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Will Smith, Ang Lee and Jerry Bruckheimer of 'Gemini Man' on cloning, CGI and filming in Cartagena and Budapest
Los Angeles — The controversy of cloning began when we were first introduced to Dolly, the sheep. Dolly is the first mammal to have been successfully cloned from an adult cell at the Roslin Institute in Scotland in 1996. Then of course, the topic of cloning humans followed.
In the action-thriller film, “Gemini Man,” director Ang Lee, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and star Will Smith deal with the issue of human cloning and how one can produce an upgraded, younger version of themselves, as well as its repercussions.
Will portrays Henry Brogan, an aging government assassin, who is sent on a mission to kill an anonymous terrorist. We went to Budapest, Hungary to interview Will, Ang and Jerry who shared with us some of their thoughts on cloning, using CGI and filming in such locations as Budapest, Cartagena and Paris.
Below are excerpts of our conversations with them:
Will Smith
When you first saw this technology, when you first saw the first screening, how did it feel?
My heart jumped the first time I saw that imagery. It’s really chilling and weird to see your digital reincarnation in that way.
Was it creepy?
Yeah it was a little bit creepy, the first was like whoa. And the first shot that I saw it turned out one of the best shots in the movie, it’s in the catacombs when the old me flips to young me and it’s the reveal of the light going onto the face.
So that was one of the first shots that I saw. And the technology opens up such massive possibilities and as with all things, it must be used in the right hands.
But now there’s a 23-year-old digital version of myself, it’s an avatar that exists so I can use it for other films. And as it gets better and better, can a young Will Smith make a movie with a young Marlon Brando? It’s like, with that technology and we’ll see with the audience because it’s the 120 frames and it’s 3D, it has to stand up to such scrutiny to the human eye and if it feels good in the hearts of the audiences, if they accept it as a human, because it’s not me, the young character is not me, it’s a 100% digital character.
They didn’t use my face and de-age it. They recreate it from nothing, so they’re using the “Bad Boys” version of my character but they’re creating from scratch and that’s the part that makes the technology now.
There have been uses in the past where you take an actor and you just straighten the thing; you make it look a little younger and that’s not what this is. This is in the same way that Gollum is created from scratch. There’s no creature that looks like that, they’re creating from scratch, that’s how this is, the first 100% digital human.
What would you say to your 23-year-old self?
You know what’s really interesting, and that’s the fun of this, with “Gemini Man;” The movie is one thing but then off camera, it opens up all of the ideas of your older self-versus your younger self and decisions you made in the past and how they’re affecting your life now.
So all of those conversations that come up. And it’s so interesting to look back at all of that footage of Ang Lee put together all of my old movies and scenes he liked and he actually pulled scenes he didn’t like.
He was showing me things, he’s like this is magnificent, I love this, don’t ever do that in my movie. He pointed out things from my old films. But the 20-year-old version of myself, I was so oblivious to the rules but it was a big part of why I was able to create a lot of the things that I was able to create because there’s a power in naiveté, there’s a power in not knowing.
And as to the question, what would I say to my younger self, and I actually think it’s the other way, I would ask my younger self how do you not care so much, not knowing what you could lose and how wrong it could go from doing those things? I would love to recapture some of that recklessness.
I’ve been seeking that a little bit in the last couple years of my life, there was a freedom and a recklessness to my younger self that was powerful that I would hope to recapture some of that.
How was it filming in Budapest and Cartagena?
The technology itself, because Ang had companies inventing cameras and designs to be able to capture the shots that he wanted and a big part of how he wanted to create was long, single shots. Even with the action there were two and a half, three minute takes on some of the action sequences. He wanted to shoot them as much with a single shot as possible.
So the shooting and the use of the technology actually was somewhat difficult but being in Budapest and then Cartagena and we shot in Georgia, we started in Georgia, a part of the fun for me in movies is being able to travel and meet people and see places so outside of the difficulty of the shooting the locations were I would say, almost the top reason that I enjoyed this film so much.
What do you know about Budapest?
So, my first, as a child, hearing about Budapest was Michael Jackson. And it was the first time I heard that Michael Jackson performed in Budapest. And we were, where is Budapest? And how is Michael Jackson famous there? So that was the first thing. But the imagery from Michael Jackson performing in Budapest was the first imagery that I saw of the country. And this was the first time, for “Gemini Man”, it was the first time that I had ever been here. So, I’m always looking forward to going someplace.
But the first thing I noticed was how beautiful it is, how was it a secret from people, how beautiful that this city and country is. We were here for a month before I realized that was the Danube. I said, oh no, that’s the Blue Danube. In the States the Johann Strauss song is huge so then it gave it that extra beauty and flavor for me. And then by the time I went up on the bridge I was, I love it here.
Jennifer Lopez told us that her secret to looking young was not drinking alcohol. What is yours?
All alcohol, my secret is…alcohol is a preservative.
As for your source of energy levels?
I’m definitely finding the energy waning just slightly. I love sweets so that’s the thing that I can’t get around. I can literally eat cupcakes for breakfast; I can have a pie for lunch and then a little bit of cake and ice cream for dinner. I literally could eat, if I’m not paying attention. I would eat like that all the time. So, I’m realizing now at 51 it has to become a lifestyle.
I used to be able to do it for just two or three months. I would train really hard and then do whatever I wanted for the rest of the year. And now it has to be a lifestyle, if it’s not a lifestyle, I can’t hold it.
With all the wisdom you’ve gained about love, relationships and marriage, what would you tell your younger self?
I would just tell him you don’t have to have sex with everybody. Some people could just be friends. To my younger self, I would say dude, relax. The big thing and that’s where I’m coming into that place now, recognizing that just because you want something doesn’t mean you’re supposed to have it.
I’m being able to learn, how in life in general to just enjoy the beauty of a flower without needing to pick it and take it home. And that’s just everything in the material world across the board, just look at it, it’s beautiful, you can enjoy it, but you don’t have to pick it and put it on your mantel.
Ang Lee (director)
How was it filming in Cartagena, Colombia? What was the most challenging thing for you?
It was very challenging because it’s not a big movie town like here, so we had to bring a lot of things there. And the original script was Cuba and then I guess Trump came up and now, it's not really an option, not at all, so we were checking other places.
And then I saw the picture of Cartagena and I liked this beautiful place. So, I went and checked there and just fell in love, it’s a magnificent city. And in trying frame rates 3D again I found this time I needed to find an aesthetic that digital cinema has to provide. So, I took that kind of a color and texture to do an action sequence there that would be fantastic.
So my assistant went there, of course we had to bring a lot of things there and also working with the locals. So I had to bring a lot there because Cartagena doesn’t have a film crew. We took a lot of people from there that were local, for the art department, for the craftsman, especially art department, we would use a lot. It was a wonderful experience.
The scouting took many times because the action sequences took a lot of planning and pre-visualization and we did a lot of scanning of course, the permit takes a long time. The city was very welcoming, very accommodating. It’s a very touristy place and we were able to block certain areas, so we had to work very carefully with the local government holding and using certain areas, locking up certain areas to shoot, so each sequence day by day was very strict.
If you could clone someone in real life, which person would that be?
Nelson Mandela. But he couldn’t kill somebody two miles away. Yeah, like somebody who can come up with a brilliant idea of saving the world such as reverting climate change.
I don’t want to clone a person, I have two sons. I think we have a natural way to do it and natural law does something to us. I think other than cloning, the bigger issue here at the end is the genetic engineering, that’s a bigger question to me. We improve our life in such a way that we are not really natural anymore, that’s a big question.
How sure were you that you would be able to pull this off by digitally cloning Will Smith?
Not sure, to be honest. This is what I told the investment company Sky Dance as in theory in my head. I’ve done “Hulk,” I have done the tiger in “Life of Pi,” I think it is within reach and I know it’s not technology. Technology only goes so far, because in the back of our head, you will know young Will Smith from present day, you know it’s CG. It’s the effort you make that along with the audience. We all believe in the story, that you are willing to invest in that story, so I think that’s the key, there’s no formula.
People keep calling it technology. I think it’s just a tool, it’s the beginning, like ten percent of the work. All that diligence, study and manpower, at the end of the day, it’s our impression of what a young Will Smith should be like in that character.
Every shot is different, sometimes the scariest shot was really a challenge and it was hit the first try. And some simplest look, we sort of had to give up after a year, it just was, there was no formula, you scratch your heads.
You know, this is supposedly the holy grail of visual effects, if you can do this, you can do anything, because we are the most critical when it comes to our own faces. I think at the end of the day it’s really impression, it’s the artistry that keeps trying, some day we might find out what’s the secret. But right now, I know we have the will and I hope we don’t just push back the movie in its release dates.
What was the most inspirational place for you here in Budapest?
I don’t know exactly. I came here for Paris, to be honest, and then it took about three hours when I walked around and checked a few locations. I just feel it’s not only beautiful but it’s fresh cinematically.
I said change the script, we will write Budapest for Budapest. It’s a beautiful world as is. And then I checked the stages, the facilities the city has to provide, and it was amazing. You have some of the best crew, filmmakers here and the facility is like no, not everybody comes here. So, it’s a wonderful experience, and living here is really pleasant. I have a good life for two months here; I will come here any time to make movies.
Jerry Bruckheimer (producer)
Did you already have a philosophical conversation with yourself on how you are going to use this technology to create people from scratch?
I think it's Ang — Ang is a master director. He's amazing and it was his vision to shoot this film in 120 frames per second versus 24. You have so much more information because there's no motion blur. It's clear as day. We can't use very much make-up. It's completely different than any kind of cinema. He did God's work. He created a digital human being on Will Smith and, by the way, when we started this, we had no idea it was going to work. We really didn't. You have to give Paramount and SkyDance a lot of credit for it.
What was your first impression of Hungary?
Well, the first impression was total shock at how beautiful this city is and the country and the people because I never envisioned Budapest looking like this.
You'd seen photographs but it's nothing like actually being here. Ang said yesterday he came here to shoot this for Paris because that's what we're going to do but when he saw the beauty of the city, he says let's make it Budapest. It's such a wonderful city and that's where we've been from the beginning and that first time, we got here we've been in love with the place and can't wait to get back.
Would you like to be cloned?
I don't think so. I think one of me is enough but no, it's kind of interesting that that technology could be available in the near future. Apparently, it is but I don't know if anybody's done it. If they have, they haven't told us about it.
What makes a great producer?
Good storyteller. That's what it is who recognizes talent. I think I'm good at recognizing talent. It's just like Adil and Bilall from Belgium makes two small movies and now they make a big movie with Will Smith and when you see it, you'll see how talented they are so it's just recognizing talent and recognizing good writers, cinematographers, actors. Will Smith 25 years ago was on “Fresh Prince.” He walked into my office and I said this guy's a movie star. He never made a big movie and I guess I was right. Once in a while I'm right.
There has been some talks in the past few years about digitally cloning old actors together. Do you think we will be able to see Marlon Brando and Clark Gable?
Absolutely. I think it'll happen. I really do.
How far are we?
I couldn't predict that. I don't know. If you'd asked me two years ago could you create a digital human being, I would say you're crazy, but we did it. — LA, GMA News
