Director Joseph Kosinski, actors Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, and Sarah Niles, and producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Lewis Hamilton joined SAG-AFTRA Foundation National Director Rochelle Rose for a panel discussion following the screening of F1: The Movie. The creators reflected on the innovative, intense and challenging production process for this summer’s blockbuster racing film, with Kosinski admitting, “Looking back, I’m like, ‘Oh my god, that was pretty reckless.'”
Kosinski specifically commented on the long and eventful filming days he spent filming while performing extreme stunts on camera at real-life F1 racing events. “Usually when you shoot a scene, it takes hours to days to shoot, but because we wanted to shoot this movie live at the Grand Prix while the event was in progress, we often only had a few minutes,” the director recalled. “So there were times when I said to Brad and Damson, ‘We’ll be lucky if we get three takes of this,’ especially the opening scene at Silverstone. We actually shot three scenes in a row in about 15 minutes.”
Filming on a real F1 racing course and having actors actually drive extreme vehicles at speeds of up to 180 miles per hour gave the film a deep sense of realism. Pitt and Idris were actually behind the wheel, and Hamilton, who is not only the film’s producer but also a professional driver, ensured they knew what they were doing.
“Brad Pitt and Damson practiced for four months, partially supervised by Lewis, to make sure they could drive these cars,” Bruckheimer said. “When you watch this movie and see Brad and Damson in the cars, they’re actually driving these cars. It’s not special effects. It’s real. And they’re risking their lives to make this movie as authentic as possible.”
Kosinski credits the film’s authenticity to the dedication of the cast and Hamilton’s direction, but also points out that the film’s production company, Apple Studios, has developed new technology that allows it to capture the race with unprecedented immersion. “It’s pretty cool that Apple trusted us enough to actually shoot the movie this way. Luckily, we did it,” he said.
Hamilton added: “What you’re seeing is an incredible evolution in technology with Apple and new cameras designed by Apple to be able to film from different angles. The footage we get from the cars is better than what you see when you watch F1. At some point F1 will look at how we can put these cameras in our cars, but they’re quite heavy with all the gear.”
However, this movie is about more than stunts and effects. Bruckheimer reiterated, “It’s the energy they put into the script, because it creates the emotion, and it moves you. The hours and days and months that Brad, Lewis and Joe spent with the writers to make this work as good as it could be.”
Pitt, who produced and starred in the film, recalled that the team always aimed to capture “the moments of absolute pure bliss” that accompany high-octane sports. “It really came from there. The idea of winning is one thing, but the purity of the sport, the emotion, the things that fill you, not questioning, not doubting, just being. That’s the kind of purity that you are at the end of your being.”
Warner Bros. released “F1” in theaters on June 27th. It grossed more than $628 million at the worldwide box office and will be available to stream on Apple TV on December 12th.
