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[arkhamguy123]

Like Nerdrotic likes to joke about: "Marvel doesn't hire directors, they cast them".

At least one director didn't put up with it and turned down the job (Black Widow).

Yep. 100%. I like how hitop films was doing his deep dive series on every Spiderman movie. With bundles of behind the scenes footage of Raimi and Webb directing and showing off their craft and talking about their process and someone asked if he would do the MCU Spiderman movies and he said he couldn't because there is suspiciously little to no behind the scenes deep dives or footage.

Hmmmmm. Wonder what's going on there. Probably would be these long boring takes of the 2nd unit crew and producers on set handling everything with Watt's either absent or serving as a tertiary element.

 

[Days like these...]

This is tangential but when this thing underperforms and it will, (don't count on China to save it nerds they're going through massive COVID lock downs and protests) Cameron will simply blame the MCU.

 

[jason10mm]

Like Nerdrotic likes to joke about: "Marvel doesn't hire directors, they cast them".

At least one director didn't put up with it and turned down the job (Black Widow).

The advantage of their 'system' is the MCU has a remarkably consistent feel from film to film. Obviously, some directors stamp more personality on to the product but I bet the over all consistency was an asset in the ramp up to Endgame/IW with a lot of the "side" characters. I still feel that Thor was the most shafted by the Taika wacky direction, but his first 2 films were lackluster, Rag was decent, and L+T just atrocious, so I'm not sure a more conservative direction would have been any better.

Now I think we are seeing more director influence as the core narrative is resetting. But this is also paired with a far less charismatic pool of actors (IMHO) to build these stories around so hard to say what is director fault versus "the system".

At least GotG3 should be good, the last Chris left with any dignity

 

[DeafTourette]

Actually I do and the irony of you saying that is killing me.

I never said the CGI is made before the script is written. You said that. I said the action is done before the script is written. Which is a fact of their production pipeline and very public knowledge.

That's also true. A few insiders have alluded to this time and time again but let me illuminate you because you seem to be out of your depth here. The shots, action, story beats, even the jokes, are all done before a director signs on. Even before a screenwriter signs on in some cases. It's not a secret basically every non James Gunn MCU movie is very, VERY synonymous. I mean Jesus just watching like any random 5 will confirm to any non fanboy that there is a clear path of sorts laid out to these directors by Feige.

And Jesus Christ you're really trying to dispute this one after the very public VFX controversy like 1 month ago lol. I don't even know what to say. This is also very public knowledge and not up for debate.

You're talking about Previz (previsualization) in your second paragraph? Everyone knows about that. That's no secret.

And about the VFX... that's industry-wide... Not specific to Marvel. It's also common knowledge that the VFX houses low-ball themselves just so they can secure the job for a movie... And because shots can be cancelled by the director of something needs changing, that puts pressure on that particular VFX house. It's also why they have MULTIPLE VFX houses per film (again, it's not just MCU doing that).

You keep thinking I don't know what I'm talking about... What you brought up is common knowledge... I just provided some nuance and context because it's not as simple as you stated.

Also, the action STILL has to have choreography done with actual humans on camera... It's not all done in CGI like you said "before the movie even starts filming"... No movie does that. Not even the MCU.

You hate the MCU? Cool cool cool.

But most movie goers aren't going to the movies to view think pieces on the existence of humanity. They're going to be entertained. Yes, movies like Citizen Kane are amazing pieces or cinema... But for the most part, there's plenty to watch for every discerning viewer.

 

[DeafTourette]

Oh! And I learned about Previz from the LOTR bonus content 20 years ago

 

[DeepEnigma]

Mister Apoc thread?

Mister Apoc thread.

 

[jason10mm]

Oh! And I learned about Previz from the LOTR bonus content 20 years ago

Dude, that example, a film series COMPLETELY driven by ONE SINGULAR VISION of a madman, isn't gonna make your point

I'm sure there are lots of hired gun director action movies where all the setpieces are largely set in stone by the production team ahead of time, but they ain't the ones being made by the John Wick guys, Michael Bay, Cameron, or Zack Snyder. Those guys are in there from DAY ONE. Now the James Bond films, I worry that they will go more towards the MCU model (though TBH I think they pioneered this stuff back in the 60's when the JB films comes out every 2-3 years and the elaborate stunts and locations took extensive planning, then again, most of the older films had numerous returning directors).

The MCU is kinda running like a TV series, where the director on set for that episode is just getting the live action captured and the rest is handled by others. Sure, they have some involvement with selecting music, certain shots, some costuming. etc, but by and large the show comes together around them.

 

[DeafTourette]

Dude, that example, a film series COMPLETELY driven by ONE SINGULAR VISION of a madman, isn't gonna make your point

I'm sure there are lots of hired gun director action movies where all the setpieces are largely set in stone by the production team ahead of time, but they ain't the ones being made by the John Wick guys, Michael Bay, Cameron, or Zack Snyder. Those guys are in there from DAY ONE. Now the James Bond films, I worry that they will go more towards the MCU model (though TBH I think they pioneered this stuff back in the 60's when the JB films comes out every 2-3 years and the elaborate stunts and locations took extensive planning, then again, most of the older films had numerous returning directors).

The MCU is kinda running like a TV series, where the director on set for that episode is just getting the live action captured and the rest is handled by others. Sure, they have some involvement with selecting music, certain shots, some costuming. etc, but by and large the show comes together around them.

Destin Daniel Crettin, Chloé Zhao and Ryan Coogler aren't jobber directors... They were actively involved with writing their scripts, casting, Previz (most big movies employ Previz because these movies are NOT easy to make... A lot of complex things to plan out.... Like Chris Nolan and Zack Snyder), costuming and set design themes, etc.

A movie isn't structured like a TV show... We'll have to respectfully agree to disagree... You're still cool with me.