Echoes of Hollywood

Any director would go to great lengths to find the right material, rather than waiting for the perfect project to fall into their lap. Murphy often found himself in situations where he was tirelessly searching for opportunities, but sometimes, luck was on his side, and things came effortlessly.

Just like Quentin Tarantino and "Inglourious Basterds," Murphy sometimes experienced incredible luck. However, luck was only part of the equation; success also required corresponding effort.

To date, almost all the scripts for Murphy's films had been handled by him, at least involving him deeply. His reason for writing or actively participating in scriptwriting for all his films was not to be a dictator but for purely technical reasons. In Murphy's production style and mode, the script was already a part of the directing process.

A script is not a book, nor a novel, but a guide, an instruction manual.

During this shoot, whenever Murphy arrived on set, he always had a clear plan and idea for the day's scenes. If it was an action scene, he made sure everyone knew what to expect before starting, often using a "storyboard" to ensure that the technical crew and all personnel understood what was required of them.

For other scenes, Murphy disliked using "storyboards," especially those requiring explosive performances from the actors. He believed this would stifle their creativity, as rigidly following his sketches could never compare to the richness of reality.

It's like commissioning a master tailor to make a garment and then finding someone to wear it. Clearly, it should be the other way around: find the person, take their measurements, and then commission the tailor, checking for improvements until the very end.

Therefore, during this preparation and shooting phase, Murphy let the actors rehearse freely, often not intervening initially. Those with enough intuition would naturally find the correct positioning.

With years of experience, Murphy only needed to observe the positioning to know how to improve.

Apart from necessary guidance, Murphy never demonstrated how actors should perform. Their acting abilities far exceeded his. A smart director wouldn't foolishly instruct actors on their specific performances, as that would be counterproductive.

Many directors tend to over-direct their actors, who indulge in this because they enjoy being over-directed and endlessly discussing their roles. They like to explore the character-building process rationally.

Usually, this leaves them confused, losing their spontaneity and talent.

Many people assume every director on set is like James Cameron, always pushing the actors. In reality, most directors, like Murphy, create conditions for actors to thrive as long as they are not in trouble.

This is also part of the director's job.

From the beginning of shooting, Murphy understood the methods suitable for his lead actors, rarely interrupting their good working state as it would be futile.

Instead, he facilitated their work.

Every director has their style and working habits, which have both benefits and drawbacks. Steven Spielberg is a prime example. This super director can indeed shoot any subject, but on closer inspection, all his works seem to come from the same mold.

Thus, to maintain one's style without becoming formulaic, each film's photography, scene design, and editing style need fresh elements. Otherwise, even the best director would bore the audience after a few films.

Spielberg is also an example in this regard.

Just as "Deadpool" added humor and fast cuts, "Gone Girl" blended suspense and thriller, and "Man of Steel" gave superheroes a heavy theme, Murphy included a lot of thought in every scene's shooting and design in "Inglourious Basterds," adding black humor and shamelessness throughout.

When shooting certain special scenes, Murphy tried to use a single take or do so whenever possible, avoiding unnecessary cuts and not shooting the same scene from different angles.

This method kept actors from repeatedly doing the same thing, maintaining freshness and spontaneity, and allowing them to interpret the same scene differently each time without worrying about matching other shots.

Directing such a film, blending black humor into the entire theme, plot, and scenes without highlighting the jokes, is a high-demand, strict genre.

Individually pulled frames may not find suitable punchlines, but within the context of "Inglourious Basterds," these hidden black humor elements became audience favorites.

From the early preparations, Murphy was clear that "Inglourious Basterds" was not "Man of Steel." The final cut should never detract from the audience's laughter. Nothing should distract from where they should laugh.

Excessive camera movement or fast cuts risked killing the humor, making it hard to produce a remarkable dark film about World War II.

The final effect Murphy sought was dark, simple, and clear.

Murphy wanted a meticulous, simple, slightly dark picture, hoping to see everything while working, wanting to see the actors do what they should, without damaging the timing arrangement, crucial to this film.

His last film was a very serious black film, so he always had the urge to try new things, enjoying the camera and movement.

But this was not "Man of Steel." During "Inglourious Basterds," Murphy had to suppress these impulses.

Besides, Murphy had to avoid many mistakes in all his work.

The first was avoiding anything that didn't help "Inglourious Basterds."

This often happened. During shooting, Murphy might have a seemingly clever idea or want to try something new. If it didn't fit "Inglourious Basterds," he had to discard it immediately.

This didn't mean being rigid; quite the opposite. Rigidity was also a mistake.

In Murphy's understanding, "Inglourious Basterds" was like a plant. Once seeded, it began to grow. To see it flourish, he had to grow at the same pace, consider various changes, and be open to others' views.

As a director, unlike a screenwriter, who works alone, believing they control everything they write, a director brings the script to the set, requiring control and the help of others and the entire team to achieve the goal.

This understanding, acceptance, and respect for resources are crucial for any director.

For a director, determination is a quality, but inflexibility is a mistake.

Another potential pitfall is the director's authority on set, which can swell, leading them to believe they know everything about movies. However, this is laughable.

Directors often think the audience will like a character, only to find they are uninterested and prefer a character the director almost ignored. Directors expect laughter at certain moments, yet the audience laughs at something the director never found funny.

Anyone who watches movies often knows this is common.

But this unpredictability makes directing magical, captivating, and fun. If Murphy thought he knew everything about movies, he would have stopped making them long ago.

Murphy loves his work. It brings him financial rewards and spiritual enjoyment. He enjoys it because it is his forte and passion. Each film immerses him deeply.

Even facing difficulties, overcoming them brings a kind of mental pleasure.

For example, when shooting scenes of numerous Nazi officers watching a film in a theater, considering the awards season, Murphy used 35mm film, making color processing less convenient than digital. To reduce post-production trouble, many scenes were shot with set designs and on-site lighting adjustments.

The theater scenes were dark and oppressive, requiring low-light shooting, presenting many challenges. Murphy made ample preparations and conducted numerous experiments.

Low-light shooting often requires continuous attempts to find the best method to achieve the desired effect.

Thus, the shooting process generally takes longer, and pre-shoot preparations are necessary. Murphy led the crew to arrive at the site at least two hours early each day to prepare equipment and lighting, while contemplating compositions and using the camera to express the desired images.

This traditional film shooting method is extremely time-consuming and laborious but necessary for awards season and achieving good results.

For similar films, the Academy prefers film over digital, the answer being obvious.

Although film shooting brings some trouble, it remains within controllable limits. However, during post-production, Murphy encountered significant problems with using film.

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