Interview with Jerry Bruckheimer
Popular producer Jerry Bruckheimer in an interview with THR talked about how he had to cut the budget $ 260 million to negotiate with the studio Walt Disney on the set of "Lone Ranger" with Johnny Depp in the title role, and shared his thoughts on the new release date of the movie.
Jerry Bruckheimer says he never doubted that the film "The Lone Ranger" with Johnny Depp certainly will be shot. However, the project has become one of the most difficult tasks for his career, which he had to decide, after the Disney studio has suspended production of "Ranger" in connection with its budget of $ 260 million. One of the directors of the studio, Robert Iger, has offered to reduce the amount to 215 million, and only then begin to renegotiate.
- How has the studio frozen the project?
"We had a script, and we worked on it, and developed, so to speak. Everything was fine, though, when you view the menu in a restaurant and say, "I love all the local desserts. I want to try each of them." You make an order, and someone say to you: "We can’t afford it." And then you start to cut down the order. The studio wanted us to cut the budget in accordance with voiced their boss (Aigerim) number and receive from us a positive answer to a specific date - August 12 - but we could not. We just did not have time for this. And they said: "We have to stop the bleeding." We understand their motives, but we would like to continue working on the project. "
- You were shocked when the project has been shut down?
"When it takes such a turn, it is always shocking. However, I was absolutely convinced that we can make a movie. It took us about 5-6 weeks to calculate on what we can save."
- And how did you do it?
"We have altered the production plan. Initially, we tried to avoid the winter and plan to shoot in California, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. If today we have a big crowd shot, and tomorrow we only work with Ranger and Tonto, the whole crowd is idle, and together with it and a bunch of staff: make-up artists, hair stylists, stuntmen, costume designers, technical workers. Therefore, we grouped separately scenes in which involve a large number of people and scenes in which there are only Ranger and Tonto. This is a huge savings, about 10 million.
Then we began to look for states that provide tax benefits. It was found that in Louisiana it is more profitable to shoot than in New Mexico, and it is still about 8 million. We are trying to negotiate tax representatives of New Mexico to provide similar benefits as Louisiana."
- Had you cut the script? There were rumors that have been cut episodes connected with the train.
"We cut out the scene of the attack coyotes – supernatural coyotes - and a small piece of animation. The episode with the train is slightly reduced, but not cut out: Gore has a creative approach to all kinds of victims, so the film as a whole it was not affected. The studio, of course, would prefer that we have reduced the material in the script. But the competition is very fierce. We can’t compete with the "Hobbit," we can’t compete with the "Transformers" if we save on the script. Spectators will stay home".
- What if you can still leave within your budget?
"We're all at risk, including Disney".
- What do you think about changing the date of the studio for movie release in December 2012 on May 31, 2013?
"The new release date is better. First we'd have to compete with the "Hobbit" and "World War Z". Now the "Lone Ranger" will be released in a couple of weeks before "The Man of Steel" and a week after "Fast and the Furious 6". This is a good company.
- There were your most difficult negotiations?
"They were tough. Because there are difficult times now. Many of the films that I produced, is also covered: the first "Pirates", "Pearl Harbor", "Armageddon". So for me - it is quite common. Therefore, in such cases, I say: "Let's be realistic. Let's work on the budget. "
- How important is this film for Verbinski?
"He's definitely interested in it."
- Will you be engaged in "Pirates 5"?
"We're at the stage of sketches and drafts. The story is in development. We have a script, but we decided that it could be even better."