**The Freedom to Create: How Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels' Director Taught Me About Filmmaking**

When it comes to filmmaking, there are many decisions that need to be made when bringing a script to life. One of the most crucial decisions is whether or not to focus group the film, which can lead to homogenization and a loss of creative control. In his opinion, director Guy Ritchie never had to resort to focus grouping his movie Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. "I didn't have to focus group it to death," he said. "I didn't have to homogenize my movie like that." He attributes this to the fact that he was working on a lower budget than some of his other films, such as Chronicles, which gave him the freedom to make the film he wanted.

This approach allowed Ritchie to create a film that was true to himself and his vision. "I just liked locking picture when I wanted to lock picture," he said. "There's the cut, let's go now." This approach also meant that Ritchie had more creative control over the final product, which is often lacking in big-budget films. When asked if there were any scenes that would have had to be cut out in order to achieve a PG-13 rating, Ritchie replied that he knew it was possible, but that working with a lower budget gave him the freedom to do whatever he wanted.

One of the key factors that allowed Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels to be made on a smaller budget was advances in technology. While effects can still blow a budget quickly, Ritchie has found ways to work around this by going straight to independent houses with talented people instead of big studios. This approach has not only helped him stay within budget but also pushed the boundaries of what is possible on a smaller scale. "I've got 850 visual effect shots in the movie," he said. "But it's just about care, not running to ILM or Wether to do your effects."

Ritchie credits his ability to work efficiently with his post-production pipeline as a key factor in getting the film made quickly. When asked how he is able to move so fast, Ritchie replied that it all starts with having a short script. "I go in with 106 pages," he said. "Not trying to shoot 120 or 125 because I know I'm going to lose time anyway in the editing room." This approach allows him to streamline his process and get on set quickly.

Another key factor in Ritchie's ability to move fast is the caliber of his actors. He only works with people who want to work, which means that he can shoot quickly without having to worry about dealing with divas or difficult personalities. "Actors who want to work show up on time," he said. "Want to work, can you see yourself shooting like a native?" This approach has allowed Ritchie to create films that are truly unique and memorable.

Finally, when it comes to the debate between digital and film, Ritchie takes a clear stance. In his opinion, there is an aesthetic difference between the two mediums that cannot be ignored. "I'm just doing it because I know I have to move fast," he said. "I know my post-production pipeline will be streamlined if I shoot digitally." However, he also believes that film has its own unique qualities and should not be dismissed outright.

**The Camera: A Key Factor in Ritchie's Workflow**

Ritchie credits his camera of choice, the Alexa, with being a key factor in his ability to work efficiently. "We could afford it," he said. "We could afford two or three camera bodies." This allowed him to move quickly and seamlessly between shots without having to worry about switching cameras. Ritchie also praised the camera's digital capabilities, which allowed him to streamline his post-production pipeline.

My DP who is a film guy says next show Alexa there you go," he said. "I think the tide has turned on that." This suggests that the industry is starting to recognize the benefits of working with digital cameras and technology. For Ritchie, this means being able to work quickly and creatively without having to compromise his vision.

**Conclusion**

In conclusion, Guy Ritchie's approach to filmmaking is centered around creative freedom and efficiency. By working on a lower budget than some of his other films, he was able to focus on the film that he wanted to make rather than trying to please everyone else. His ability to work quickly and efficiently has been key to getting Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels made, as well as his use of digital technology.

For Ritchie, the choice between digital and film is not just about which medium to use but also about aesthetics. He believes that there are aesthetic differences between the two mediums that cannot be ignored. By embracing this approach and working with the right people, Ritchie has been able to create films that are truly unique and memorable.

As for his future plans, Ritchie says that he would love to work on more films using digital technology. However, he also believes in the importance of film as an art form. "I'm just doing it because I know I have to move fast," he said. "But at the end of the day, I'm a filmmaker who loves film."

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhi guys this is Brian from The Verge and we're here with writer director David Tui of the upcoming Ric thanks for taking the time to sit down with us Brian hello hello sir uh and just real quick uh the restricted red band trailer just came out there's a head gag everybody's going to watch that is awesome I just want to say that once again it's it played well in h Hall played big in h Hall Okay cool so now so let's talk about you know about Ric in general right it's been nine years since Chronicles came out there's always been talk about a new one coming up you know you've mentioned it Vin's mentioned it what made 2013 the time for it to actually come together well we've been uh you know for a while we didn't think it would but slowly we heard this drum beat from the fans of more Ric plays right I hear it but Vin Hears A lot because he's got that big ass Facebook page right right and so you know it was something that well look I love the character in the worlds we create Vin us too and and the fans were out there saying the same thing so we wanted to um pay them off and you know to not do a third Ric movie would have felt unfinished it would have felt unfinished in terms of the story the macro story we're trying to tell and it would have been unsatisfying for us and our fans mhm so we said we're going to do this even if it's over the you know the dead body of uh you know some people so we did it as not a studio movie this time but as an independent movie this time and we raised our own money I wrote this the spec the the script on spec and um only when it was going right as an independent movie does the studio step back in and say well okay can we distribute it for you you know we'd like to help that might be good and that's actually a good place that's a good relationship because it gives me total freedom on the set you know I had write one p the script one tweak and then we were shooting um and then uh when it came to lock in the picture I didn't have to focus group it to death I didn't have to homogenize my movie like that I didn't have to turn it into milk you know homogeneization is fine for milk but bad for movies didn't have to do any of that I just like lock picture when I wanted to lock picture I said there's the cut let's go now were there things that you would have had to cut out I mean obviously there's you know I'm sure after judging that trailer there some going to be some great you know violence with you know theat if we were PG-13 or uh if we were PG-13 yeah we'd have to sacrific a lot but one of the things by by making for less money this time closer in budget to pitch black than Chronicles it gives us the freedom to go R gives us the freedom to do whatever we damn we want I want to talk about that because it is you know modestly budgeted compared you know to the you know Chronicles and this other big movies but you know it's not skipping on scope at all you know how are you able to go and like you know bring both of those together on the smaller budget is it effects is it you know advances in technology it's still effects have come down in price but you still effects can blow a budget real quick too and I still have 850 visual effect shots in the movie but it's just about you know care not running to ilm to do your effects not running to wther to do your effects even though we all wish we could it would be the easy way to go I've got to go for the smaller companies that have talent and actually bring them up a step you know so um and some of the Montreal houses the Canadian houses we looked out with there so it's a matter of like helping These Guys these effects houses these small effect houses taking them with the movie to the next level and saying that if you do this well and if you guys burn Around the Clock in this movie you know you can you can be stepping up to the bigs too yeah and they'll understand it and they'll Embrace that it's excellent yeah that's one way to do it and you shoot quick I shot this quicker than pitch black I shot this in 47 days now how are you able to go pull that off is there I know you shot this film was shot digitally correct yes you did you show on the Alexa Alexa yes okay did that did that help just because you can keep rolling I have to call you know I guess though you know it's not like a comedy show where you just say keep keep coming up with gags right it's not that kind of speed uh it's maybe you speed up the lighting process a little bit um and you streamline the postproduction pipeline but that really doesn't help me move fast so much faster on the set what helps me move faster is that you know I go in with a short script I go in with 106 Pages something like that not trying to shoot 120 125 because I know I'm going to lose time anyway in the editing room I'm always losing scenes so I do better with a short script that I can embellish on the set right uh that's one way to keep it down and actors who want want to work you know act show up on time want to work can you see yourself shooting like a native IMAX if you had the budget the time to go and do that in the future you don't need to you really don't need to um they may argue with that but I've seen the results and the quality holds up the resolution holds up what kind of carens back to the film versus digital conversation at a certain point almost um in this film you know it's it definitely from what I've seen so far in the trailers definitely feels grainy it feels you know has has a real visceral aesthetic um it's not people think about IND digital do you as a filmmaker I mean you feel like we're completely beyond the point of that's even a conversation there are aesthetic differences between the two mediums I'm just doing it because I know I have to move fast I know my I know I have 850 visual effect so I know that my post production pipeline will be streamlined if I shoot digitally sure so there's the call from me right there plus area just come out with the Alexa it was a beautiful camera by all accounts uh we could afford it we could afford two or three camera bodies so we jumped on it we jumped on it and my DP who is a film guy says next show Alexa there you go yeah cool I I think the um the tide has turned on that fair enough I think uh we're done but thank you so so much it's a pleasure to meet you you toohi guys this is Brian from The Verge and we're here with writer director David Tui of the upcoming Ric thanks for taking the time to sit down with us Brian hello hello sir uh and just real quick uh the restricted red band trailer just came out there's a head gag everybody's going to watch that is awesome I just want to say that once again it's it played well in h Hall played big in h Hall Okay cool so now so let's talk about you know about Ric in general right it's been nine years since Chronicles came out there's always been talk about a new one coming up you know you've mentioned it Vin's mentioned it what made 2013 the time for it to actually come together well we've been uh you know for a while we didn't think it would but slowly we heard this drum beat from the fans of more Ric plays right I hear it but Vin Hears A lot because he's got that big ass Facebook page right right and so you know it was something that well look I love the character in the worlds we create Vin us too and and the fans were out there saying the same thing so we wanted to um pay them off and you know to not do a third Ric movie would have felt unfinished it would have felt unfinished in terms of the story the macro story we're trying to tell and it would have been unsatisfying for us and our fans mhm so we said we're going to do this even if it's over the you know the dead body of uh you know some people so we did it as not a studio movie this time but as an independent movie this time and we raised our own money I wrote this the spec the the script on spec and um only when it was going right as an independent movie does the studio step back in and say well okay can we distribute it for you you know we'd like to help that might be good and that's actually a good place that's a good relationship because it gives me total freedom on the set you know I had write one p the script one tweak and then we were shooting um and then uh when it came to lock in the picture I didn't have to focus group it to death I didn't have to homogenize my movie like that I didn't have to turn it into milk you know homogeneization is fine for milk but bad for movies didn't have to do any of that I just like lock picture when I wanted to lock picture I said there's the cut let's go now were there things that you would have had to cut out I mean obviously there's you know I'm sure after judging that trailer there some going to be some great you know violence with you know theat if we were PG-13 or uh if we were PG-13 yeah we'd have to sacrific a lot but one of the things by by making for less money this time closer in budget to pitch black than Chronicles it gives us the freedom to go R gives us the freedom to do whatever we damn we want I want to talk about that because it is you know modestly budgeted compared you know to the you know Chronicles and this other big movies but you know it's not skipping on scope at all you know how are you able to go and like you know bring both of those together on the smaller budget is it effects is it you know advances in technology it's still effects have come down in price but you still effects can blow a budget real quick too and I still have 850 visual effect shots in the movie but it's just about you know care not running to ilm to do your effects not running to wther to do your effects even though we all wish we could it would be the easy way to go I've got to go for the smaller companies that have talent and actually bring them up a step you know so um and some of the Montreal houses the Canadian houses we looked out with there so it's a matter of like helping These Guys these effects houses these small effect houses taking them with the movie to the next level and saying that if you do this well and if you guys burn Around the Clock in this movie you know you can you can be stepping up to the bigs too yeah and they'll understand it and they'll Embrace that it's excellent yeah that's one way to do it and you shoot quick I shot this quicker than pitch black I shot this in 47 days now how are you able to go pull that off is there I know you shot this film was shot digitally correct yes you did you show on the Alexa Alexa yes okay did that did that help just because you can keep rolling I have to call you know I guess though you know it's not like a comedy show where you just say keep keep coming up with gags right it's not that kind of speed uh it's maybe you speed up the lighting process a little bit um and you streamline the postproduction pipeline but that really doesn't help me move fast so much faster on the set what helps me move faster is that you know I go in with a short script I go in with 106 Pages something like that not trying to shoot 120 125 because I know I'm going to lose time anyway in the editing room I'm always losing scenes so I do better with a short script that I can embellish on the set right uh that's one way to keep it down and actors who want want to work you know act show up on time want to work can you see yourself shooting like a native IMAX if you had the budget the time to go and do that in the future you don't need to you really don't need to um they may argue with that but I've seen the results and the quality holds up the resolution holds up what kind of carens back to the film versus digital conversation at a certain point almost um in this film you know it's it definitely from what I've seen so far in the trailers definitely feels grainy it feels you know has has a real visceral aesthetic um it's not people think about IND digital do you as a filmmaker I mean you feel like we're completely beyond the point of that's even a conversation there are aesthetic differences between the two mediums I'm just doing it because I know I have to move fast I know my I know I have 850 visual effect so I know that my post production pipeline will be streamlined if I shoot digitally sure so there's the call from me right there plus area just come out with the Alexa it was a beautiful camera by all accounts uh we could afford it we could afford two or three camera bodies so we jumped on it we jumped on it and my DP who is a film guy says next show Alexa there you go yeah cool I I think the um the tide has turned on that fair enough I think uh we're done but thank you so so much it's a pleasure to meet you you too\n"