Christian Bale goes off on DP

[Emiliano Ranzani]

The soundman is surely a freaking god at what he does - how come the audio is so clean???

Bale showed he lacks professionalism - he ain't a gentleman. But (and I'm not saying this to defend the star) why was the DP touching the lights during the take?? I mean, even if there was something wrong with them, you don't try to fix it while the camera is running! You either fix it before or wait for the take to be over (and then, along with the director, very calmly, maybe addressing an excuse - after all, it's better to not say to the star "sorry I flunked it" - you do it again).

 

[Ramesh Jai]

Behavior like what I am lead to believe comes from Bale, strongly suggests the use of drugs/narcotics/not-so-good-for-you-things.... I have seen it on set more than once, normal functional sober people don´t get off like this.

but for all I know, this thing could be staged, so I am not drawing any conclusions - other than if someone goes ballistic like what´s on that audio it´s really likeley a) No sleep for a very long time b) Drugs c)A very bad/unsocially personality - which I doubt in Bales case.

I'll side with Bale on this. Acting takes a lot of concentration. But you all know that.

 

[R. Schorman]

yes, but does He know that?

Haha! A Keanu Reeves approach.

 

[Vince K]

Haha I like how lots of people here are saying that they would fight Christian Bale on set.

Yeah right. That's probably the thing to do, smack the lead actor of a 150 million movie into the face on set in front of everybody.

Actually...I was referring to the part where he threatens to kick the DP's ass.

In reality, I can't say what I'd do. I guess it comes down to what would be the natural thing to do in that situation:

"Block ...block....WHAAAAMMMOOOOOO!!!" RIIIIGHT to the chops!!! :tongue:

But really....I've had DP's yell at me worse than that...but NEVER threaten physical harm.

Bale's-bad.

 

[chuck colburn]

What an asshole!

 

[XiaoSu Han]

Well I think many many people in the industry do not understand what an actor has to give until he can reach certain point. If a DP asks an actor to stay in a certain spot because then the light/background/angle is good, he would. If an actor wants his set clear during rehearsal or take and the DP does not respect that, that's not good.

I've had it twice already, once quite a famous actor blew up on a DP because he walked away during the take, the second incident was the actor shouting "I am playing with my feelings here, fucking asshole" on set, after the director started to talk without saying cut.

So I think a bit more respect should be paid to the actors, since they are those who pull the masses into the theatres.

 

[Brent J. Craig]

The bottom line is that this was unacceptable behavior for a workplace. Professionals deserve better.

 

[Dean Bull]

two words: Viral Marketing

Publicity Stunt all the way.

 

[Nick Wolf]

Thank God for people like Christian Bale who guard the sacred Act of enacting the suffering of those without a voice.

A great Actor is more like a reverant priest than an jaded undertaker.

Who would you want to read your Eulogy? Christian Bale with burning empathy or someone with a clinical sence of routine?

DogDay.

 

[Andrew Martin]

The DJ remix is pretty funny...
http://www.wwtdd.com/post.phtml?pk=18511

Bruce Allen
www.boacinema.com

I LOVE THAT SO MUCH. Made my day.

Andi.

 

[Peter Hodgins]

Don't move as you can draw their attention and ruin a take. The guy was wrong. Now, where was the 1st AD or Director to tell the guy to sit down? Why are people letting someone who isn't in the shot walk around during the take?

You, like the rest of us have no idea what was going on .... maybe the DoP was trying to save a scene he knew was going into the toilet unless he fixed something ... right now! Bale comes across as an amateur ... an overpaid asshole. He can be replaced, there's probably twenty unemployed Actors in LA right now ... who can do a better job.

 

[Sam Roberts]

We don't know what kind of scene Bale was in the middle of performing when the DP strolled into his eyeline. It might have been an extremely emotional, angry, frustrating scene. You want good performances? Guess what, the actor does have to "go there." They're not working at a bank. They're not accountants. If you want to cast accountants in your film, then prepare for the reality that no one will watch the result. So maybe Bale was there emotionally, and the DP got in Bale's face. I don't know if Bale is a jerk in the rest of his life. But you have to accept that the best actors keep their emotions very close to the surface. And a DP who wanders around the set in the actor's eyeline during an emotional scene should not be a DP on a dramatic film. He should stick to car commercials. If what Bale says is true, then the DP doesn't care about the scene or the actor's craft, just as Bale states. Yes, Bale went overboard. But he might have been correct. And, well, I'll say it again...he's an actor for gosh sakes. Maybe Bale's an evil egomaniac (weren't his family members trying to intervene in his life a while back?). Or maybe he is trying to do a highly artistic job with huge expectations and a ton of pressure.

Well you may be right....and this is The Method. However, there have been many fine actors who can turn it on for the cameras and shut it off when they yell CUT. And actually, I would think that takes more skill.

 

[Steve Sherrick]

I heard it this morning and my initial reaction was - how unprofessional all around. Bale could have walked off the set and addressed it with the director and AD, threatened to not come back until they worked it out with the DP. Instead, he chose to go off in front of everyone.

But, I agree with others that we don't know what the context is. Maybe there was other stuff said, maybe it started off civil and turned heated after an exchange. Who knows. But it shouldn't be leaked. If it was the sound team that leaked it, that too was unprofessional. Some heat of the moment incidents are best left on set, not broadcast to millions. It doesn't instill much trust in your crew.

 

[Steve Sherrick]

two words: Viral Marketing

Publicity Stunt all the way.

If that is the case, then maybe that's why the DP or someone sounds like they're laughing at one point.

Have you guys heard the fuck track yet? basically all of the swears cut together. Yeah, he used a few of them.

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

two words: Viral Marketing

Publicity Stunt all the way.

Given how the audio was "leaked", I'm thinking this could very likely be the case. I'm just not entirely sure though because it makes Bale look (or sound) like a complete ass.

 

[Sean R.]

Like I was saying any publicity is...

May make him look a certain way but I'll bet there are a few people out there saying, "Did you hear Bale go off...he is going to be badass in Terminator"

And even more people listening to that sound bite and walking away with the thought, "I didn't know they were making another Terminator, sweet".

 

[Craig A. Macon]

You, like the rest of us have no idea what was going on .... maybe the DoP was trying to save a scene he knew was going into the toilet unless he fixed something ... right now! Bale comes across as an amateur ... an overpaid asshole. He can be replaced, there's probably twenty unemployed Actors in LA right now ... who can do a better job.

He can be replaced....on the next gig, not when you get down to doing pick-up shots which is what they were supposedly doing. At that point Bale has all the leverage in the world.

And if you try to replace him on the next gig, don't be surprised if the Producer has investors back out because they won't bankroll a movie with some unknown unemployed Actor.

I'm not saying it is right. I'm saying that is the way it is.

 

[Craig A. Macon]

Well you may be right....and this is The Method. However, there have been many fine actors who can turn it on for the cameras and shut it off when they yell CUT. And actually, I would think that takes more skill.

And then at the opposite end of the spectrum is the story of Sissy Spacek, who after doing COAL MINERS DAUGHTER stayed in character and kept the accent for six months.

 

[Mark L. Pederson]

"I didn't know they were making another Terminator, sweet".

You are right. I did know they were making another terminator ... but I didn't know the director was the guy who wrote the song "Words to Me" for the 2002 version of Scooby-Doo.

I'll wait for the RedRay.

 

[M Hsu]

seriously, that audio is fantastic, does anyone have any idea how they cut that? obviously they weren't following him around with a boom...