And while there were few words or colors in the film to tinker with, Bridges' perfectionism remained steady. He says he double-checked everything at the 10-minute call, whether it be the need for a last-minute alteration or retying a necktie: "I'm constantly vigilant about what goes on camera because once it's on there it's on forever, so I'm not leaving much to chance, I gotta tell you," he says. "I sleep very well knowing I've done everything humanly possible to make it as good as it can be."
What did you think when you first got the script and heard it was going to be filmed not only in black and white but also as a silent?
My first thought was, "This sounds great; it could even be an antidote for all the computer-generation, all the techno stuff and new frontiers in 3-D. Let's just get back to basics." And it's interesting that it has indeed done so well. I guess I called that one.
Was your research phase simplified since you were able to shoot everything here in Los Angeles?
I had eight weeks in L.A., and because we're so set up here — with costume shops and tailors and wonderful cutters and milliners that work on our schedule — it worked really well. [For my research] I try and pull together all the photographic images evocative of the script and then put them in order. I do it as a paper printout with cut-pictures and create my own book, which I can show the director, production designers, my assistants. I make them for all my films, and they're fun to look at.
Did you pattern the lead characters George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) and Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo) after particular silent film stars?
Both the director and I separately came to the conclusion that Peppy was very much like Joan Crawford, who started at MGM in 1925. She had sort of the same career arc, played small and then the public really accepted her, like Peppy's rise to fame, which happened for Crawford in a silent film called "Our Dancing Daughters." And for George, I used pictures of John Gilbert, who I felt was similar, an elegant man who had sort of the same career arc. I also used Douglas Fairbanks' off-screen pictures.
How did the lack of sound and/or the black-and-white aspects of the filming affect what you did with the costumes?
Actually, the silence was very freeing because you don't have to worry about microphones rubbing against taffeta, dangling jewelry and such. As far as the colors go, I'd take a black-and-white photo of the fabric I wanted to use and then know how that color and value would translate to black and white using the [art department's] color chart as a key. Peppy's first dress where she bumps into George at the premiere is actually kind of a bright orange, but it reads as that wonderful medium-gray tone, and I built in the contrast with the collar and bow.
What did you think when you first got the script and heard it was going to be filmed not only in black and white but also as a silent?
My first thought was, "This sounds great; it could even be an antidote for all the computer-generation, all the techno stuff and new frontiers in 3-D. Let's just get back to basics." And it's interesting that it has indeed done so well. I guess I called that one.
Was your research phase simplified since you were able to shoot everything here in Los Angeles?
I had eight weeks in L.A., and because we're so set up here — with costume shops and tailors and wonderful cutters and milliners that work on our schedule — it worked really well. [For my research] I try and pull together all the photographic images evocative of the script and then put them in order. I do it as a paper printout with cut-pictures and create my own book, which I can show the director, production designers, my assistants. I make them for all my films, and they're fun to look at.
Did you pattern the lead characters George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) and Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo) after particular silent film stars?
Both the director and I separately came to the conclusion that Peppy was very much like Joan Crawford, who started at MGM in 1925. She had sort of the same career arc, played small and then the public really accepted her, like Peppy's rise to fame, which happened for Crawford in a silent film called "Our Dancing Daughters." And for George, I used pictures of John Gilbert, who I felt was similar, an elegant man who had sort of the same career arc. I also used Douglas Fairbanks' off-screen pictures.
How did the lack of sound and/or the black-and-white aspects of the filming affect what you did with the costumes?
Actually, the silence was very freeing because you don't have to worry about microphones rubbing against taffeta, dangling jewelry and such. As far as the colors go, I'd take a black-and-white photo of the fabric I wanted to use and then know how that color and value would translate to black and white using the [art department's] color chart as a key. Peppy's first dress where she bumps into George at the premiere is actually kind of a bright orange, but it reads as that wonderful medium-gray tone, and I built in the contrast with the collar and bow.
