Had the 3D in Sanctum not looked anything less than spectacular, director Alister Grierson and producer/co-writer Andrew Wight would have James Cameron to answer to. An executive producer on the ambitious nautical thriller, Cameron – as his IMDB filmography attests to – only permits his John Hancock to be used on a one-sheet for the best.
Gentlemen, big Jim must be proud; this is a very striking picture!
Alister Grierson : Thanks Clint. Yeah, those caves were a great environment to shoot in 3D. Andrew and Jim [Cameron] got together and brainstormed over potential topics that would lend themselves magnificently to 3D and the first thing they came up with were ‘Caves’.
It’s amazing how beautifully 3D can capture the guts of a soaked fissure
Andrew Wight : I don’t think people are quite aware how much beauty and grandeur there is underground. People just think it’s dark and horrible down there. Not so, there are all these amazing environments there. I think we’ve had a good crack at trying to recreate that for audiences. The world of caves just works well with 3D.
And Jim’s initial first reaction to the dailies?
Jim admits the 3D probably even works better here than it did on Avatar. It’s those more intimate scenes in Avatar that the 3D works better in.
It may indeed, but why is that?
Andrew Wight : Avatar was a spectacle. 3D works better for more intimate sequences like we have in Sanctum. The smaller, the better. People have questioned Baz Luhrmann’s decision to shoot The Great Gatsby in 3D, but guess what? Baz will make a crackin’ 3D movie.
Indeed. And there’s those that are even skeptical about Marty Scorsese’s journey into the realm of 3D with Hugo Cabaret, but tell me that’s not going to be an amazing experience!?
Andrew Wight : You see, people think it’s just the action/adventure movies that lend themselves to 3D, it’s not; it’s the intimate drama – 3D doesn’t actually work beyond about 30-feet – that works the best.
Now, it’s the same Cameron/Pace Fusion 3D Camera System used here, right?
Alister Grierson : Yes, the very same cameras used on Avatar. The cameras literally came off the set [of Avatar] and were flown to us.
Did they even give them a spit and polish for you?
Andrew Wight: No, we had to clean them up [Laughs]. They were still dusty.
I’ve heard those 3D cameras can be a temperamental little cow to work with?
Alister Grierson : It’s mostly business as usual. It’s more technical, no doubt about it, but at the end of the day our problems weren’t with the 3D they were with the water and the light. Even in a 2D film water creates a lot of safety and technical issues.
Andrew Wight : Yeah, I think we were more concerned about the performers than the cameras. These actors had to spend all this time in the water, diving into caves, so they had to be taught how to do that – and look convincing doing it.
Alister Grierson : Light sources were a big issue. You had to justify where your light sources would be.
Andrew Wight : Yeah, on the first day or so of the shoot, the crew – typical movie people – wanted to put lights up on the roof. That way, all they’d have to do was flick a switch and we’d be good to go. Thing is, you can’t put lights on a cave roof. We had to end up carrying all our equipment; it was a monumental effort.
The cast of Cameron’s The Abyss, back in the ‘80s, complained about having to work in the underwater tanks for the length of the shoot. How did you keep your cast sane?
Alister Grierson : We paid ‘em [Laughs]. I actually think, in the end, they loved it. And what a great way into a character – learning all those skills.
They all pulled it off…
Alister Grierson : I presume Moviehole will be talking to Rhys [Wakefield]? Well, no doubt you’ll definitely ask him, but being so young and seemingly up for anything, he seemed to really love that part of the job.
Sanctum is released Thursday
