Wicker: two directors, one set, and a practical creature
Co-directors Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston Fischer told No Film School they are prep-heavy: they like a shot list and a clear plan, not a fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants set. On Wicker, a film built around a physical creature, that discipline included learning to keep asking for tests until the practical work actually functioned.
Wētā Workshop designed the husband's suit and makeup around Alexander Skarsgård's own facial expressions, so the title character could play as a person rather than a statue. Practical effects give actors something real, but only if you rehearse them like any other performance tool.
Wilson also described village scenes with big crowds that had to capture more than naturalism. Two directors on one set only works if the prep is shared enough that the crew is not receiving two movies at once.
Go deeper on Kingdom of Dreams
- → EP 101: John Stevenson and Mark Osborne on Kung Fu Panda
- → EP 210: Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti on Superboys of Malegaon
- → EP 313: Dan Attias on directing The Sopranos and Alias
We have not sat with the Wicker directors yet. Go deeper with filmmakers who talk about preparation, collaboration, and giving actors something real to play.
Headline inspired by reporting at No Film School (Jo Light interviewing Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston Fischer). Full article remains on their site; this page is our craft lens and episode guide. Read the source at No Film School ↗