Weapons Film Insights with Zach Cregger & Joe Murphy 🎬

Cinematographer Oren Soffer sits down with director Zach Cregger and editor Joe Murphy for an in depth conversation about Weapons. From Zach’s meticulous pre-planning with photoboards, to Joe’s work shaping the tone of Gladys in the edit, to the rare opportunity to receive feedback from David Fincher, the duo break down the creative process behind the acclaimed supernatural horror film.

Watch Weapons now: https://www.hbomax.com/movies/weapons/bcbb6e0d-ca89-43e4-a9b1-2fc728145beb

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00:00 : Intro
00:56 : How Joe and Zach Met
03:17 : Key to Getting Your Team in Sync
05:02 : Editing Approach: Cutting While Shooting
08:37 : Brutalist Editing: Don’t Be Afraid to Be Rough
10:24 : Creating a Pitch Book with ShotDeck
10:57 : Studying the Genre Then Adapting It to the Footage
12:28 : Editing Before Stepping on Set
15:08 : The Cold Opener: Key to Feeling the Story
15:50 : Photo Boarding Every Shot of the Movie
19:44 : Different Shooting Approaches to the Film
23:11 : Planning for the Edit and How Shots Actually Go Together
26:41 : To Plan or Not to Plan
28:18 : Scene Breakdown: Opening Running Sequence
31:36 : The Needle Drops, Planning the Soundtrack and Selecting Music
34:52 : How Zach Worked on the Score
41:54 : Scene Breakdown: The Stakeout
43:37 : Riding the Beat of the Shot
45:48 : Scene Breakdown: The Principal’s Office
47:33 : Letting the Audience Tell You What They Enjoy
48:55 : Test Screenings, Embracing the Feedback
53:55 : If It’s Not Part of the Story It’s Window Dressing
55:19 : Scene Breakdown: Arthur’s Dream
58:24 : What “Scary” Sounds Like
01:00:23 : Reminding the Audience This Is a Scary Movie
01:01:48 : What Was Left on the Cutting Floor
01:03:40 : David Fincher Input on the Film Edit
01:08:29 : Shooting from a Character Perspective for the Chase Sequence
01:14:47 : A Tight Shooting Schedule and Not Doing Many Takes
01:15:47 : Getting to Know Glady’s in the Edit
01:17:31 : Editing for the Story, Keeping It Grounded
01:18:54 : How Amy Madigan’s Performance Elevated the Film
01:22:01 : An Unexpected Twist, Finding a Brand New Cast
01:24:01 : A Collaborative Art: Movies Are Artists Coming Together
01:26:46 : Final Thoughts