Chapter 94: Back-to-Back
Filming back-to-back is the practice of filming two or more movies as one production, reducing costs and time.
Even without Sullivan's over-the-top deliberation, anyone else who could do it would choose to do it.
However, it was still a forward-thinking decision as only a few film producers had done it.
The first one to employ such a production technique was a man that went by the name Salkind. The producers decided to split his The Three Musketeers film into two, with The Four Musketeers as the second part.
However, it resulted in the Screen Actor's Guild introducing the 'Salkind clause' to appease the actors that weren't informed of Salkind's decision and were only paid for one film. In true privileged actor fashion, every actor now had to be paid separately for every film they were part of.
The 'Salkind clause' lived on but would only truly be used once again for the 2nd back-to-back filming in history. With Salkind on the helm once again, he is pivotal in the continuous production of Superman and Superman II.
The next in history should be the Back to the Future filmings of its sequel. However, it is being rewritten and instead of having Spielberg, Bob, and some other guy on the helm, Sullivan Creed would be the one to take the stage.
It could even be considered a pioneering move on its own with the fact that he didn't limit their production to filming 2 but filmed 3.
Before Alexander could even realize it, his old grandfather and the Rob and Bob duo had already been planning to take the 3 film glory of Peter Jackson's LotR.
Trilogies are common in the film industry, particularly in science fiction, fantasy, action, horror, thriller, and adventure genres.
Production companies may choose, if the first film is a financial success, to green-light a second and a third film at the same time and film them back-to-back.
It would seem the new film production trio has foregone all that and decided to bet on making everything in one shot. Lose or fail, at least they would do their best.
Alexander was just pandering on how everything was different now in his re-life and how it was in the past timeline.
Due to his early submission of the picture book, the trio didn't have to wade through doubt as the three stories were extremely connected and coherent.
For them, there was no need to test the waters with BttF 1 and considered the success of everything to ride on all three parts.
However grand their ambitions and aspirations are, Alexander could only commend them for it. Even he himself is pulled into their back-to-back choice.
As confident as he is with knowing the progress of film history and the theatrical fluctuations of most films, there are always uncertain factors that come into play.
Sullivan's calculated assessment considered back-to-back filming to be quantitatively in the safe range.
Rob and Bob thought it was a risky but adventurous choice.
Alexander was in between as he is confident in his future knowledge but also a bit worried about other uncertain factors messing things up.
The trio just had to give it all to make things work out to how they see it to be while Alexander could only confide in them since he is mostly on the secretly manipulative backseat when it comes to filming and productions.
Nevertheless, as they explained their filming and production process, Alexander could tell that everything should be in order.
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As of now, they checked out and divided the timelines to make their schedule conducive.
First and foremost of what they have already filmed is covering up the Hill Valley scenes during the pre-time travel events.
It was the easiest sequencing of scenes compared to the others and the biggest addition to it is the fact that Needles would have a 'Chicken' confrontation with Marty and explain why he blew the school band selection.
It was unfortunate that Alexander hadn't been there for skateboarding Marty hitching a ride with a truck sequence. He could only look out for the next rounds when 1955 wooden roller and 2015 hoverboard chase sequences are filmed.
The reason for the filming break and extreme preparatory mood that the studio and crew have at the moment is the fact that the first test of the DeLorean is set to be filmed in the next couple of days.
It involves the kitted out DeLorean making its entrance from a container, Doc Brown using a remote control to test it, and the escalations that would ramp up the first film.
The Libyan terrorist attack that kills Doc Brown and the entire chase sequence that inadvertently jumped Marty accidentally.
From all the special effects needed in all that action, it made sense for Creed Pictures to correlate with ILM already.
As for the other labeled major productions they categorized, it mostly involved all of 1955, 2015, great 1985, Biffed 1985, and the Old West.
1955 was integral in all the films as Marty traveled quite a lot of times there. As newbie Marty saves his parent's love life, semi-veteran Marty has to battle Almanac-ed Biff at that time period. As well as the fact that he also time travels to the Old West from that point.
2015 was mostly on the futuristic stuff and the future house accommodations that the McFly's would have. It is integral as it showed people the hypered future that everyone fantasizes about.
Great 1985 and Biffed 1985 was mostly the refitting of the pre-time travel 1985 set. One was an ideal life while the other was a dystopian mess.
Old Western Hill Valley was mostly the farthest out of California location as remaking a sandyvill Hill Valley is quite costly in Universal Studios. A train also had to be considered and the final time-travel vehicle to grace the entire trilogy.
All in all, it was a grueling task as most of those aforementioned sets haven't even been prepared. In any case, the production crew wasn't caged by following film after film but had more freedom with working by timelines.
Innovative Rob would mostly handle splicing up and sequencing scattered scenes. As the director, he is also the one with the task of making sure that every effect and character interaction is filmed.
Meanwhile, Sullivan as the producer have his work cut out for him as he had to coordinate a lot of prop and production managers to give out the film specifications. Every production manager would be set to organize what is needed and they are in charge of what is needed in their corresponding timeline sets.
Of course, somewhat easy-tasked Bob would be jumping in between them and relegating support to those who need it.
Everything is in full force and circulating with each of them reinforcing what the other one needs and what the other one is lacking.
Movie-making is anything but easy. Thus, making three movies at the same time should be three times that.
Either way, Creed Picture is committed to having Back to the Future back-to-back.