How Tom Cruise Inspired the 'Dune' Crew and All Of Us With This Email | No Film School

Tom Cruise is an actor/producer who blends the multi-talented, over-dramatic senses of Old Hollywood with modern films with almost effortless perfection. By performing his own stunts, fighting for the best and biggest stories possible, and leaning into the technology that captures the best possible shot, Cruise cares about cinema a lot.

Not everyone cares like Cruise does, but should they?

In a recent GQ expose, Timothée Chalamet revealed that he felt a lot of pressure for being one of the first new leading men in Hollywood with his role as Paul Atreides in Denis Villeneuve's Dune franchise. Right after finishing Dune: Part One, Cruise sent Chalamet an email that inspired his upcoming performance in Dune: Part Two. Chalamet says, "He basically said, in Old Hollywood, you would be getting dance training and fight training, and nobody is going to hold you to that standard today. So it's up to you."

Dune: Part Two | Official Traileryoutu.be

The email included a list of all the experts Chalamet might need for stunt training, including a motorcycle coach and a helicopter coach.

This email became a "war cry" for Chalamet as he prepared to film Dune: Part Two. Filming over the summer and fall of 2022, Chalamet saw the Academy Award nominated film Top Gun: Maverickeight times. "Top Gun was just hugely inspiring to me last summer when we were making Dune," Chalamet says to GQ. "Some of the crew were kind of scoffing at going, but I just thought it was one of the greatest films I've ever seen."

While filming Part Two, in the summer and fall of 2022, Chalamet said he saw Top Gun: Maverick eight times. On one occasion, he bought out a movie theater in Budapest for two bucks a seat and took the whole cast and crew. “Top Gun was just hugely inspiring to me last summer when we were making Dune,” he said. “Some of the crew were kind of scoffing at going, but I just thought it was one of the greatest films I’ve ever seen.”

Denis Villeneuve directing Timothee Chalamet in a fight sequence in 'Dune' 'Dune' Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Once Chalamet received that email from Cruise about the responsibility of an actor who takes on the leading man role in Hollywood, Chalamet took his message to heart. Villeneuve saw the change almost instantly from Chalamet.

“I felt that he was much more trained than in Part One and ready for the fighting sequences," Villeneuve says to GQ. "I was impressed by his level of discipline for Part Two. You know, when you are the lead on a movie, there’s a presence, the way you approach your work and your discipline will necessarily have a ripple effect on the rest of the crew. He was the first one on set, always ready. And I was super pleased and impressed with how Timothée really embraced that discipline and became, for me, a real leading actor on this film.”

If there is anything we can learn from Cruise, and now Chalamet, is that discipline in your craft is necessary and infectious. If you are performing at your never best, then everyone else around you will strive to reach that level. Don't limit yourself and say you'll fix something in post. Instead, be deliberate in your work on set.

Source: GQ

From Your Site Articles

Related Articles Around the Web

tom cruise timothee chalamet Denis Villeneuve dune franchise top gun maverick dune part two

Understanding Film Gauge: From 8mm to 70mm (And How to Shoot It)

Understanding Film Gauge: From 8mm to 70mm

The No Film School guide to different film gauges—how, when, and why to use them.

In the modern age of digital cameras, it's easy to forget the beautiful edge shooting on film stock can add to your visuals. Many successful movies proudly shot on film were released this year, from indie darlings like Strange Darling to bigger budget fairs like Sean Baker's Anora, Luca Guadagnino's Challengers, and Jeff Nichol's The Bikeriders.

If you're a filmmaker, you already know shooting on film is cool—it's just a heck of a ton more expensive (in most cases) than the much less labor-intensive production styles that come with shooting on digital. No need to buy extra film stock or worry if you make a tiny mistake, you could compromise that stock. That being said, if you have the skill and budget to pull off a successful film shoot, the quality of your picture will more than certainly be worth the stress and money.

On top of shooting on film, there's also the question of projecting on film. Quentin Tarantino famously loves screening projects on film, owning two theaters in Los Angeles, The New Beverly and The Vista, that project films exclusively on film—The New Bev focuses on older restorations, while The Vista does double time with a film currently in theaters and fun midnight screenings and matinees.

It can be extremely daunting if you're interested in film in any capacity—shooting with little experience or even just curious to know more. What do all the different millimeters mean? It can be quite intimidating, so we're here to help. Below, you will find a quick brief of film gauges, as well as a breakdown of the most common formats—8mm, 16mm, 35mm, and 65mm.

Keep ReadingShow less

Popular

Latest