Director Michael Winterbottom (seen here with the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival for his The Road To Guantanamo) is one of the most acclaimed filmmakers in the world. How was it working with him?
Michael gives freedom to everyone from set designing to the actors. He lets everybody give his or her inputs, and never stops anyone from doing anything. He sits back and sees what people bring to the film. Even while directing, he asks people to improvise.
He doesn't stick to the script. The script for him is a guideline, not something you stick to verbatim. We knew what the scene outline was and then we would just take it forward from that spontaneously.
He shoots continuously six to seven hours, without a break for lighting the set or for eating. There is very minimal lighting in his films. The camera can go anywhere and the positions for the actors are never marked. The camera follows them where they go.
He starts shooting anytime. He doesn't say 'action' or 'cut.' The camera just starts rolling, so the actor can get into the scene whenever he or she wants.
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