Today he’s give some of the biggest budgets available in Hollywood (and efficiently comes in under them during most productions), but like the vast majority of filmmakers, there was a time when Christopher Nolan had to embody a do-it-yourself approach to his work. This is the case with his first short Doodlebug and his subsequent feature debut, the film noir drama Following, and the director recently discussed both in an extensive talk.
Tied in with the recent Criterion Collection release of both films (which can be picked up here), Nolan sat down with Vice for over 26 minutes to talk his early filmmaking days. Among the topics discussed are why he chose to use black-and-white for both projects, the use of inserts, his approach to sound and editing, and much more. It’s quite a treat to see such a high-profile director discuss the importance of knowing these basics and how he employed them for the films that would follow, including The Dark Knight. Check out the talk below as well as the aforementioned Doodlebug in full.
What do you think of Nolan’s debut and advice?