channing tatum - stop loss production notes
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  Chapters Cast & Crew Other MoviesThe Vow 2012
21 Jump Street 2012
Haywire 2012
The Son of No One 2011
Dear John 2010
Fighting 2009
Stop-Loss 2008
Step Up 2006
She's the Man 2006
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 Costume designer Marlene Stewart followed a similar color pattern – at the start of the film, as the characters tentatively begin their new civilian lives, the tones are brighter – Steve in his patriotic red, white and blue checked shirts, Michele donning a soft pink top, a fresh white sundress and flouncy red party frock, Brandon favoring a maroon shirt. As the movie proceeds, Steve relies on his Army fatigues while Brandon and Michele, on the run, tend towards gunmetal gray and dark blue non-descript attire.
These looks did not happen by chance and even the more pedestrian garb merited scrutiny prior to principal photography. Stewart, the actors and Peirce participated in several costume and camera tests, to ascertain the best cut of the pants or the length of a t-shirt, in addition to the specific hues that would be used. While this process is common in moviemaking, at first, “Stop-Loss” would not appear to be “a costume movie” that warranted such scrutiny. Stewart demurs.
“I find that even on a ‘simple’ costume, there is the same amount of discussion, especially in a movie like this one, where the characters have to ‘live’ in one costume for a long time,” she says. “I always prefer to have camera tests before production begins, with the DP, the director, the production designer and, of course, the actors, to see how the cut of the clothes look, how the colors react with skin tones and film stock. That way, everyone knows and decides and is in on the process.”
Menges’ trademark, however, is to illuminate sets via practical lights that are part of the scene. This signature practice was best seen in what became known as the Cattle Club. Club 21, in Uhland, Texas, a well-known honky-tonk bar, became the setting of a pivotal party scene in which drunken fun leads to a barroom brawl that reveals the difficulties the soldiers face returning to civilian life.
The production ended up filming there for three nights and because the camera, usually a Steadicam, often revealed 90% of the set, lighting it with traditional key lights and the like was a difficult proposition. Menges’ solution was to string a canopy of 5000 Carney lights above the set. David Wasco’s production design augmented the look with neon signage above the stage where a band played tunes by which to two-step. Whenever Menges’ team had to shoot close-ups, his team would produce a white cardboard card with a coiled ring of small white lights affixed to it. This portable, bespoke rig allowed him to softly and swiftly illuminate the actors without compromising the framing of the shot.
Retired Sgt. Major Jim Dever, the film’s military advisor, was consistently on set. With his ramrod posture, his high and tight haircut, and matter-of-fact but positive attitude, he was a conspicuous and welcome presence. Whether it was corralling extras into military formation during parade scenes or teaching Channing Tatum how to fold a flag at a funeral, he was always ready and available. The male cast members got to know him better than they may have wanted at boot camp, where they slept in cots trimmed with mosquito netting, endured classes on and drills with weapons, firing 6,000 rounds during the course of their training.
They began their day at 5:30 am with reveille and by was a conspicuous and welcome presence. Whether it was corralling extras into military formation during parade scenes or teaching Channing Tatum how to fold a flag at a funeral, he was always ready and available. The male cast members got to know him better than they may have wanted at boot camp, where they slept in cots trimmed with mosquito netting, endured classes on and drills with weapons, firing 6,000 rounds during the course of their training. They began their day at 5:30 am with reveille and by 6:30 am, they were well into their rigorous military style PT, all courtesy of Sgt. Major Dever.
“It was like a total immersion system for the actors,” recalls Peirce of boot camp and the extensive research material she provided to them before filming began. “I shared with them hours and hours of interviews I’d done with soldiers as well as live footage from Iraq shot by soldiers who were there.”
Timothy Olyphant joined the cast as Brandon’s CO Boot Miller and he consulted with Sgt. Major Jim Dever about his character. “I asked him a few questions, but he was running around all day commanding the extras. So I thought, ‘you know what, I’ll do what he’s doing,’” Olyphant laughs.
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