With Sharks In 'Open Water'
With it's very low budget, unknown cast, and huge Sundance hype, the new thriller "Open Water" has been getting comparisons to the 1999 hit "The Blair Witch Project."
The Early Show entertainment contributor Laurie Hibberd reports that for the film's stars, Blanchard Ryan and Daniel Travis, those comparisons are just fine.
"I think the films themselves are two very different films," Travis says. "But I'd be happy to have some of the success that those guys had."
Ryan adds, "I think they have similarities. But I think if you go to our movie, expecting to see a 'Blair Witch' type style film, that's not what you're gonna get."
"Jaws" for the 21st century may be a safer comparison. In "Open Water," Ryan and Travis play a couple who, while on a last-minute vacation, go scuba diving and accidentally get stranded in shark-infested waters. The two films may both be shark thrillers, but unlike the 1975 classic, which used a mechanical fish, these monsters were very real.
"That for me, was a selling point, not a detraction," says Travis.
Ryan agrees. "Swimming with the sharks for Daniel was something he was excited about," says Ryan. "For me, I took the part despite that, not because of it."
As for the nudity involved, Ryan says, "We never thought anybody would see this movie. So, the nudity didn't bother me so much. I was a lot more worried about my life and limb with the sharks. We all had intended to be in the water with a shark or three."
But that was not the case.
Travis recalls, "The first day of shooting, when we pulled up in the boat, as soon as they turned off the engines in the boat, there were between 45 and 50 sharks that just surfaced, and were checking out what was going on."
So, how did they stay safe from the sharks once in the water?
"Well, we take all the precautions that we can," Travis says. "We wore chain-mail underneath our wetsuits, which to give you a reference, it's sort of the equivalent of wearing your tightest-fitting clothing, and then having chicken wire underneath it."
Laughing, Ryan adds, "It's not very comfortable. When the sharks were in our immediate vicinity, we pretty much were restricted to facial expressions -- because I couldn't grab Daniel, or splash my arms around, or anything like that."
"You did try to climb up on top of me a few times," says Travis to Ryan.
Ryan admits, "I really did just want to get up, out of the water, onto Daniel. I almost drowned him."
It also visually created some discrepancies, the director was quick to point out.
Travis said the director, Chris Kentis, would say, "'Your heads are different.' And it was because she was pushing me down."
Ryan adds, "Trying to get as much as my body up out of water as I could."
While filming "Open Water" was an experience these rising stars will never forget, the film's enthusiastic reception looks to be career transforming.
Ryan says, "You know, we've been so busy promoting the film we haven't had a chance to return a lot of phone calls. But it's a really exciting time. "
"To some small extent, things have changed. It's been a rollercoaster," says Travis. "And I think, we've been just kind of fastened our seatbelts, and are interested to see where it ends up."
"Open Water" is currently playing in limited release and opens nationwide on Friday, Aug. 20.
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved. The Early Show entertainment contributor Laurie Hibberd reports that for the film's stars, Blanchard Ryan and Daniel Travis, those comparisons are just fine.
"I think the films themselves are two very different films," Travis says. "But I'd be happy to have some of the success that those guys had."
Ryan adds, "I think they have similarities. But I think if you go to our movie, expecting to see a 'Blair Witch' type style film, that's not what you're gonna get."
"Jaws" for the 21st century may be a safer comparison. In "Open Water," Ryan and Travis play a couple who, while on a last-minute vacation, go scuba diving and accidentally get stranded in shark-infested waters. The two films may both be shark thrillers, but unlike the 1975 classic, which used a mechanical fish, these monsters were very real.
"That for me, was a selling point, not a detraction," says Travis.
Ryan agrees. "Swimming with the sharks for Daniel was something he was excited about," says Ryan. "For me, I took the part despite that, not because of it."
As for the nudity involved, Ryan says, "We never thought anybody would see this movie. So, the nudity didn't bother me so much. I was a lot more worried about my life and limb with the sharks. We all had intended to be in the water with a shark or three."
But that was not the case.
Travis recalls, "The first day of shooting, when we pulled up in the boat, as soon as they turned off the engines in the boat, there were between 45 and 50 sharks that just surfaced, and were checking out what was going on."
So, how did they stay safe from the sharks once in the water?
"Well, we take all the precautions that we can," Travis says. "We wore chain-mail underneath our wetsuits, which to give you a reference, it's sort of the equivalent of wearing your tightest-fitting clothing, and then having chicken wire underneath it."
Laughing, Ryan adds, "It's not very comfortable. When the sharks were in our immediate vicinity, we pretty much were restricted to facial expressions -- because I couldn't grab Daniel, or splash my arms around, or anything like that."
"You did try to climb up on top of me a few times," says Travis to Ryan.
Ryan admits, "I really did just want to get up, out of the water, onto Daniel. I almost drowned him."
It also visually created some discrepancies, the director was quick to point out.
Travis said the director, Chris Kentis, would say, "'Your heads are different.' And it was because she was pushing me down."
Ryan adds, "Trying to get as much as my body up out of water as I could."
While filming "Open Water" was an experience these rising stars will never forget, the film's enthusiastic reception looks to be career transforming.
Ryan says, "You know, we've been so busy promoting the film we haven't had a chance to return a lot of phone calls. But it's a really exciting time. "
"To some small extent, things have changed. It's been a rollercoaster," says Travis. "And I think, we've been just kind of fastened our seatbelts, and are interested to see where it ends up."
"Open Water" is currently playing in limited release and opens nationwide on Friday, Aug. 20.
