Movies - TV
Keeping Dune’s Sand Pristine Was A Filmmaking ‘Nightmare’
By JOE ROBERTS
After spending a lot of time finding the perfect sand dunes for the sci-fi epic, “Dune,” Denis Villeneuve wanted to ensure the sweeping landscape wasn't disturbed by footprints.
In a ScreenCrush interview, the director explained, “We have to instill a lot of discipline in our film crew. We have to make very tight corridors and try to protect our sand.”
“So those sand dunes become very precious for us,” Villeneuve added, “It requires a lot of discipline, because once you break one, it's done. So, yeah, it's like a puzzle."
As Villeneuve told Empire, production designer Patrice Vermette carried bottles of sand with him when filming the first “Dune” movie.
The crew would frequently switch between the Liwa desert and Jordan's Wadi Rum, so Vermette had to ensure the color and texture of the sand matched.