babyKeveen) November 2, 2019
And to cap off the impressiveness, there is actual footage of them filming one of the jumps. Note in the actual scene above there are no edits until the lightning flash.
— Diana Prince (@Diana_E_Prince) November 2, 2019
Just staggering filmmaking and all the more impressive that they did this in the era of an overreliance on CGI.
Legend
— ? (@Daniel_Stephan_) November 2, 2019
absolute god of a man
— ??Matt ?? (@_mattkeisog) November 2, 2019
Splendid it was master
— R D (@ard68co) November 2, 2019
This demands respect.
WHAT
THE
HECK!!!!Okay, I am going to remember that next time I feel like quitting something or cutting a corner.
— proudfoot (@shamehand) November 2, 2019
Yes, next time I start bitching about my internet slowing down or such, I’ll be considering this guy’s workday and then promptly shut the hell up!
