The entire filming pace of Gravity was very fast, and the experts dispatched from NASA also played a significant role. Apart from the early-stage preparations, the astronaut who had been stationed with the crew pointed out many unrealistic aspects of the shoot. His feedback was very objective, but Duke did not adopt much of it.
In fact, many of the filming details were unscientific, and they had to give way to the viewing emotions that Duke, as the director, wanted to create.
For example, during filming, astronauts' breath would fog up their visors, but in reality, this issue is already addressed in the design of spacesuits. Special technology ensures the visor remains spotless. Duke shot two versions with different effects, and after consideration, chose the unrealistic one.
Because it made the astronauts' breathing visible and emphasized the presence of the visor, creating a sense of claustrophobia. In subjective shots, the fog was very clear, making the isolation and helplessness of space even more poignant.
How to tell a story well in a film, how to balance authenticity and drama, how to make technology serve storytelling these are the real questions a director must consider.
Every director has their own style and philosophy. Duke is certainly no exception. Making the film more engaging instead of boring for the audience was inherently dictated by the investment scale of the project.
While filming the scene where Scarlett Johansson hears the sound of dogs barking and a baby crying over the radio, then turns off all the equipment and prepares to give up on life, Sofia Coppola happened to visit the set and discussed the scene with Duke.
"Seeing Scarlett silently sobbing…"
Standing next to Duke, Sofia Coppola looked at Scarlett, who was sitting in a rest chair getting her makeup touched up, and said, "I thought it was the best tragic scene I've ever seen. But then I remembered your script. That feeling disappeared completely. If Scarlett's character actually died at the end, I think it would be even more impactful."
Upon hearing this, Duke couldn't help but roll his eyes at Sofia. "Dear, I think you've forgotten. This is a commercial film with a budget of 200 million dollars!"
Sofia Coppola shrugged with a face that said she couldn't care less.
Duke emphasized again, "Audiences want to see the joy of a comeback, not the futility of a desperate struggle ending in death."
"Did you ask Scarlett for her opinion on the character?" Sofia suddenly asked.
"Of course I did." Duke returned to his seat and got ready to work. "She thinks this ending is excellent."
If they really went with the ending Sofia suggested letting the heroine die after all her struggles the film would definitely bomb all the way to the Mariana Trench. It would be a guaranteed financial disaster.
These two endings simply represent a choice between art-house and commercial cinema.
In fact, Scarlett had similar thoughts to his. A few days ago, when she was interviewed by The Hollywood Reporter, she was also asked why she shifted from art films to commercial ones.
Scarlett's answer was quite interesting it was inevitable. Watching movies is a form of escapism. Life is already hard enough. Audiences don't come to the cinema to suffer more. Since we are entertainment stars, they expect to be entertained. But directors like Duke can wrap the inherent tragedy of humanity into a mesmerizing survival adventure. You go through the adventure viscerally and also experience a form of rebirth. When you walk out of the theater, you might immediately feel like doing something to appreciate the beauty of being alive. That's also a kind of hope the movie conveys. It transforms a heartbreaking story into beautiful language, making you want to strive to live.
Before Duke got back to work, Sofia Coppola walked over and stood behind the director's chair, asking, "In recent years, the female characters in your films have become more prominent, more resilient, and strong. Don't tell me you've actually become a feminist?"
Duke merely shrugged without giving a direct answer. "Who knows?"
He turned around and saw Sofia staring at him with wide eyes and a curious expression, so he said, "Times are changing, and so is cinema. I just think such female characters are more alive."
Sofia knew Duke well and could tell he hadn't finished his thought, so she gestured for him to continue.
After thinking for a moment, Duke told her, "We've been in this industry for so long, and we've seen too many manufactured fantasies stories that develop in a neat and orderly way as recognized by a patriarchal society. But we know the world is diverse. People are born different, and the ways of survival vary greatly. So now, more and more films depict different myths, and that's the kind of cinema I like the truly interesting kind."
"Don't you think those fantasy films like the ones Disney makes are boring? Boy meets girl, they break up, the boy fights to get her back, and they live happily ever after. It's sweet, but I don't find it interesting."
Hearing Duke's words, Sofia Coppola nodded in agreement. "Exactly. I even think comedies can't save those perfect fairy tales. It's when life gets strange or takes a detour that things become interesting just like how your Gravity script portrays it. If the protagonist had a happy family and loved ones on Earth anxiously waiting for her return, it wouldn't be nearly as compelling as if she were someone who had lost her loved ones and had nothing left to live for. What could reignite her desire to Survive that's what's truly intriguing."
"Exactly," Duke turned back and said, "That kind of character resonates with people. Everyone can find a piece of themselves in such a story. Because all around the world, there are all kinds of lives. These women can also be funny, witty, and have a happy ending but such happy endings are earned through vivid twists and turns."
Outside of filming, what Duke paid the most attention to was his team's contact with Lucasfilm.
Since August, the news that George Lucas had confirmed his imminent retirement had been spreading like wildfire in the industry. The future of Lucasfilm became a hot topic of concern.
Indeed, Lucasfilm couldn't match the traditional Big Six studios, but its profitability was astonishing. And through Industrial Light & Magic, it could influence the future development of the entire Hollywood film industry. Not to mention the less competitive companies even the traditional Big Six studios in Hollywood all wanted to acquire Lucasfilm.
Of course Duke wanted it too, but the competitors he faced were extremely powerful.
Among the Big Six, Walt Disney was the most eager to acquire Lucasfilm. Sony Columbia Pictures, on the other hand, was hindered by its parent company Sony Group, so it could essentially be ignored.
The other companies were acting based on the offered price and timing.
To impress the shareholders of Lucasfilm, it ultimately came down to the price. In a transaction involving billions of dollars, nothing was more crucial than funding.
In terms of funding, Duke held the advantage. Over the past few months, through stock transfers and bank financing, he had amassed a massive flow of funds, enough to compete on price with any company.
On the other hand, the attitude of George Lucas, the key figure at Lucasfilm, was also an advantage for Duke. If the offers were similar, George Lucas himself would surely prefer to transfer his shares to Duke, giving him the upper hand.
Moreover, Warner Bros also supported Duke. Due to the group's rapid expansion causing tight cash flow, Warner Bros. couldn't come up with much real money, but symbolically joined Duke's acquisition campaign and would also hold shares in Lucasfilm in the future.
This was good for the acquisition. The executives at Lucasfilm surely understood that the company would inevitably be sold, and if it were to be sold, they would naturally lean toward a buyer with a broader platform one of the Big Six. Warner Bros. was the best tool Duke could bring out to counterbalance Walt Disney's advantage.
In the ongoing negotiations, Duke's team had raised the offer to $3.8 billion, which was already a premium. However, if necessary, he would increase the offer to $4 billion or even more.
Moreover, Duke promised the executives of Lucasfilm that once the acquisition was completed, a new Star Wars series would immediately begin production. This meant that Lucasfilm's performance over the next few years could soar to new heights, and the executives could receive substantial bonuses.
To Duke, acquiring Lucasfilm for over $4 billion was like getting a money tree for free.
Lucasfilm's money-making power would reach a frenzy after the launch of the new Star Wars series.
Duke remembered clearly that even before the new Star Wars was released, its merchandise and licensing deals had already gone crazy. EA holder of the exclusive rights to Star Wars games; LEGO released best-selling toys like the Imperial Star Destroyer; Sony Entertainment its PS4 console had exclusive games and bundle rights; Hasbro bought the license to produce Star Wars model toys…
And that was just part of it. Merely from pre-release licensing, Lucasfilm had earned over $1 billion!
That didn't even include revenue from DVDs and streaming platforms. At the time, Disney made a fortune selling original movie DVDs and through streaming during the promotion of the new film, the first six movies sold extremely well. The cost for Disney to re-release them was very low, so they made this money effortlessly.
The real winner of the Lucasfilm acquisition back then was Walt Disney. In another world Duke had lived through, back in 2012, Walt Disney spent $4.05 billion to acquire Lucasfilm from Star Wars creator George Lucas. The deal was later widely seen as a bargain Disney earned back the money through product licensing and merchandise alone.
But now, facing a competitor like Duke, Walt Disney had absolutely no advantage.
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