Production Designer Jack Fisk has described Paul Thomas Anderson as a “jazz musician who plays characters.” Looking at PTA’s recent movies, “There Will Be Blood” and “The Master,” one can see a similarity to Jazz that extends past his characters: they are organic, unpredictable and rely on masterful manipulation of tone.
But what is it like to work with a modern jazz filmmaker?
Below is a nice interview with several key collaborators from “The Master.” Listen to Jack Fisk (Production Designer), David Crank (Production Designer), Leslie Jones (Editor) and Mark Bridges (Costume Designer) compare notes on what is required to play in PTA’s band.