Since different shots might be needed for one scene, the director will need to shoot it multiple times anyway. Even if the acting & tech stuff is perfect for each shot, the paper might not rip in exactly the same way every time. In fact, it probably won’t.
So I don’t mind the boxes.
Anyway, it’s the thought that counts, right?
In the DVD extras for Bonnie and Clyde, I learned that the young Michael J. Pollard hadn’t been thus trained. There’s a scene where the main cast is in a car eating takeout hamburgers. Pollard was hungry when shooting started and wolfed down several burgers in the first take or two. When the scene had to be shot again and again, he had to eat more and more, and started to get a bit queasy.
In Diamonds Are Forever Bond tips the car on it’s side to drive it through the alley. After the wrap they noticed the shot of the car emerging from the alley is of one balanced on the other side. They had to film a piece of business to account for the car having changed from one side to the other.
My first thought was of the burning of Atlanta scene in Gone With the Wind where they burned down most of the studio backlot. A certain one take scene.
Today on NPR I only heard a part of the interview on the show “the splendid table,” with the chef for Downtown Abby. The plates and plates of real food used. About every two takes they refresh the plates. Things like fish are seldom used. Now I wish I was paying more attention.
I understand they only had one steam locomotive to run off the Bridge on the River Kwai, so they really had to get it right the first take.