How Jamie Foxx Fights a Man on Fire in ‘Project Power’ | Anatomy of a Scene
NYT, 15 Aug 2020
Henry Joost knew he wanted to make “Project Power” when, 10 pages into reading the script, he came across a scene with a guy on fire.
The filmmaker called his directing partner, Ariel Schulman (the two made the documentary “Catfish,” as well as two “Paranormal Activity” sequels) and told him about the scene, because his goal was to make the movie and, with the help of expert stunt and visual effects teams, really set a person on fire.
It’s an ambitious task in this Netflix action film about a pill that gives people five minutes of superpowers, though side effects may vary: dizziness, nausea, death. In the case of Newt (Colson Baker, a.k.a. Machine Gun Kelly), his ability to go combustible results in some heavy skin burns.
The scene is the first time we get to know one of the movie’s leads, Art (Jamie Foxx), who has his own reasons for tracking down Newt. Narrating the sequence, Joost and Schulman discuss how they came up with Art’s slick way of breaking into an apartment (Google works wonders) and how they settled on the design motif (heat lamps galore, plus an alligator).
And then there’s the whole man on fire part. They explain why visual effects like this can sometimes look unconvincing and what they did to remedy that. Open an ice-cold drink and enjoy.
Read the NYT review: https://nyti.ms/2Y3qxRT
Subscribe: http://bit.ly/U8Ys7n
More from The New York Times Video: http://nytimes.com/video
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The filmmaker called his directing partner, Ariel Schulman (the two made the documentary “Catfish,” as well as two “Paranormal Activity” sequels) and told him about the scene, because his goal was to make the movie and, with the help of expert stunt and visual effects teams, really set a person on fire.
It’s an ambitious task in this Netflix action film about a pill that gives people five minutes of superpowers, though side effects may vary: dizziness, nausea, death. In the case of Newt (Colson Baker, a.k.a. Machine Gun Kelly), his ability to go combustible results in some heavy skin burns.
The scene is the first time we get to know one of the movie’s leads, Art (Jamie Foxx), who has his own reasons for tracking down Newt. Narrating the sequence, Joost and Schulman discuss how they came up with Art’s slick way of breaking into an apartment (Google works wonders) and how they settled on the design motif (heat lamps galore, plus an alligator).
And then there’s the whole man on fire part. They explain why visual effects like this can sometimes look unconvincing and what they did to remedy that. Open an ice-cold drink and enjoy.
Read the NYT review: https://nyti.ms/2Y3qxRT
Subscribe: http://bit.ly/U8Ys7n
More from The New York Times Video: http://nytimes.com/video
----------
Whether it's reporting on conflicts abroad and political divisions at home, or covering the latest style trends and scientific developments, New York Times video journalists provide a revealing and unforgettable view of the world. It's all the news that's fit to watch.
