FILMING FRACTURE
Gregory Hoblit admits that he decided to "swing for the fences" in making Fracture. In the hope of not "playing it too safe," he attempted a pace and tone more "daring" than his previous work. In doing so, he has tried creating a contemporary film noir.
"For me it was unexpected," Hoblit says of tackling a darker, more mysterious style. "As the script evolved my ideas became more pronounced, but I was not interested in doing something strictly noir. I wanted something sleek, to use refracted light, and I wanted to be specific in my use of color."
Hoblit referenced the work of various photographers he's admired throughout the years. An avid fan of Bruce Davidson, whose book Subway made a huge impact on the director, Hoblit pays homage to Davidson's muted backgrounds, the neutral faces of his subjects and the unusual, iconic pops of color he uses in each frame.
When Hoblit began his search for a director of photography, it was imperative to find someone who could think outside the box, but not too far outside so that Hoblit would have to spend valuable time reining the cinematographer back in line. After discussing his ideas with some colleagues he found a daring new talent in Kramer Morgenthau, who had made a mark in commercials and low-budget films. Hoblit also saw a level of frustration in Morgenthau that could work to the film's advantage.
"His juxtaposition of colors was great," Hoblit says of Morgenthau's work, "I had never seen anything quite that bold. And I liked the fact that he was eager to move out of the box he'd found himself in, which happens in our business. But he's off and running now," Hoblit says proudly.
"In terms of the look, Fracture is a story about class," says Morgenthau. "Willy's world is gritty, in the trenches, more like the D.A.'s office and even the courtroom to a certain extent. Crawford exists in a world of wealth and big, beautiful spaces. So we talked a lot about color versus a gray scale to create a contrast between the two."
Once Morgenthau and Hoblit met with production designer Paul Eads, set decorator Nancy Nye and costume designer Elisabetta Beraldo, they developed the film's overall look.
There are a preponderance of low-lit scenes and a good deal of night work both interior and exterior that the filmmakers would light with different hues of color to set the tone of each scene.
"The movie is fairly dark," Hoblit explains, "but we also used vivid greens, oranges, reds and yellows. I wouldn't say that there's a color palette so much as there is a vibrancy of color always cutting through the darkness so that it's unexpected and we don't know where the color is coming from. Kramer and I were always negotiating with ourselves to make sure we didn't tip over the edge into self-indulgence or idiocy," he jokes.
"Greg is first and foremost about the story," says Morgenthau. "He wants it to be truthful and logical. I think that's why he's been so successful. He doesn't take anything for granted and feels as though it's an insult to the audience to cheat or not have the environment or action as it would be in real life; that's become a stylistic trait of his. Yet, at the same time, he'll take the lighting to an expressionistic level, which is also my approach."
Hoblit credits his producing partner Hawk Koch with the ease of the shoot. "Hawk puts together a brilliant game plan for getting a movie done," the director says.
It was important to the filmmakers to shoot in Los Angeles for a variety of reasons, not only because of proximity to home, but also with the desire to help keep production in Hollywood. Despite a pack of naysayers at his heels, Koch was able to create a cost-effective budget without sacrificing quality.
"My challenge was to make our film look like a 60 or 70-million dollar film and not spend anywhere near that kind of money," says Koch. "I'm proud that we could make a rich-looking movie, work decent hours and do it for a good price. We owe thanks to our D.P., Kramer Morgenthau, who can light fast and made every scene look exquisite. He's going to have a name as one of the best in the business for a long time to come."
Hoblit likes to make movies that look as though they are set in Anywhere, USA so that audiences can more easily identify with the characters. He credits production designer Paul Eads and location managers Richard Davis and Mike Fantasia with helping to make that happen.
Despite the fact that southern California is home for most of the production team, shooting Fracture in Los Angeles presented many surprises and offered Hoblit and his crew a new look at the city.
"L.A. is an amazing place once you get past the bias about its being flat, sprawling and architecturally uninteresting," jokes Hoblit. "L.A. is usually shot in harsh light, very washed out, but I loved giving it a three-dimensional, rich quality, even in some of the more rundown sections of town. It has so much color and personality."
"It's a bit of a forgotten city for the moment," says Ryan Gosling. "It's rundown, but there's some amazing architecture and beautiful buildings that have been ignored since they were built at the turn of the century. But it's beginning to be renovated and re-gentrified, so it's an interesting time to be down there because it's still a bit of a ghost town and it will never be like this again."
Gosling was particularly thrilled to shoot at Disney Hall because, try as he might to find tickets to any of the sold-out performances since the hall's opening, he came up empty-handed. "I was so irritated because I could never get tickets," he says in mock despair, "but not only did I get in this time, I got to walk on stage, explore backstage, sit in the best seats, see the view from the roof," he laughs. "I got a really unique tour, so I feel pretty lucky."
Fracture was the first motion picture to utilize the main stage and auditorium of the Frank Gehry-designed performing arts center, where the company filmed mezzo soprano Vivica Genaux and her accompanist, Paul Floyd. They also shot several pieces of the sequence where Willy and Nikki first meet in the foyer area.
The Crawford home was another architectural wonder located in the Encino area of the San Fernando Valley, where the company spent several weeks shooting at a private estate. "The house sits behind these big gates like a cement and glass bunker with a buttressing overhang," recalls Hoblit. "It must be 80% glass, supported by struts, but you can see from one end of the house all the way to the other, all the way through it, side to side, end to end, anywhere you go. It would be a little unnerving to live in a house like that, but fortunately it's pretty well-hidden."
The Sherman estate is protected on all sides by giant hedges, walls, gates, and a formidable hill that leads to a guest house and tennis court which perch high above the pool and backyard. It is also surrounded by a small orchard of orange trees, rose bushes, lavender and blooming flora. It has been used in films before, but has never been showcased to this extent.
Hoblit and Morgenthau particularly liked the reflections and double images that occurred when shooting through the house and its many layers of glass, a circumstance usually considered a mistake in traditional camera work. They frequently placed their cameras outside the house to film scenes going on inside, another rare occurrence for Hoblit, who calls himself a "stickler" when it comes to being close to the action, but in this case took advantage of his ability to use his cameras as the eyes of a voyeur.
Hoblit calls the house "camera-friendly" and says "it was just made to order; a real gift," while Morgenthau believes the opposite, but attests to how good the house looks on camera.
"It was very film-unfriendly, but it was worth every bit of effort and heartbreak and stepping on top of each other," the cinematographer says. "It was a classic, Schindler-influenced building, where the interiors and exteriors flowed from one to the other, but it was not easy," he laughs.
Other locations used include the prestigious law firm, Jones Day, The Standard Hotel Downtown LA rooftop bar, Los Angeles City Hall and the now-vacant women's prison, Sybil Brand Institute. The company also spent time at a private residence in Hancock Park, at RFK Medical Center in Hawthorne, in Santa Monica at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel and at Steelcase Furniture Showroom and Sales Office, and in Long Beach at St. Mary's Hospital and West Coast Aircraft Charters, among others sites.
More Production Notes:
THE ORIGINS OF FRACTURE CRAFTING THE SCRIPT THE MALE LEADS THE LEADING LADIES SUPPORTING CAST ACHIEVING VERISIMILITUDE
