3 Directors Who Ban Chairs On Sets: ‘I’ve Always Hated Chairs’
Some Hollywood directors, including Bradley Cooper, have a no-chairs policy on set.
Directors are known to introduce unconventional set rules to enhance creativity, maintain focus, or foster a unique working environment. While some adopt stringent policies to enhance focus, others introduce peculiarities to create an immersive environment.
Some filmmakers do not allow cell phones on their sets, with "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" director Quentin Tarantino reportedly even assigning a crew member to collect phones before filming starts.
Hugh Jackman also claimed in 2020 that two directors he's worked with, Darren Aronofsky and Denis Villeneuve, have the same policy on their sets.
Meanwhile, Martin Scorsese reportedly bans wristwatches to "heighten immersion" during filming, according to TMZ.
But they are not the only directors with quirks.
Here are three Hollywood directors who reportedly ban chairs on their film sets.
1. Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper, who recently returned to the director's chair with his film "Maestro," revealed an interesting facet of his directorial style during a conversation with Spike Lee.
During their chat for Variety's "Directors on Directors" series, Cooper said he does not allow chairs on sets for films he directs.
Instead, he opts for "apple boxes," wooden boxes commonly found on film sets, to provide a seating arrangement.
"There's no chairs on sets. I've always hated chairs," the "A Star Is Born" actor and filmmaker said. "I feel like your energy dips the minute you sit down in the chair. So [an] apple box is a very nice way to sit and everybody's together. There's no video village, I hate that."
Despite this preference, he emphasized that when working on other directors' sets, he adheres to their rules.
2. Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan attends as Universal Pictures presents an OPPENHEIMER Trinity Anniversary Special Screening at the Whitby Hotel on July 15, 2023 in New York City.
Acclaimed director Christopher Nolan also gained attention for his alleged ban on chairs.
Anne Hathaway disclosed this detail during a discussion with Hugh Jackman for Variety's "Actors on Actors" series in 2020.
According to Hathaway, Nolan believes that the presence of chairs can lead to decreased productivity, as people might be tempted to sit instead of work.
Hathaway praised the director's approach, saying, "I mean, he has these incredible movies in terms of scope and ambition and technical prowess and emotion. It always arrives at the end under schedule and under budget. ... I think he's onto something with the chair thing."
However, a representative for Nolan later told IndieWire that chairs were not outright banned; instead, the director chose not to use them personally.
"The chairs Anne was referring to are the directors chairs clustered around the video monitor, allocated on the basis of hierarchy not physical need. Chris chooses not to use his but has never banned chairs from the set. Cast and crew can sit wherever and whenever they need and frequently do," his spokesperson said.
But "Oppenheimer" star Robert Downey Jr.'s recent comments seemed to confirm the unique set dynamic in Nolan's films.
"We were doing screen tests on Imax, which is crazy," Downey Jr. told Mark Ruffalo during their "Actors on Actors" chat. "You would go back and sit in your set chair -- no, you wouldn't, because there were no set chairs!"
3. Zack Snyder
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Filmmaker Zack Snyder has also implemented this unusual rule on his sets.
In an interview with the Playlist's "Fourth Wall" podcast in 2021, Snyder revealed that there was "no sitting down" on the set of his movie, "Army of the Dead."
This decision aimed to create a more intimate and engaged environment, allowing him to interact closely with the actors without the barrier of monitors.
"There's no sitting down," he explained. "Like, I banned chairs from the set. But the nice thing is, it's really intimate. I can just talk to the actors right there, I'm not back in a monitor across the room. It was definitely the most purely engaged I've been making a movie."
