lover of the 1985 dangerous undertaking filmThe Gooniesrecognize Richard Donner ( Superman : The Movie , Lethal Weapon ) as the director . But fewer see thatSteven Spielbergalso sat in the director ’s chair — technically , the second whole director ’s hot seat . Spielberg , who executive - bring forth the movie , supervisedshooting of a few view as part of the second unit , a supplementary filmmaking crew charged with capturing footage that may not require the main director ’s comportment . In this instance , heshotscenes involve two gorillas that escape from a zoological garden and slip a car , a subplot hold too cartoonish for the finished movie .
Take a look at some other famous directors who did some low - key shooting on film for a variety of reasons .
Sin City(2005)
While Robert Rodriguez ( Desperado , Spy Kids ) and Frank Miller carbon monoxide gas - helmed this torn - from - the - page adaptation of Miller ’s noir crime comic , there was actually a third theater director : Quentin Tarantino . ThePulp Fictionfilmmakerdirecteda individual scene in the final segment of the anthology film with histrion Clive Owen , Benecio del Toro , and the late Brittany Murphy . While Tarantino and Rodriguez are personal friends as well as collaborators — Tarantino write and co - starred in 1995’sFrom Dusk ‘ til Dawn , which Rodriguez directed , and both produced segments for 2007’sGrindhouse — Tarantino may have had at least one ulterior need . According toVariety , Tarantino wanted a first - hand look at the digital essence being used by Rodriguez to bring the graphic novel to living . He was paid $ 1 for his efforts .
The Hudsucker Proxy(1994)
Brothers Joel and Ethan Coen lead this earnest riff on 1950s commerce , with misfortunate hero Norville Barnes stumble into a top position at Hudsucker Industries . Co - writer Sam Raimi ( TheEvil Deadseries ) is bill as 2nd - unit director , though he had a heavy hired hand than most second - social unit helmers , admit the film ’s famous skyscraper plunge .
“ [ I direct ] just some shots in it , like the gunpoint of view , ” hetoldRolling Stone . “ And some of the montage . The stuff without the main characters , usually . Really , I was just the peter . They pointed my photographic camera in sure directions and told me to do this and that , and I did . ”
Technically , many Coen pal films have one ghostwriter director : Ethan . For years , the pairlistedJoel as sole director despite both taking on the role .
The Hunger Games(2012)
The first adaptation of the bestselling sci - fi serial by author Suzanne Collins , The Hunger Gameshelped propel Jennifer Lawrence into superstardom . It also provide an opportunity for sovereign film maker Steven Soderbergh to try his deal at a big - budget spectacle . Soderbergh was invited to do some 2nd - unit shot by director Gary Ross , who was looking to cover two solar day of filming and favourite to have an experienced film producer in charge . As SoderberghtoldMoviefone in 2011 :
“ Back in April , [ Ross]—who is a close friend of mine [ who ] I ’ve exchanged originative favor with non - lay off over the last 15 eld , when he got the boards for the shoot … [ he ] called me and said , ‘ Hey , first hebdomad of August , I got these two day of second social unit . Is there any direction you’re able to come down and serve me out ? Because I ’d rather have you do it than hire somebody who I do n’t have intercourse . ”
Soderbergh attempt to duplicate Ross ’s style rather than use his own . “ [ The job was to ] duplicate exactly what Gary and [ cinematographer ] Tom Stern … are doing , to mimic as closely as I can to their aesthetic , ” he say . “ And that ’s what I attempted to do . But if I ’ve done my job properly … by aim , you wo n’t be capable to order what I did because it ’s supposed to cut seamlessly into what they ’re doing . ”
Soderbergh never specify what on the dot he blast , but herecalledfeeling nervous over Ross ’s reaction . “ If I ’m scoot for me , I bonk when I ’ve got what I desire . But I ’m shooting for Gary and I knew what he wanted and what the panache of it was , but I was really uneasy … I did n’t hear from him for two workweek so I ’m like , ‘ Sh*t ! ’ And then lastly he anticipate me and belong ‘ Oh , I ’m so sorry I have n’t called . I ’m so felicitous with the poppycock . ’ And I was really upset , like I suck it . ”
The Watchers(2024)
There ’s little understanding for wildly successful director M. Night Shyamalan ( The Sixth Sense , Unbreakable ) to find fault up second unit of measurement duties on a film . The exception : When his daughter is the director . Shyamalanassistedon Ishana Night Shyamalan ’s directorial unveiling , 2024’sThe Watchers , shooting insurance coverage for the story about a woman ( Dakota Fanning ) snare in a undivided - windowpane elbow room in the middle of a wood while under observance by unknown voyeurs .
The untried Shyamalan toldTotal Filmthat her father ’s bearing on set was a informant of focus and calm . The elder Shyamalan said that the experience was transformative for him . “ [ It ’s ] the same job I ’ve done my whole life story but with a different purpose , ” hesaid . “ I have to deliver for [ Ishana ] . It ’s not something I came up with ; it ’s something she came up with . That created a different railway locomotive for me , when I was direct those scenes for her . I almost became a bookman again from the beginning . Which is the dream — that you start to see it as raw . ”
The HobbitTrilogy (2012-2014)
Peter Jackson fall to the reality ofJ.R.R Tolkienafter hisLord of the Ringstrilogy , bring along motility - capture performer Andy Serkis along with him for hisHobbitfollow - ups . This time , JacksonpermittedSerkis to channelise 2d unit . “ I think I understand Peter ’s esthesia and we have a common history of translate Middle Earth , ” Serkis toldThe Hollywood Reporterin 2011 . “ A spate of the crew fromThe Lord of the Ringswas come back to work onThe Hobbit . There is really a sense of Peter want people around him who totally understand the cloth and the workplace ethic . ” Serkis would after go on to directMowgli : fable of the Jungle(2018),Venom : Let There Be Carnage(2021 ) , and the upcomingAnimal Farm .
The Nun(2018)
This episode ofThe Conjuringcinematic universe take inspiration from earlier film — and take its director , too . Nundirector Corin HardytoldEntertainment Weeklyin 2018 thatConjuringdirector and producer James Wan came in to shoot footage . “ James Wan was my 2d unit theatre director in a little second of extra photography , ” Hardy say . “ It is funny , but we did some additional photography , and you ’re always pushing for double what you really can afford , time- or budget - wise . I say , ‘ I want to do all of this , but if we ’re move to do it , we really need to scarper two units . ’ James is a full - on , hands - on guy rope and he was like , ‘ Anything I can do of serving ! ’ It was like , ‘ I really want to take you up on that . ’ So , there were night when he was shooting a surgical incision in the forest and I was hit interiors . ”
Raiders of the Lost Ark(1981)
WhileThe Gooniesdemonstrated Steven Spielberg can lend a deal in another filmmaker ’s production , Raiders of the bewildered Arkproved that he ’s not against receive assistant . The first installation of the Indiana Jones franchise was borne out of estimate from George Lucas ( Star Wars ) , who also produced the pic ; he convinced Spielberg to direct it after Spielberg expressed interest in helming aJames Bondmovie . But Lucas ’s interest was n’t throttle to produce . After hearrivedin Tunisia for filming , he beak up a second - unit photographic camera to avail facilitate Spielberg ’s burden . Among Lucas ’s shots in the film : Indy grabbing his lash to empty the Wells of Souls , Indy ’s delirious sprint through the bivouac , and the iconic shaft of Indy ’s silhouette against a sundown . Lucas also picked up a shotbasedon the testimonial of then - wife Marcia Lucas , who tell the duo that there needed to be a last shot of Indy and Marion Ravenwood ( Karen Allen ) after their torturous experience with the Ark of the Covenant . Without it , Marion would have been last seen tied to a stake .
Spielberg toldEmpirein 2021 that Lucas get under one’s skin “ spoiled sunburn ” while shooting in the unforgiving climate — bad enough that his human face swell up up . “ I could have reverse the camera around and shot a repugnance motion picture , ” Spielberg order . But the experience did n’t discourage Lucas from repeating the practice : He alsocapturedsecond unit of measurement footage of the Ewoks for 1983’sReturn of the Jedi , directed by Richard Marquand .
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