Benny Safdie Analyzes a Key Scene from 'The Smashing Machine' 🎬

Director Benny Safdie breaks down a pivotal scene from 'The Smashing Machine,' featuring Mark Kerr's first loss, in Vanity Fair's 'Notes on a Scene.'

Benny Safdie Analyzes a Key Scene from 'The Smashing Machine' 🎬
Vanity Fair
32.7K views • Oct 2, 2025
Benny Safdie Analyzes a Key Scene from 'The Smashing Machine' 🎬

About this video

In this episode of "Notes on a Scene," 'The Smashing Machine' director Benny Safdie breaks down the scene where Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson) has lost his first professional fight, and Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt) sits down to consult him. Benny explains how he built the scene with just two camera positions and intricate choices.

Director: Claire Buss
Director of Photography: Eric Brouse
Editor: Michael Penhollow
Talent: Benny Safdie
Producer: Madison Coffey
Line Producer: Natasha Soto-Albors
Associate Producer: Lyla Neely
Production Manager: Andressa Pelachi
Associate Production Manager: Elizabeth Hymes
Talent Booker: Lauren Mendoza
Camera Operator: Caleb Weiss
Gaffer: David Djaco
Audio Engineer: Rebecca O'Neill
Production Assistant: Shanti Cuizon-Burden; Ryan Coppola
Post Production Supervisor: Christian Olguin
Supervising Editor: Eduardo Araujo
Assistant Editor: Andy Morell

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Views

32.7K

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Duration

15:18

Published

Oct 2, 2025

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