As a seasoned film critic with decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen it all – from blockbuster hits to flopped disasters. But Francis Ford Coppola‘s latest project, Megalopolis, has certainly taken the cake when it comes to chaos and controversy. It seems like every time you turn around, there’s another scandal or mishap plaguing this movie.
The creation and dissemination of Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis has been embroiled in one controversy after another. Most recently, it was disclosed that the director attempted to kiss a female crew member during filming, and the film’s latest trailer began with fabricated reviews, created using AI, about Coppola’s previous films — which have now been taken down from YouTube. Although these controversies may appear as recent developments, they have actually been ongoing since the movie entered production, as the director dismissed the entire Visual Effects (VFX) team midway through filming.
In an interview with Empire Magazine, Francis Ford Coppola revealed the reason behind his decision to switch VFX teams for the project. The director stated that it was due to creative disagreements. Coppola mentioned that he and the initial team had a shared objective for the film’s set design, influenced by the studio’s work on Edward Norton’s “Motherless Brooklyn”. However, when Coppola brought in a different concept artist to help set the visual mood of the movie, the professional partnership broke down. He elaborated:
“In the end, Beth and I held differing perspectives regarding our vision. Our opinions clashed significantly, leading us to the point where I decided to employ a concept artist instead. This artist would create frames that reflected my desired look, which is exactly what happened. However, the art department felt that I was developing the visual aspects of the artwork without their input. They desired grand scenes and detailed images. On the other hand, I sought additional components such as costumes and live effects to contribute some of the work, with the final output not being exclusively art-centric. Consequently, there were disagreements along these lines.”
Francis Ford Coppola Fired the VFX Team Because of Megalopolis’ Budget
Similar to the debates surrounding his film productions, Francis Ford Coppola and financial matters are closely linked. The director himself funds his films, which has led him to often exceeding budget on his projects. In the case of Megalopolis, the initial budget was set at $120 million. However, Coppola found himself approaching a figure close to $150 million. To relieve budgetary pressure, the director decided to let go of a few members from the VFX team. This, however, displeased the remaining VFX artists so much that they collectively chose to resign from the movie.
“The image was approaching its budget limit [towards $148 million]. I suggested, ‘We need to now cut costs and make it significantly more affordable.’ The art team consisted of a production designer, five art supervisors, and five art directors. It was quite hierarchical. I proposed, ‘Let’s dismiss one of the art directors,’ and they responded, ‘If you do that, we’ll all resign.’ And so I did, and they did. Naturally, they criticized us afterwards: ‘Ah, this image is eccentric.’ I thought the image was thriving well because I admire the actors and I appreciate the performances.”
As a film critic, I can say: Despite the numerous challenges that Megalopolis faces, Francis Ford Coppola is thriving amidst them. In a recent interview, he confessed that he deliberately chose actors who had been overlooked before, ensuring that his movie didn’t resemble just another showbiz production from Hollywood.
Megalopolis
releases in theaters on September 27, 2024.
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2024-09-03 19:31