dormouse7 wrote:Interesting - guy in the back reminds me of the mole scene...

A Boulonnais in first line in the last Nolan: «A true Spitfire flew over us»
Published on 01/07/2016 <- (July 1)
Interview by Gautier Navet

On Thursday 23 June, the Dunkirk teams left the northern coast. According to Dutch media, Christopher Nolan is already tackling the shooting in the former island of Urk in the Netherlands. During six weeks, in Dunkirk, the British-American filmmaker allowed hundreds of extras to replay some scenes from Operation Dynamo (May to June 1940). Among them, Manuel Paque, a Boulonnais of 23 years, at the head of the company Atome Théâtre.


Manuel Paque, on the set of Dunkirk.


How did you learn about this search for extras?

I had heard about the cast on social networks. I then received an e-mail from Pôle Emploi indicating the procedure to follow. I am intermittent of the show, and as such, the production has partnered with Pôle Emploi to give priority to those who benefit from this status, each working day corresponding to a stamp for us.

What happened before the shoot? You have had to undergo some physical transformations?

Before filming, it was first necessary to check the questions of timetable. Originally, I was in a band that spun quite a bit (two days, ed). I then received a phone call to be placed in a privileged group, where we shot a lot more, and most of the time in the front line. Then there was the appointment at the FRAC of Dunkerque for fittings: two suits ... a lousy one for the days when we are at the bottom, and a much more detailed for the days when we were close to the camera. Then there was the 40s cut, short on the side with a length on top. And we all had to be shaved in the morning. It was easy enough to identify between extras in the street!

How long have you been shooting?

The filming went from May 26th to June 20th for me. The planning was initially well defined. And it became much more random. We could be called in the evening at 9 pm, the next day very early ... The days were long, very long ... Generally, at least 12 hours, with a meal break sometimes very succinct.

It must be really impressive to tread a beach surrounded by hundreds of soldiers?

It was sometimes very impressive, especially the day when the 1,350 extras were gathered on the beach. The few explosions and other special effects that we were able to attend put us in the bath. More generally, what impressed me was the means deployed. Huge military museum boats off day-round. A real Spitfire was flying over us, all filmed by a helicopter that did not let go of a plane. The models, the staff, the costumes ... It was enough to look around to realize the colossal budget of production.

Were the weather difficult in that period in the Dunkerque?

Weather ... What to say? Let's say that, basically, on the beach by the sea, or downright at sea on boats, it is not always very hot, even in the sun. There, we were treated to rain, wind, storms ... There have been many crises of hypothermia and abandonment. Some days of filming on the pier were particularly difficult. In addition to the rain, the waves passed over and soaked everyone ... Finally, on days when the sun gave, we went home red crayfish ... What made us even more identifiable in the street, that said.

Did you know exactly what you were doing, you had a specific role, or did the film crew leave the extras in the blur?

Most often, we waited. Between the takes, which is normal on a shoot, but also during. Because English soldiers were waiting on the beach to be embarked ... So concretely, 90% of the time, we waited. The remaining 10% fled a sometimes invisible threat or applauded an equally imaginary allied vehicle. Or we boarded boats ... We must know that each group had a leader, also listed, but with an administrative burden and an additional responsibility: the leaders managed the group and received the news by talkie. If at the beginning, we knew very clearly when it was turning, very quickly, it was no longer the case. The leaders no longer necessarily have the info, so that it was sometimes even longer that we did not know if we could move freely! In the end, we have a vague idea of ​​the scenes in which we participated and the order in which they take place, but we also know that the final rendition will make us all funny.

Have you had the chance to meet stars?

Yes, almost every day, since our group had the chance to be often close to the camera. We were able to see Christopher Nolan very closely, as well as his closest technical team, including his director of photography, Hoyte Van Hoytema. We were also able to see very closely, and on several occasions, the excellent Kenneth Branagh, and saw Mark Rylance.

Was this your first experience in front of a camera?

At all. In addition to endorsing the role of the director in videos made for plays or workshops at the theater (Manuel Paque is at the head of the company Atome Théâtre in Boulogne, editor's note), I participated in some films and series as Appearing. I had a few roles in short films too (notably in Le Bain de Murphy, with Jean-Claude Dreyfus, a Boulonnais film that will be shown on Thursday July 7th at Carré Sam).

Has this shooting reinforced your love of cinema or the other side of the scenery has it broken a little magic?

It does not break the magic, I knew what to expect ... But it allows on the other hand to see the rigor necessary in this kind of production. For my part, I come from the theater and I have this love of the stage and the public that drives me to prefer it to the cinema. Not to mention the interminable waiting time between two takes of a movie. In the end, the job of actor of cinema and that of actor in the theater are, for me, two very different things. This shooting will remain an unforgettable experience, which allowed me to make beautiful encounters. The extreme conditions may also be for something ... We plan to regroup a maximum of guys from my group to go see the film together.

dormouse7 wrote:

Innovator wrote:^ Very impressive, specially for the genre! Nolan's name + Harry fans make for a good combo in this case.

I wonder if Harry fans are familiar with Nolan's filmography/previous success...

Most of Harry's fans are now over 18 and many (like me and some others on this forum) are over 25. Pretty sure they were at least as familiar with Nolan as the general public. Harry will be 23 in February and he's the youngest in 1D. The oldest will be 27.

okungnyo wrote:So...Hacksaw Ridge (2016) got six Oscar nominations, which does not bode well for Dunkirk's Oscar chances.

The Academy hates giving Big Five nominations to blockbusters from the same genre two years in a row: ("Big Five" = the prestigious categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted/Original Screenplay)

2013: sci-fi (Gravity)
2014: war (American Sniper), NO to sci-fi (which explains the Interstellar snub)
2015: sci-fi (The Martian)
2016: war (Hacksaw Ridge)
2017: NO to war

See how there's always an off-year between the same genres?

The July 21, 2017 release date won't help, because of "recency bias" (Oscar voters being more likely to vote for movies released in November/December because they're fresher in their minds).

Hell or High Water (2016) got only four nominations, despite having universal acclaim (96% on Rotten Tomatoes and 88 on Metacritic).

And all because of that release date; because it was released in August and not the more favorable November/December.

Sucks that the Oscars are like this, but that's how it is.

(Sorry for that over-analysis/rant. I guess I'm still sore from the Interstellar snub.)