Steven Spielberg is one of the most famous and successful directors of all time. An anecdote from the filming of one of his best films shows a special quality.
Steven Spielberg is responsible for some classics of cinema. In addition to ET, he made Indiana Jones, Schindler’s List, the not entirely flawless Jurassic Park and Saving Private Ryan.
The war film even earned him his second directing Oscar in 1999. He had received his first a few years earlier for the Holocaust drama Schindler’s List.
It is well known that his films are entertaining and emotionally gripping. But only his closest colleagues know what other qualities Spielberg has. An actor who worked with the director has revealed why he considers him a virtuoso.
Trailer for the masterful war film “Saving Private Ryan”
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Preparation is everything
Which actor is it about? Giovanni Ribisi played doctor Irwin Wade in Saving Private Ryan. During filming, he got to know Steven Spielberg’s way of working and has admired it ever since.
In an appearance on the ReelBlend podcast, he talked about the shoot and particularly emphasized one detail that sets Spielberg apart from other directors:
At one point there’s an entire opening battle scene that’s 27.5 minutes or so long. There were seven and a half pages in the script. But at one point we were two weeks ahead of schedule on this scene, which is mind-boggling considering everyone else was two months behind schedule. He [Spielberg] was just prepared and he is such a virtuoso.
Giovanni Ribisi on the ReelBlend podcast
In fact, time is often the biggest challenge when filming. Every day of filming costs a lot of money and even small problems cause delays. According to Ribisi, Spielberg was so well prepared every day that the team even finished ahead of schedule. By the way, the director has a special ritual before filming.
His performance on the set of Saving Private Ryan is also admirable because Spielberg came to filming anything but rested. In the previous months he filmed two other films, namely Forgotten World: Jurassic Park and Amistad. Immediately afterwards he appeared on the set of his famous war film.
Good preparation and a clear vision are among the strengths of a proven director. This may not necessarily be visible on the screen, but it is essential for successful filming. Spielberg has shown himself and his team that he is one of the greatest. But not everything was going well for the filmmaker in the 90s: Steven Spielberg was once sued for a film he didn’t even direct