Why did filmmakers need permission to film in black and white?
According to IMDb, Producer Mel Brooks needed to obtain permission to film The Elephant Man in black and white.
This film was executive produced by Mel Brooks, who was responsible for hiring director David Lynch and obtaining permission to film in black and white.
Why did Mel Brooks need to get permission to film in black and white? Who did he need to get permission from?
Best Answer
Why did Mel Brooks need to get permission to film in black and white?
Because it would, in most studio executive's minds, make the movie less commercially viable.
Who did he need to get permission from?
Essentially, the studio..the company/people paying to make it.
Financing is generally arranged through studios and production companies. The executives of those companies want to make sure they are investing in a 'product' that will be commercially sucessful and will ask for changes if they feel the 'product' is threatened.
In some cases, depending on the contracts, studios have been known to take pictures away from directors (see Blade Runner). Getting permission beforehand is essential.
With The Elephant Man, Brooks defied studio convention by hiring an avant-garde director to helm a major production, shooting the film in black and white, and refusing to allow studio brass to tamper with Lynch's vision. When shown a cut of the film, Paramount executives recommended that the surreal opening and closing sequences be removed from the film. According to Cornfeld, Brooks tersely responded, "We are involved in a business venture. We screened the film for you to bring you up to date as to the status of that venture. Do not misconstrue this as our soliciting the input of raging primitives." Brooks's stubbornness was rewarded, as the film garnered eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Director and Actor.
Source - TCM.com
Pictures about "Why did filmmakers need permission to film in black and white?"
Why is the Elephant Man filmed in black and white?
The Elephant Man, filmed in black and white in the Panavision format, its tones reflecting a false certainty, holds up to judgment, in particular, two aspects of Victorian England.What year was the first black and white film made?
1888 to early 1890s: First motion pictures He recorded the earliest known motion picture in extant on 14 October 1888. The film, later known as Roundhay Garden Scene, lasted circa 1.66 seconds and briefly depicted Le Prince's family in motion.Why does Tarantino use black and white?
Black and white (as well as black and red) was used to conceal the shedding of blood from television censors.Why do filmmakers continue to make films in black & white?
But more importantly, black and white changes a movie thematically, providing atmosphere, tone, and visually providing stark contrasts and a dreamlike view of the world. It can at once make a film feel more real (like time period accurate film and photographs) while making it feel unreal (real life is in color).BLACK AND WHITE FILM IS BORING... LET ME EXPLAIN
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