Behind the Scenes of ‘Titanic’: One Take, One Scene, One Wrecked Set
Filming the Titanic movie had many challenges for director James Cameron, his crew, and the cast. Recreating many heartbreaking scenes ahead of the ship’s sinking posed logistical and creative challenges. However, one scene created the most significant issues of all. Cameron and the crew had one take to get an iconic moment on film before the set was permanently wrecked.
The filming of ‘Titanic’ took place over eight months from 1996 through 1997
Titanic‘s director James Cameron‘s attention to detail may account for the extraordinarily long time it took to complete the principal shooting of the movie. Filming for Titanic began in July 1996 and stretched until the end of March 1997, more than twice the usual schedule for a Hollywood film.
The film’s long shooting schedule and the special post-production work were primarily the results of Titanic‘s going over budget past its original $110M initial allotment to over $200M.
Ultimately, the film cost more than the price of constructing the actual ship. Per The History Channel, the ocean liner cost $7.5 million during its construction, which took place between 1910 to 1912.
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, and Bill Paxton, filming for Titanic was exhausting and challenging. The film’s stunt coordinator Simon Crane calls everyone who worked on the movie “a trouper” [per The Mirror].
Filming the scenes after the ship had gone down involved working long hours six nights a week with the actors submerged in ice-cold tanks. He reveals that performers had to sit in Jacuzzis beside the set to get warm between takes.
One scene had only one take to get right before the ‘Titanic’ set was wrecked
The cast and filmmakers reflect on #Titanic 25 years later.
— Titanic (@TitanicMovie) February 8, 2023
This Friday, watch the film again in theatres for a limited time in 4K 3D. Early showings start tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/8cr7anJSAP
Filming the scenes after the ill-fated ship struck an iceberg required lots of water. This problem was solved when Cameron recreated an almost full-sized replica of the ship’s exterior in Mexico’s Baja California at Fox Baja Studios (now called Baja Studios). Filming also took place in LA, including the Belmont Olympic Pool in Long Beach and the SS Lane Victory in San Pedro for some water scenes.
However, during the scene when the water comes crashing onto the Grand Staircase, the filmmakers had only one shot because the entire set would subsequently be destroyed. Per Cinemablagraphy, the sets were enclosed in a 5-million-gallon tank of water.
To make the destruction of the Grand Staircase more dramatic, Titanic‘s team dropped 90,000 gallons of water onto it. This destroyed the set, and only one attempt to get it right.
Reportedly, the water ripped the staircase from its steel-reinforced foundations. It is one of the film’s few scenes that Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet were not part of.
Kate Winslet reflected on the 25th anniversary release of the iconic film
In celebration of Titanic‘s 25th-anniversary release, Kate Winslet revealed that she would probably watch the film, despite disliking watching her movies. “Well, I might. I’m just not very good at watching myself on screen. It’s not just Titanic like I don’t like watching myself in anything,” she told Good Morning America.
“I guess I probably will watch it. You know people are talking about the 25 years — for us, it’s actually longer,” she explained. “I’m 47 years old now, guys and I turned 21 when we were shooting that movie. So, it’s like half my lifetime ago,” she said of the Oscar-winning film.
She continued, “It’s amazing and incredible to have been part of something that, you know, [is] so steeped in nostalgia for people and still resonates with them in the way it does. It’s a huge honor that people still love something that I was a part of all those years ago.”
James Cameron is the sole filmmaker with three movies to gross $2 billion or more [per Variety]. He has directed the first, third, and fourth biggest releases ever. These movies are Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, And Titanic.
