Though having tackled time-travel adventures and classic fantasy stories, Robert Zemeckis says thatHereis probably the most difficult movie he’s ever made. Thecast ofHerereunites Zemeckis withForrest Gumpstars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright, while also starring Paul Bettany and Kelly Reilly. Based on Richard McGuire’s graphic novel of the same name, the movieis set in only one room in a home, and follows several families who occupy the house over the course of a century. In addition to the limitations that filming in only one room provides, the story ofHerealso required Hanks and Wright to be de-aged.
In an interview withVariety, Zemeckis delved into whyHerewas such a challenging movie to make, stating thatthe film would have been impossible to make five years ago due to the technical challenges they faced. The director explained what it was like to only film in one room (also with only one camera angle) and detailed the process of de-aging iconic actors Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. Read his full quotes below:
We could not have made this movie five years ago. It turns out to be maybe the most difficult movie we ever made. Every single scene and every single moment had to happen and work perfectly in this frame.
What Zemeckis' Comments Say About Here’s Challenges
De-Aging Has Come A Long Way In Recent Years
While filming in one room with only one camera angle is a challenging endeavor, that could have been achieved five years ago. However, the fact that the creative team behindHerehad to de-age Hanks and Wrightis why Zemeckis stressed that this movie wouldn’t have been made without various technological advancements. To de-age Hanks and Wright, who play teenagers at one point in the film,the movie’s creative team used thousands of archival images to create a sort of “digital makeup” for both actors, then superimposed that on their faces during post-production and filming.
Directing Here was unlike anything Zemeckis had ever done before.
In the same interview, Zemeckis explained that he would look at two monitors while they were filming to see the actor’s real faces and to see their faces with their “digital makeup” on. Therefore, directingHerewas unlike anything Zemeckis had ever done before. Speaking about the process of using two monitors, Zemeckis did at least acknowledge that it was a “great tool” for both him and his stars, butthat their performances were what made “the illusion work”.
Why The Camera Only Moves Once In Here & What It Means
In the 2024 drama, Here, the camera moves only once during the entire movie, and as you might expect, it moves at one of the most pivotal moments.
While he may considerHereto be his most challenging film to date, it’s certainly notZemeckis' only movieto require extensive visual effects to keep viewers immersed in their respective worlds. Between creating his own vision of the future inBack to the Future Part IIto bringing cartoons and live-action characters together inWho Framed Roger Rabbit?, inputting Hanks' Forrest Gump into notable historical moments, or being one of the earliest motion-capture filmmakers with bothThe Polar ExpressandA Christmas Carol,the filmmaker has tried his hands at a variety of technological challenges.
Our Take On The Challenges Of Filming Here
There is no doubting thatHerewas an incredibly hard movie to make. While de-aging actors is becoming a more common practice in Hollywood, it is still controversial since audiences can usually tell if someone much older is playing a character who is supposed to be younger. Therefore,this method of filmmaking could be distracting to the viewer. In the case of Zemeckis' newest movie,reviews forHerehave been quite negative, which suggests that the film’s story and the filmmaking techniques implemented have not resonated with audiences.
Here
Cast
Here is an objective and formal description for the movie Here (2024): Directed by Robert Zemeckis, this film is an exploration of time and memory, unraveling the intertwined lives and stories of families across generations in a New England setting.
