Moviemaking is "nothing but problem-solving," says Shazam! director David F. Sandberg. In his new behind-the-scenes video, he points out how his DC film tried to solve a problem at the last minute, when it turns out no one noticed there were several crew members huddled in the back of a mall shot.
Shazam! director David F. Sandberg took the time to further explain something he mentioned in the commentary track for the digital release. As he noted in his YouTube video, when people talk about movie problems, they may just think of the big things -- like the visual effects. That's what he did in the mall scene. He said he was so focused on making Zachary Levi's Shazam fly, he didn't notice the crew members who were standing in the background of the scene:
D'oh! As the director admitted, he spotted the crew members way too late. There was no time to paint them out of the scene, but there was just enough time to give them shopping bags and a mop to transform them into shoppers and a janitor.
Problem solved! However, as David F. Sandberg quipped of the crew members-turned-way-too-chill shoppers:
I guess over here is a blind and deaf convention since no one reacts to the flying man.
True. But viewers really have to pay close attention to even wonder why those people in the back of the mall aren't reacting. Also, I can think of a few people who could be in that mall at that time and the world could end around them and they'd be too self-absorbed to notice.
Watch the Shazam! director's full video for more tidbits on the making of the movie. It's really a gift to get this kind of background, so props to David F. Sandberg for his candor, his humor, and his expertise.
As he noted, Shazam! is now available on digital, and the iTunes version offers his commentary track. Don't forget to check out CinemaBlend's exclusive clip from the Blu-ray, which comes out July 16.
It's exciting to think we might get more of these behind-the-scenes breakdowns after the Shazam! sequel and (hopefully) Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam movie. They are both said to be in the works, and Zachary Levi recently gave a quick update on when he expects to squeeze back into that expensive suit for Shazam! 2. In the meantime, keep up with everything that's still headed to the big screen this year with our handy 2019 movie schedule.
