Ridley Scott is one of the most prolific filmmakers in Hollywood, who is celebrated for creating franchises like Alien. After launching the franchise in 1979, the sci-fi movie series has been spawned with sequels and prequels, including James Cameron’s Aliens in 1986. However, it wouldn’t be until three decades later that Scott would helm the franchise again with his two installments, Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, although both were met with divided responses from critics and audiences. Despite the franchise and Scott’s movie track record, the director is still celebrated for his contributions to the sci-fi and historical genres.
A key reason that Scott is lauded as one of the best directors is his eye for visuals and production value. The filmmaker is notoriously known for valuing practical sets, leading to his Gladiator II team building a real Colosseum to showcase authenticity. Even his least well-liked movies have some redeemable qualities, including Napoleon’s Battle of Waterloo sequence. However, going the practical route can be costly, as evident with Gladiator II‘s massive $250 budget. However, it appears that many studios have tried to compromise with Scott about these large-scale sets, including his $405 million Alien prequel.
Scott Refused To Use Green Screen To Film The Cave In Prometheus
The Director Wanted The Cave To Be 26 Feet Longer
While filming Prometheus, Scott wanted the cave set to be 26 feet longer and refused to go the visual effects route. The Alien prequel follows the Prometheus space crew, who travel to a distant moon after two archaeologists find a space map from an ancient culture. This marked Scott’s return to helming the franchise, with the budget adding up to roughly $120-130 million. Despite division about the story’s direction and lore, many critics and audiences agree that the movie’s high point is the visual effects and production. This led to the filming receiving nominations, including an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
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While speaking with Vanity Fair, star Guy Pearce remembered a time filming Prometheus when Scott put his foot down on a studio suggestion. He recalled that the director wanted the cave to be 26 feet longer, so the studio recommended using a green screen to allow his vision to come to life. However, Scott apparently refuted this suggestion and counteroffered that they knock down the studio and build the cave for him, which they complied. Read his account below:
Partially because Ridley Scott doesn’t like visual effects. I remember we were shooting in that massive cave of an arena where our characters first enter that world. Ridley wanted it 26 feet longer than it was, and they said “we can put a green screen at the end and make it as long as you want.” And he said “no, no, no, knock the end of the studio down and build it for me.” They went “yes, Mr. Scott, whatever you want, sir.”
Our Take On Scott’s Refusal To Go Green Screen To Enlarge The Cave
That’s Very Scott Of Him
I’m honestly not surprised that Scott was adamant about his demand for the cave in Prometheus. He is a filmmaker who has a clear vision for his movies and doesn’t want that compromised. Even though the movie wasn’t the greatest in the Alien franchise, there is no denying that the visuals were one of the redeemable qualities of the movie, so it is quite an anecdote that Pearce was able to share about his experience filming it. It only showcases the amount of respect that studios have for Scott and why most have met his requests if it means having to sacrifice some pennies.
Source: Vanity Fair
9/10
Prometheus
2012’s Prometheus is the fifth installment in the Alien franchise and was directed by Ridley Scott. Starring Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Idris Elba, and Guy Pearce, the film acts as a direct prequel to 1979’s Alien.
- Release Date
- June 8, 2012
- Runtime
- 124 Minutes
- Writers
- Jon Spaihts , Damon Lindelof
- Budget
- 130 million
- Studio(s)
- 20th Century
- Distributor(s)
- 20th Century