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 highlights a special quality.
Steven Spielberg is responsible for some classics of cinema. In addition to ET, he directed Indiana Jones, Schindler’s List, the not entirely flawless Jurassic Park or Saving Private Ryan.
The war film even earned him his second directing Oscar in 1999. He received his first a few years earlier for the Holocaust drama Schindler’s List.
That his films entertain and emotionally engage is widely known. But only his closest collaborators know what qualities lie within Spielberg apart from that. An actor who has worked with the director revealed why he considers him a virtuoso.
Preparation is everything
Which actor is being referred to? Giovanni Ribisi played the medic Irwin Wade in Saving Private Ryan. During the filming, he got to know Steven Spielberg’s way of working and has admired it ever since.
In an appearance on the Podcast ReelBlend, he talked about the shoot, particularly emphasizing one detail that sets Spielberg apart from other directors:
At one point, there is a whole opening battle scene that is about 27.5 minutes long. In the script, it was seven and a half pages. But at one point, we were two weeks ahead of schedule on that scene, which is amazing considering that everyone else was two months behind schedule. He [Spielberg] was just prepared, and he is such a virtuoso.
Giovanni Ribisi on Podcast ReelBlend
In fact, time during filming is often the biggest challenge. Every shooting day 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 was anything but well-rested when he came to the shoot. In the months prior, he had filmed two other movies, namely The Lost 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 seasoned director. While it may not necessarily be visible on screen, it is essential for successful filming. Spielberg has shown himself and his team that he belongs among the greats. However, things did not always go smoothly for the filmmaker in the 90s: Steven Spielberg was once sued for a film he didn’t even direct
