3:10 To Yuma (Did you guys hear about this?)

Luke Allein · October 27, 2006

I think it was Tuesday, this new film "3:10 To Yuma" directed by James Mangold and starring Christian Bale and Russell Crowe, started off with a bang.

First day, first SHOT of the entire movie, scene one, take one: A horse ran into the techno crane and fu**ing destroyed a Panavision camera beyond repair, dont even ask what size lens was on it.

What's worse....the horse had to be put down, it's injuries were so bad. I heard they even shot it. Way to start off a movie, huh?

*And not to sound callous, but....the horse was killed, ok. Dont you think they should have at least shot it on film when they put it down? They could have even scripted another scene where someone has to shoot an injured horse, like they did with the water buffalo sacrifice in 'Apocalypse Now'. I mean at least the horsey wouldnt just die for nothing, it could have been an amazing scene out of it. I dont know, maybe it's just me.

Edited October 27, 2006 by Luke Allein

Dominic Case · October 27, 2006

Why would anyone need to reshoot this classic anyway?

The usual lack of imagination, I guess.

Sorry about the horse (and the camera). But really . . .why!

Patrick McGowan · October 27, 2006

I was on a "horse movie" recently. It was a fu**ing diaster in every way. There was a scene where the horse needed to jump over a fence. Its owner was pulling on it to get it to jump and the thing freaked out and jumped straight through the fence. It cut its leg open and at that point the DP and most of th crew (inculding me, who was brought on the job by the DP) quit and left that whole project.

I kind of want to put that footage up on youtube, but I don't have access to it.

Anyway, it was horrible and unprofessional and I hope no one from PETA is reading this.

Michael Collier · October 27, 2006

AH, don't get me started on PETA. I am all for treating animals well, but we have insizors for a reason, we are carnivors.

As for the horse, that sucks. Its lame when a horse gets injured on set (or any animal). They don't understand whats going on and to die for it is totaly lame. I suppose these things happen, but who was handling the horses? As for shooting it on camera, I don't think that would help. It would probably send the animal community in an uproar, saying how it must have been planned etc. We deal with animal fanatics here all the time (don't build a pipeline, the caribou can't handle it!) I just think there has to be some middle ground. And yes, a hoarse senselessly dieing is against even my moderate animal protection beliefs.

For the camera....I don't care. Cameras get broken all the time, lenses get broken all the time. I hold no special reverance for a camera. Sure I do everything to keep the cameras in my operation from harm (Haven't broken a single one yet) but things happen, and an inanimate object getting trashed doesn't bother me in the least. Esp. when that camera is insured. Drives rates up a bit, but we all work to keep our gear running, so I know it wasn't out of neglect or malice.

Terrible way to start a film though, I agree. I mean seriously, hiring russel crowe! (small joke)

Jon Kukla · October 27, 2006

Was on a job recently where the fast-galloping horse unexpectedly went off-path and straight towards our B-camera. Scared the **** out of me, as I was standing a few feet behind the camera at the time. The camera operator was on such a wide lens that I think he didn't realize how close it came until the grip grabbed him away! Luckily nothing ended up happening, but it only stopped about two feet short of disaster...

Adam Frisch FSF · October 27, 2006

It's funny how humans "feel" so much and treat animals so lovingly while at the same time accepting all kinds of atrocities against our fellow humans without batting an eyelid. That's much more strange to me.

Patrick McGowan · October 28, 2006

It's funny how humans "feel" so much and treat animals so lovingly while at the same time accepting all kinds of atrocities against our fellow humans without batting an eyelid. That's much more strange to me.

Hold on a second, I don't think this is about animal cruelty, I was just giving an example of a shoot gone horribly wrong, which is what the original post was about.

The message is not to be ultra sensitive about animals. If anything, I think the consensus here is that working with animals is an awful experience.

Matt Workman · October 29, 2006

I was working on a feature with a cat and it freaked out and charged the camera, lol. I just covered the lens.

Situations with large animals that could easily kill you: elephants, horses, buffalo, snakes, etc. I'm all for telephoto lenses, second unit DP, or CG.

Matt

October 29, 2006

It's funny how humans "feel" so much and treat animals so lovingly while at the same time accepting all kinds of atrocities against our fellow humans without batting an eyelid. That's much more strange to me.

Very funny you should say that. When I had the misfortune to work in TV news....if we ran a story about a puppy with a hurt paw there where literally 100 phone calls from people who wanted to adopt the puppy or donate money.

We must have done dozens of stories about the homeless, the phone never rang once.

R,

Matthew Buick · October 30, 2006

God, this world sucks.

People go all gooey over a Puppy, and then they dress it up in DESIGNER CLOTHING, and take it to YOGA FOR DOGS, I think these people are plain saddos who want to think of their dog as more than a mindless poop machine, yet Human Beings suffer, and some dogs have better living conditions that they do !!!!!

Even in humane countries, like Britian, Canada, and Austrilia.

It really is a disgrace,

Matthew Buick, who has finally lost all faith in humanity.