Vanity Fair: Notes On a Scene

Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, the directors of the Oscar-winning documentary “Free Solo,” discuss how they captured rock climber Alex Honnold’s free solo climb (without any ropes, harnesses or protective equipment) of Yosemite’s El Capitan in June 2017. The film crew was challenged to record his incredible achievement without affecting Honnold’s climb.

On this episode of "Notes on a Scene," Jack Gill, a stunt coordinator on "Fast Five," breaks down the car chase scene in the movie's climax as Vin Diesel and Paul Walker's characters steal $100 million dollars in a bank vault. Jack explains how the stunt team and director Justin Lin created the scene with largely practical effects including a real 9,000 pound steel vault dragged behind two Dodge Chargers.

On this episode of "Notes on a Scene," Captain Marvel's directors, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, break down the fight scene on the train.

On this episode of "Notes on a Scene," Alan Taylor, one of the directors of "Game of Thrones," breaks down Ned Stark's final episode.

In this episode of "Notes on Scene," director Tim Burton and costume designer Colleen Atwood break down the parade scene from Dumbo.

On this episode of "Notes on a Scene," Bonnie Judd, the animal coordinator and head trainer for "A Dog's Journey" breaks down dog acting in movies like "Air Bud: 7th Inning Fetch" and "Marley and Me," and explains how she trained the dogs who star in "A Dog's Journey."

In this episode of “Notes on a Scene,” Rick Carter, Forrest Gump’s production designer, breaks down the “Vietnam” scene from the film. Forrest Gump is now available with a newly remastered 25th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray, as well as on a 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack from Paramount Home Entertainment.

In this episode of “Notes on a Scene,” Director Jon Favreau breaks down The Lion King's opening scene. Jon explains the intricate steps that were taken to make the opening scene as amazing as the original.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Quentin Tarantino break down how they wrote and developed Rick Dalton, the main character in their new film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Tarantino explains how important early 1960s Hollywood leading men like Edd Byrnes and George Maharis were for the concept of Rick while DiCaprio goes into the challenges of playing him.

On this episode of "Notes on a Scene," stunt coordinator and stunt double Shauna Duggins breaks down her career in stunts. Shauna explains her path in the industry, from jumping onto a helicopter in Charlie's Angels to becoming the Emmy nominated stunt coordinator on Netflix's GLOW. Shauna also talks about her work on Iron Man 3, Kill Bill Vol. 2, and more.

In this episode of 'Notes on a Scene,' actor Renée Zellweger and director Rupert Goold break down a scene from their film 'Judy.' From style to makeup, they explain the artistic process for the film, bringing theatrical tropes to the big screen, and their determination to pay homage to Judy Garland.

Director James Gray and production designer Kevin Thompson break down a few scenes from their new Sci-Fi film Ad Astra starring Brad Pitt. They explain how important it was to create a CGI world that was both futuristic and realistic by using footage of the Moon and Mars and focusing on present-day space technologies.

Director Todd Phillips takes us through the opening scene of "Joker." He explains how the necessity of an unsettling dynamic tension throughout the film was the driving force that dictated his artistic decisions. Through location, costume, makeup and lighting Phillips created a truly frightening world.

Comic book legend Kevin Smith takes a deep dive into a scene from his new movie "Jay and Silent Bob Reboot." He talks about the different cameos, the use of CGI and his unique filmmaking style.

Director Joachim Rønning takes us through his process for creating the dinner scene in his new film Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. Joachim discusses the difficulties in filming a sit-down dialogue scene, the costume choices that were made, and the CGI design that went into creating Angelina Jolie's wings.

Lisa Henson and Louis Leterrier break down the carriage chase scene from their new Netflix original series, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. They take us through the process of filming a fast-paced action-scene with puppets. From melding the worlds of CGI and practical effects to the detailed choreography and defined camera movements, both creators give us an inside look at what it took to create this series.

Taika Waititi and Stephen Merchant break down a scene from their new film "JoJo Rabbit." They discuss the complications with melding comedic undertones and drama while trying to present the events of World War II in a new light. The film is meant to remind people of the horrible events that occurred during this time and to make sure we never forget.

Costume Designer Mary Jane Fort, the designer for the original 2004 film, "Mean Girls" breaks down some of Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Seyfried, Lacey Chabert, Rachel McAdams' most iconic looks in the film. From "on Wednesdays, we wear pink" to the Christmas pageant scene, Mary explains her concepts and inspirations for each design.

On this episode of 'Notes on a Scene,' Tim Miller, director of 'Terminator: Dark Fate,' walks us through a high-speed chase led by hybrid cyborg human, Grace. Miller offers his seasoned perspective on the complexities of crafting a dangerous scene with CGI and the physical challenges faced by Mackenzie Davis and her stunt double.

Writer-director, Bong Joon-ho, and actor, Woo-sik Choi, break down the symbolism of the opening scene in their critically-acclaimed foreign film, 'Parasite.' They take us through the bizarre moment we first see the scholar stone and explain how scavenging for set materials and costume design helped create a world that highlights the disparities of wealth and poverty. Bong is honored his film coincides with the celebration of Korean film's 100th anniversary.

In this episode of 'Notes On A Scene,' Elizabeth Banks breaks down a scene from 'Charlie's Angels' inspired by 'The Thomas Crown Affair.' As the writer, producer, director and star of her new film, Elizabeth explains how she tied together action movie tropes and female camaraderie to pay homage to the 'Charlie's Angels' franchise.

‘Rocketman’ director Dexter Fletcher and Taron Egerton break down the swimming pool scene where Elton John meets a younger version of himself during a near-death experience. They take us through the poetic transition of a young Elton John, played by Taron Egerton, coming out of the experience having journeyed to a peak in his career.

On this episode of 'Notes on a Scene,' stars of 'Little Women' Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet, Laura Dern, and director Greta Gerwig break down the scene where all of the March women are introduced to the Laurence family. With strong emphasis placed on subtle detail, Gerwig compares the complexity of shooting such a dynamic scene with the value of each actor's timing.

On this episode of “Notes on a Scene,” costume designers Sandy Powell and Christopher Peterson explain how they dressed Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci across five decades in Netflix's ‘The Irishman.’ They take us through the challenges and triumphs of reinventing vintage clothes and creating a 50-year-spanning wardrobe for the film’s characters.