Last night during a talk at the Tribeca Film Festival (hosted by FOXCATCHER and CAPOTE director Bennett Miller), Christopher Nolan was asked what sequence from his movies is his favorite, and his answer may surprise you. I thought for sure it would be the opening bank scene from THE DARK KNIGHT or a sequence from INCEPTION, but Nolan says his favorite is the airplane kidnapping scene from THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. The director went on to talk about shooting the sequence.
It took us about two days in Scotland. And it was an incredible sort of coming together of months and months of planning by a lot of different members of the team who worked for months rehearsing these parachute jumps and wind walking, all these different things… The visual effects work in the sequence is very minimal… I was really amazed by what the team we had put together had achieved using very sort of old-fashioned methods, in a way. I was very proud of the way that came together.
Christopher Nolan also says his biggest fear is "embarking on a project that you lose faith in or fall out of love with," and gave out some advice for aspiring filmmakers.
The only good advice I’ve been able to give is if you’re lucky enough to be telling a story with a camera on whatever scale you’re doing it, appreciate that as filmmaking. Don’t always be waiting for the real film to come along because you may already be making the real film.
Christopher Nolan doesn't have a new project lined up yet, although Warner Bros. reportedly wanted him to direct READY PLAYER ONE before Steven Spielberg snagged the gig. Which sequence from Nolan's films is your favorite?