Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1491451
We met up on Zoom to discuss his work on Elvis. "This is the first time I worked with Baz. I always wanted that experience and I got it," explained David. Baz Luhrmann is known for his very creative approach to his projects from Romeo + Juliet, Strictly Ballroom and Moulin Rouge!, all with music being a large part of the storytelling. The film was entirely shot in Australia with CGI used to create the Las Vegas Strip, the International Hotel and Graceland. Memphis's Beale Street was an exterior set on the Queensland Village Roadshow Studios lot where they occupied nine sound stages. Beginning in 2019, David Lee's prep began in November and December with sound and technical rehearsals. "In January 2020, we began 'practiced shooting,' as I call it. By that I mean that we were in pre-production and then the day before we'd get news or even the morning of that day. Baz wants to shoot something this afternoon." Everybody would just run around in a mad panic, and then we would end up on a stage shooting something. In one of the scenes, Elvis is just playing his acoustic guitar on the edge of a stage and got the rest of his band behind him. He's just jamming and riffing and that's in the film. That was shot on one of those days," David continues., "As far as the initial sound testing was concerned, I just raised by Richard Lightstone CAS AMPS Australian Production Sound Mixer David Lee's credits include The Matrix (1999), which earned him an Oscar, a BAFTA, and a CAS Award, and Unbroken (2014), where he received both Oscar and CAS Award nominations. L-R: On set sound/music dept. setup: Wade Keighran, music layback/live music recording, Elliott Wheeler, Music Producer, Cameron Bruce, on set Music Producer, Jeffrey Lovejoy, assistant musical instrument co-ordinator, Luke Earthling, musical instrument co-ordinator Luhrmann's Elvis Mixing