Dennis Villeneuve revealed that he prohibits the use of cell phones on the sets of his films, just like Christopher Nolan. Villeneuve and Nolan are two of the most critically acclaimed filmmakers of the 21st century. In some ways, Villeneuve and Nolan are very similar filmmakers, as their films tend to be very epic in scope. Denis Villeneuve's best films include Prisoners, Sicario, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049and both of your Dune films. The exceptional ratings that all these films achieved are the result of the total dedication of Villeneuve and his entire team.
To ensure everyone stays focused on the sets of their films, Villeneuve told Los Angeles Times what he prohibits the use of cell phones. The director explained that making a film is a collaborative process and stated that it is important that all team members are present and not distracted. Read Villeneuve's full quote below:
Cinema is an act of presence. When a painter paints, he has to be absolutely focused on the color he is putting on the canvas. The same happens with the dancer when he makes a gesture. With a filmmaker, you have to do it with a team, and everyone has to focus and be entirely in the present, listening to each other, relating to each other. So cell phones are also banned on my set, from day one. It's prohibited. When you say cut, you don't want someone to go to your phone to look at your Facebook account.
He also reacted to debunked story that Nolan also banned chairs on his sets and admitted that he and his Dune cinematographer Greig Fraser decided never to sit down while filming these films again. Read his comment below:
I hadn't heard that. But when I did Blade Runner, I had a back problem because I sat a lot. So for the Dune films, my cinematographer, Greig Fraser, and I decided to stand, to have minimal footprints so we could be flexible and go fast, to keep the blood flowing, to be woken up. There are no chairs for us. Maybe for the producers of the video village.
Denis Villeneuve and Christopher Nolan share similar filmmaking methods
Villeneuve and Nolan don't like cell phones on film sets
While directors often look to new technology to tell their stories, many have acknowledged that cell phones can be very distracting on film sets. Nolan was perhaps the most outspoken filmmaker against cell phones. In fact, Christopher Nolan doesn't even own a smartphone and doesn't allow crew members to use their phones while working on the sets of his films. Nolan argued that cell phones are too distractingand prevent the crew from working to the best of their ability.
Not allowing cell phones on set results in exceptional films like Start, Interstellarand Oppenheimer. In addition to Nolan's impressive filmography, the aforementioned Villeneuve films are all incredible, which suggests that Being away from their phones increases crew members' productivity and creativity. Therefore, Villeneuve and Nolan's cell phone ban rule does not seem unreasonable.
Our opinion on Denis Villeneuve and Christopher Nolan banning cell phones from their devices
Villeneuve and Nolan's no-cell phone rule pays off
Clearly, the rules that Denis Villeneuve and Christopher Nolan have established on their sets work, as almost all of their films are critically acclaimed. While many people rely on their cell phones, it's a healthy practice to separate yourself from them so you can fully immerse yourself in a project. Therefore, it is probably satisfactory to the crew members in Villeneuve and Nolan to separate themselves from their phones and focus fully on the film being made.
Source: Los Angeles Times