With many films there are
scenes that hit the cutting room floor and don’t
make the final version. What were some of the scenes that
you really liked that didn’t make it into the film?
Would you have preferred that those particular scenes
stayed in the film? Why or why not?
I can only think of two scenes that we
filmed that didn’t make it into the film, and the
question of their being in the final cut always existed.
I’m not surprised or disappointed in either one of
them being left out. Ang Lee is a master filmmaker, and
his intentions for the film were very clear from the
outset. It is a testament to his skill that only two
scenes were shot and not used. Neither of the scenes were
particularly dear to me.
The first one involved showing that Jack
and Ennis were competent cowboys. The other scene I
won’t discuss, as its inclusion in the film would
have influenced the audience’s perception of the
ending. Out of respect for Mr. Lee’s exceptional
work I cannot in good conscience divulge that
information.
Outtake from omitted “Hippie” scene
Two scenes that I would have liked to see
more of were the rodeo sequence when Jack meets Lureen,
and the Fourth of July scene. The reason is purely
selfish, as I was in charge of directing background
performers (extras) and we had arranged for some
additional rodeo events that I coordinated with Kirk
Jarrett (stunt coordinator) and some of my colleagues in
the local rodeo scene.
The Fourth of July scene was a difficult
one for a couple of reasons. Firstly, timing fireworks
with background action, a fight as well as performance,
makes for a challenging little sequence. To top it off,
it wasn’t warm, and it rained buckets during the
days leading up to the shooting and afterward when we
tried to do additional shooting.
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Fourth of July scene location, Fort Macleod, AB.
Again selfishly, I would have liked to
have seen more of the fight and to have held on to the
image of Ennis standing over the defeated bikers while
the night sky is lit with fireworks. Of course, I realize
that Mr. Lee’s decision is the correct one, as I
know very well that it’s always better to get out of
a shot or scene sooner rather than dwell unnecessarily on
a shot or a scene for self-indulgence.
You are credited as a “First
Additional Director.”
My role in the making of Brokeback
Mountain was of additional assistant director. My
name being alongside that of Michael Hausman’s as
first assistant director was a result of Mr.
Hausman’s generosity and professionalism. The
project presented a unique structure in the production
department as Mr. Hausman was an executive producer, as
well as the first assistant director. Each of these
positions normally requires intensive attention, and only
in the case of one with extraordinary energy, skill, and
experience could a balance be struck. I was hired as
support to Mr. Hausman and the producers when needed.
That is to say, when executive producer duties needed
more focus, I was able to help in decisions regarding
scheduling and step in on set, if necessary. I aided in
many facets of pre-production and shooting and will
always be eternally grateful to the producers, especially
Mr. Hausman, Scott Ferguson, and Tom Benz, who were
instrumental in allowing me to make my humble
contribution to the production of Brokeback Mountain.
I noticed that, in the credits,
the barrel racer’s name is given as Chyanne Hodgson,
which is also the name of the next contestant called out
by the rodeo announcer after Lureen rides out of the ring
(just as Lureen and Jack are “meeting cute”
over her lost hat). I’m guessing that Ms. Hodgson
did all the riding that day, both as Lureen and as
herself. Was it an unusual gesture to give her credit by
using her real name in the film rather than calling her
“Mary Smith”?
Chyanne did most of the riding that day,
but Anne Hathaway did one version (much slower, mind you)
so that Mr. Lee could cut to her close up if he needed
to, or speed up Anne’s version in post. Sometimes it
works.
Using Chyanne’s name over the PA is
indeed a way to give her a little extra publicity and
also helps with not having to legally clear a fictional
name.
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Alberta champion barrel racer Chyanne Hodgson
In the short story, at this
point, Ennis remembers Jack telling him how he was abused
by his father at the age of about four: for wetting the
toilet seat, his father wetted him. And because Jack
discovered at this moment that he was circumcised and his
father wasn’t, his relationship with his father,
such as it was, was wrecked. Pierre, was any of that ever
scripted or considered for inclusion?
None of the backstory of Ennis or Jack
was in any of the scripts that I read. You would have to
ask Mr. McMurtry or Ms. Ossana about earlier drafts.
What were you doing when you
heard that Brokeback Mountain
had been officially nominated for eight Academy Awards,
including Best Picture?
Sometimes they get it right!
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I was working on the project I had just
finished. Specifically, I walked into the assistant
directors trailer and the third assistant director and
trainee assistant director, both of whom worked with me
on Brokeback Mountain, were standing there
smiling at me. They said one word: “Eight.”
Now, keep in mind that this little show I
was on was very challenging (daily schedule changes and
extremely long days) and I usually am not at all a
follower of the Oscars. As a result I had absolutely no
idea that the nominations had been announced or what
“eight” could possibly mean. So, I stood there
for a moment; they smiled at me some more. I think I
smiled back and said something brilliant like
“Eight? Eight what? Eight extras showed up out of
30?” Then they told me, and I think I allowed myself
a couple of minutes of nostalgia and wonder at how this
little film I thought might do well as an art house
theater release, and then live forever as a favorite in
film schools and among discriminating viewers, could grow
to such heights. Then I went back to work.
The film is complex, multilayered
and full of meaning. Was it visualized in its entirety in
advance? How closely does the finished product resemble
the film that was conceived during preproduction? Is it
different in any significant way(s)? Were there elements
that sort of developed on their own, either during
production or post-production? What surprised you about
it?
This question requires a little Film
101, so I hope I don’t bore too many of you or
seem too pedantic or condescending. Moreover, the vision
of the film is the domain of the director, obviously, and
so the final answer belongs to Ang Lee.
Directing a film is a very difficult
thing to do well. It is, after all, an artistic endeavor.
Unlike most art, however, film directing requires a gang
of a couple hundred people to “help out” in
various capacities. On top of that, the director must be
able to adjust to inconceivable conditions that arise
while filming occurs: for example, bad weather (not just
rain; sometimes it’s hail, snow, tornados, forest
fires), bad health (one or more of the cast or key
shooting crew), personality conflicts, mechanical /
technical failure (from cameras breaking down to
scratches on the negative), all of which I have
personally experienced on projects.
To be able to adjust to whatever the gods
have in store for us when we begin shooting, and allow
all two hundred of us to react effectively, a good
director has a clear plan at the outset. Ang Lee’s
vision of Brokeback Mountain was very clear.
The script, of course, is the blueprint
for the film. The clearer the blueprint the better
foundation you have for making a good film. Since we had
the best script most of us had ever read we had a great
advantage from the beginning. However, it would be almost
impossible to visualize an entire film in advance without
making adjustments. In fact, keeping too rigidly to a
plan can keep a director from exploiting opportunities
that inevitably arise, as well.
Ang Lee had worked very hard to
communicate his vision of each scene to us as far as he
could. We were given his breakdown of what he needed for
each scene and we provided the elements. How closely the
finished film resembles what he imagined in
pre-production, again, can only be answered by Mr. Lee.
As I said, we were given a breakdown of
what Mr. Lee needed for each scene. For example, he may
have requested wind and dust, which I then passed on to
the special effects team. Or he may (in a perfect world)
want a cloudy sky, which might require sky replacement if
it’s sunny on the day we were to shoot that scene,
which means I have to pass this along to the visual
effects team and ensure that our second unit shoots plate
shots of cloudy skies.
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Cloudy skies over Signal (Cowley, AB.)
Each scene has a list like this including
props, set decoration, etc. What isn’t included in
the list is the most important element of all, which is,
of course, the actors’ performances. This is where
the director really makes or breaks a film, especially
one like Brokeback Mountain that is really all
about the performances. Because of this rather
significant element being the sole territory of director
and actors, I cannot thoroughly answer the question of
whether the film realized the vision of Ang Lee.
Of course, some elements develop on their
own, as you can imagine: for instance, kids crying during
a scene (Fourth of July), the wind howling (Ennis and
Alma’s little house out of town), or sheep that
don’t want to be pushed across a stream. We have to
adjust to these things and either use them to our
advantage or shoot around them.
The windy Lonesome Ranch near Claresholm, AB.
I must say, while watching the film I
wasn’t surprised very much. Perhaps because Mr. Lee
had such a clear vision and was generous in communicating
this, and because I watched each scene unfold shot by
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shot, the finished film is pretty much
what I had imagined all along. The only surprise so far
has been the tremendous response.
I know this answer isn’t as complete
as some of you might have hoped, but I cannot thoroughly
answer a question about Ang Lee’s vision regarding
all facets of the film. After all, as I said, it’s
an artistic endeavor.
“ ... or sheep that
don’t want to be pushed across a stream.”
Does that mean that having Jake
haul those sheep across the stream was a necessary ad lib
rather than something Mr. Lee had asked you to arrange in
advance?
Creek Crossing location, Canyon Creek, AB.
No, Jake didn’t ad lib the sheep on
the shoulder thing. Mr. Lee asked him to do it. It did,
however, take a little “encouragement” to get
the sheep to cross a stream.
There is lots of wind and dust in
BBM, and it all seemed real, not produced. In other
words, the wind seemed to be blowing even far into the
background.
Most of the wind in the film is real.
Some scenes required additional wind, and many required
dust. The hail in the camp was all handmade by the
special effects department and their families, as it had
to be made from biodegradable material and nothing was
available and / or affordable.
We, of course, recovered the majority of
the hail, but I’m sure some of it was left behind.
Is there any one scene in the
finished film that holds a special place in your heart?
Which scene is it? Why?
There are a couple.
The first one is the tobogganing scene,
because I was able to make a creative contribution.
The second is the very first shot of the
movie, when the cattle truck rolls down the highway. It
was the
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very last thing we shot on Brokeback
Mountain, and a second unit that Ang Lee directed.
We were a very small group that day and we drove up and
down some beautiful country shooting small pieces of the
film (drive-by shots and scenics) with various vehicles.
It was one of my fondest days on a set.
Opening shot, south of Longview, AB.
Can you tell us what your
contribution was to the tobogganing scene?
Tobogganing scene (probably Fortress Ski
Area, AB.)
My contribution to the tobogganing scene
was that I helped come up with the idea of tobogganing as
Ennis and Alma’s post-wedding activity. The original
version had the young couple spinning doughnuts in an old
truck in a small town parking lot in winter. Since we
started filming in May we were very short on snow. So, we
tested all manner of special effects concoctions to get a
period pickup truck (quite heavy, those) to spin on
pavement. We eventually came to the conclusion that we
should think of something else. We needed something that
would be a little dangerous that would show them having
fun and getting closer. It occurred to me that we could
go into the mountains, which still had good snow on them,
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and shoot tobogganing. Mr. Lee liked it
and Ms. Ossana wrote it and we shot it a few days before
principal photography was to begin.
Pierre, you mention that you did
shots with various vehicles. Since so many posters have
noticed the visual and thematic similarities between the
opening shots of the cattle truck and the shot of
Ennis’s truck driving home from the Twist family
ranch much later in the film, I wonder if you could tell
us if this second scene was also a part of your last
day’s assignment?
Yes, you’re quite right (and
observant). We did, in fact, shoot those two shots on the
same stretch of road on the same day.
Did you have any idea during this
project that it was somehow more significant than others
that you’ve worked on, or did it just feel like any
other indie project? If it somehow seemed that you were
onto something big at the time, what led you to that
conclusion / feeling? If not, now that you’ve been
involved in a project that’s been blessed with so
much acclaim, is there anything that you can look back on
and see that you should have known it was going to be
something special, or is it just totally impossible to
tell what the finished product will be like and how the
fickle critics and audience members will respond?
This group of questions is a very
interesting one, in that if studio executives had the
answer to what makes a great film I’d be at the
theater every weekend trying to keep up with the waves of
outstanding cinematic releases. It’s hard to know
what makes for a great movie.
Having said that, there are certain
indications of greatness, I think. For instance, every
film begins with the script. In my experience there are
precious few great scripts. This is perhaps where we find
the weakest element in film productions. I’m not
sure why, although the way writers are treated by studios
is surely a big reason, but the literary basis of all
film is sorely lacking. This is very significant because
few directors or producers, despite their opinions, have
the tools to turn out a great screenplay.
“Twist” Ranch, near Beiseker, AB.
Brokeback Mountain was a
phenomenal screenplay. Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana
crafted something very few scripts can claim to be: a
great read. After having read a script of that caliber
I’d
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become quite excited about the whole
project. Knowing Ang Lee was at the helm made things all
the better.
Moreover, I was astounded that the themes
explored in the script were going to be released as a
motion picture by an American studio. The subject matter
was also of particular importance, in my opinion. So, to
have an extraordinary screenplay, coupled with a subject
that is important, gave me a clue as to the significance
of the piece from the outset.
What I didn’t expect, as I mentioned
previously, is the outstanding response to this little
film. I thought it would do well in the major
metropolitan centers, and in Europe, and maybe garner
some festival prizes. I thought the subject matter and
slower pace would surely make for an elite audience only.
Another clue was watching Ang Lee
rehearse key scenes with the cast. Since another pitfall
many directors fall victim to is sentimentality, I was
very encouraged to see Mr. Lee always err on the side of
subtlety and reservation. As I watched Heath and Jake
shape these characters it became clear we were onto
something big, or at least good (maybe great) which for
anyone working in film is rare indeed.
Ang Lee and Jake Gyllenhaal at Campsite #2
Finally, it isn’t completely
impossible to tell beforehand if a film will be good. A
good script, a good director, a great cast, and good crew
are all positive signs. To have all of that come together
in the right time and place, however, is very infrequent.
There are so many factors that go into making a motion
picture that it amazes me sometimes that any of them turn
out at all. If one considers the tons of material
produced each year and how much of that is watchable,
good films become all the more special.
I don’t think audiences and critics
are all that fickle, but quite predictable. The
accountants will tell you it’s all about
forecasting, market share, demographics, etc. I’m
more surprised by what audiences consider good, most of
the time. I’m certainly most pleasantly surprised by
the reception Brokeback Mountain received.
I’m taking it as a sign of things to come.
Do you have any funny stories
about working with hundreds of sheep?
Sorry, not really.
Any of the stories I could tell would be
in the “you had to be there” category. You
would have to imagine a film crew finding new ways to
insert the sound of sheep into daily conversation. Just
catching oneself
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standing around having serious
discussions about how to best use a herd of around 800
sheep was enough to keep us amused for days.
Feeding time on Moose Mountain
Was the sheep that was shredded
by a coyote really a shredded sheep?
No, the slaughtered sheep was not
butchered for the shot. It was created by the props
department.
Come to think, how did you manage
the shot of Ennis’s elk? Was it hit with an
anesthetic dart?
The elk was shot with a tranquilizer dart
on an elk farm.
Personally, I didn’t mind the sheep.
They certainly weren’t quick to move but they gave
us less trouble than a lot of humans have.
The film deals with very
difficult themes (homosexual love, homophobia, broken
families, making difficult decisions, etc). For you, what
was the most emotionally difficult scene to film? Why?
I’m afraid I didn’t find any
scene particularly difficult emotionally. Please
remember, I’m at work when we’re filming these
scenes and my job is to always be thinking and preparing
for what is coming up. My approach to what’s going
on is (has to be) more clinical, if that’s the right
term. At best I might think about how a performance is
too subtle, over-the-top, or forced, but that’s
about it. My job is such that it’s actually more
difficult if I get too wrapped up in what’s going
on. I’m the guy, unfortunately, who has to remind
everyone that, although the scene we’re shooting
might be mesmerizing, we still have two more scenes to
shoot.
Don’t get me wrong. I can be as
moved as anyone by a performance, but rarely on something
I’ve worked on.
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Are you able to enjoy movies you
have worked on when you see them later on the screen, or
is it just too distancing? Are you able to enjoy ANY
movies (that is to say, lose yourself in them as a fully
engaged layperson might), or do you always somehow find
yourself analyzing technical details?
Unfortunately, having worked on a film
transforms it into a different experience as an audience
member. First of all, I know how it ends. I also know how
it begins and just about everything in between.
Then there’s the fact that I’m
reliving something I did a year or more ago. I can’t
help but think of the places we visited, the challenges
and delights we all experienced. So, it becomes much more
than just watching the film.
I am quite able to enjoy movies as an
audience member. After all, I became involved in this job
because I love movies. The big difference is that I think
my standards are higher than if I weren’t involved.
If there are any mistakes, including performances, I
begin to lose faith in the film and have a hard time
being won over.
Heath Ledger said on Oprah that
the scene where Alma witnesses Jack and Ennis kissing was
the first scene filmed. We have read that first assistant
directors prepare the shooting schedule. Why did you
decide to film this scene first? Do you think this scene
would have been as important and / or successful had it
been filmed later in the process? Why or why not?
Well, I’m sure what Heath meant, if
he didn’t actually say this, was that this was one
of the first scenes to be shot between he and Jake. We
shot many scenes before that one including the
tobogganing scene, the wedding, the drive-in, and the
Thanksgiving scene, not to mention several scenes with
Alma and the girls in the apartment.
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Monroe’s
Thanksgiving, Schwab / Moriarity home
in the
Scarboro neighborhood of Calgary, AB
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The decision to shoot this
scene at that point in the schedule was not mine. I had
input into the schedule, but many factors had already
been taken into account before I began working on the
picture. The early scheduling was done by Michael Hausman
and Scott Ferguson.
I can say that as assistant directors we
try to schedule scenes as close to the script order as
possible. In this case, I recall that Jake Gyllenhaal was
not available for the first few days of shooting. Also,
we needed the snow to be completely melted from the
mountain locations before we could get the unit into
them.
We scheduled the apartment scenes as
close to script order as possible, but that meant that
Heath and Jake really only had two scenes at that
location and one of them was, well, a challenging one.
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I should also say that the actors had
rehearsal time together, though not for this particular
scene, before shooting began, so they certainly
weren’t strangers or unprepared.
Site of “challenging” Steps scene, Fort
Macleod, AB.
I don’t think the scheduling of the
scene would have had a significant impact on the success
of the scene. The scene works because of the incredible
performances and the inherent drama as written.
Performers of this caliber would have pulled this scene
off regardless.
What the hell was Bobby eating?
Bobby was eating cereal with pieces of
fruit in it. I think it was peach, but I’m not one
hundred percent sure on the fruit.
The actors have said that the
directorial team was very hands-off once shooting
started. With such great performances from actors this
proved to be a very successful method. What were your
intentions behind this unique approach? Do you think that
the film would have suffered had you been more hands-on
with the actors?
There was only one person who gave
direction to the actors on the directorial team, and that
was Ang Lee. This was as it should be. I have worked on
films where direction was done by committee, and it
doesn’t work on many levels. From what I observed,
Ang Lee’s approach to directing is to only say what
needs to be said when it needs to be said, and otherwise
to let the actors follow their instincts.
I can’t remember who said that 90%
of successful film directing is in the casting. I would
completely agree with this statement. If actors are
creating something special the director should have
little to do. Overdirecting is a sure way to kill an
actor’s instinct and enthusiasm.
On Brokeback Mountain we held
rehearsals before shooting began for scenes that Mr. Lee
wanted to work on ahead of time, and those were
essentially shot as rehearsed. Other than that, the
director and actors worked on the scenes as they came up
on the schedule.
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I should say that although the title of
assistant director has “director” in it, we are
essentially the logistics and communications specialists
on a film. We do direct background performers. However,
the director of a film is solely responsible for
directing actors on performance.
Divorce Cabin scene, near Claresholm, AB.
Would you consider Ang Lee to be
an auteur in the classic sense of the term? Jake
Gyllenhaal described him that way in an interview a while
back. We would love to hear your thoughts.
(Note: Auteur [author in Fr.]: a
theory of film that emphasizes the director as the major
creator of film art. A strong director, an auteur, stamps
his material with his personal vision, often in spite of
an externally imposed script.)
I think auteur is a term that is
often misused in film. In my opinion, an auteur is
(literally translated) the author of the film. So, when a
director writes an original script and then directs, I
consider him or her the auteur.
Brokeback Mountain had more
collaboration. That’s why Mr. Lee has thanked the
author of the original story, and the writers of the
screenplay, specifically, in his various acceptance
speeches.
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