When you watch a film by Paul Thomas Anderson, there are a couple things that immediately come to mind, no matter what you think of the overall quality. First, the film is going to be well-acted. Period. And second, watching each frame of the film, you can see just how much attention to detail is put into every bit of footage. It’s obvious that Anderson is a master craftsman.
The director’s latest film, “Phantom Thread,” is a perfect example of just how much care and thought is put into everything you see on screen. And in a new video, we can venture into the mind of the master to listen to his thought process in deciding on the “look” of the film in a series of camera tests.
Paul Thomas Anderson narrates these camera tests and breaks down every decision that was made. The filmmaker covers how he lit specific actors, which filters and lenses he used, and even the minor details, such as why he didn’t like a specific tea kettle. If you’re interested in becoming a filmmaker, or just fascinated with listening to one of the best directors break down the craft, this video has something for you.
And as an added bonus, after learning how he chose the lens and filter and costumes, we are given a couple little nuggets of info and a bit of a gag reel at the end. Anderson explains that Daniel Day-Lewis spent over a year apprenticing to gain the skills and knowledge to play Reynolds Woodcock, which is yet another example of the actor’s incredible commitment to projects. And ending the video, we see that food fight gag reel that we shared a while ago, that shows Day-Lewis and Lesley Manville battling each other in a very funny food fight.
This is definitely a video that true cinephiles will eat up.