As we’ve previously mentioned, we had the amazing opportunity to be a part of the Robert Pattinson film “Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.” It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we will never forget!
While we were certainly fortunate enough to be in the presence of one of the most famous and most-loved actors of our time, it was more than that – it was an experience that allowed us an insight into the mind and heart of one of the greatest actors of our time.
We’ve since been following his career closely and were lucky enough to see him recently in “Deepwater Horizon.” In that film, he plays a drilling captain who’s forced to retire due to an oil spill.
It was a challenge to portray such a comic book version of a deepwater driller, but Pattinson did a fantastic job, and we’re glad to have seen it.
Now that we’re back from the excitement of the Oscar season, we have the opportunity to revisit some of the most memorable moments from our time working on “Breaking Dawn,” and we thought it would be an honor to share our experience with you.
The Making Of “Breaking Dawn”
To start off with, “Breaking Dawn” was a challenge film-wise. The last “Twilight” movie was such a huge success that we naturally assumed that “Breaking Dawn” would be just as glorious. We were wrong. It was a much more complicated process. We had to change the game in so many ways that it felt like we were redefining the genre.
We’re not sure if “Breaking Dawn” would have been such a success had it been released in the summer of 2014, but now that we’re looking back at the movie from a post-pandemic perspective, we have a different opinion.
Firstly, the wholesale change in the timing of a box-office hit is truly astounding. It came out the same week that Apes 2 was premiering in theaters across the country. And while we love both of those movies and think that they are both masterpieces, it took the “Breaking Dawn” franchise a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work to become a successful sequel.
Secondly, the “Twilight” franchise was built on a stack of previous millennium blockbusters. “The Matrix” (the original 1999 movie), “Harry Potter” and the “Lord of the Rings” saga all helped to create that unique brand of escapism that the franchise is known for. We had a unique experience making “Breaking Dawn” different from any other pandemic remake we’ve ever worked on. It was simply because we knew that the “Twilight” fandom was made up of dedicated fans who would see the film no matter what (and would be back for more).
So, we had to create a whole new world that was both totally consistent with the franchise and still captured the magic of the original.
An Incredible Opportunity
We had the opportunity to work with a legendary director in the making of “Breaking Dawn.” It started with a brief email exchanging ideas about luminous robot creatures that could walk and flicker in dim red lights.
“Twilight” was a film that we knew would fly on the franchise name and brand, but Robert Pattinson’s career was one that we hadn’t fully foreshadowed. We had no idea what he was going to bring to the table, and we were delighted that we were able to contribute to his creativity unimpeded.
Even now, four years later, we still encounter fans of “Twilight” who tell us how much they enjoyed the film and want more. It was a totally unexpected success that we were fortunate enough to be a small part of.
An Insight Into The Mind Of A Genuinely Creative Actor
Now, we’re not here to talk about Robert Pattinson in a pandemic sort of way, but we can’t help but think of the times we watched him on the screen and were impressed by his ability to blend acting with writing. It’s a rare phenomenon to see an actor who is also a writer at work, and it’s an honor to have been a small part of such a genuinely creative process.
What we saw in “Deepwater Horizon” was a side of Pattinson we hadn’t seen before. Not only did he deliver a superb performance, but he also had a lot of passion for his work. He was passionate about performances and saw the potential in every project he worked on.
It’s easy to criticize fans for being fans – we all know what happens when an artist does that – but for the most part, they love his work, and that’s a rare occurrence.
We saw a different Pattinson in “Deepwater Horizon” than the one we’d seen before. There was a rare comic relief quality to his work that made us feel like he was just having a good time and enjoying every moment of it.