Michael Mann Takes Audiences Behind the Scenes of His Films with Archives

Acclaimed director Michael Mann has launched a unique project, offering viewers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at his filmmaking process through his newly unveiled website, Archives. This initiative was revealed by The Hollywood Reporter and provides an immersive experience centered initially around Mann’s 2023 film, Ferrari. The film stars Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari, the legendary race car driver and businessman, and Penélope Cruz as his wife, Laura Ferrari.

Mann’s Archives website debuted on Tuesday, inviting those interested to purchase an access pass currently priced at $65, along with a variable gas fee. These fees are associated with blockchain transactions and can fluctuate based on network usage at the time of access. The plan is to eventually extend the site’s content to include Mann’s other renowned films.

The Archives site offers an array of exclusive content that delves deeply into the making of Ferrari. This includes 20 previously unseen short documentary videos, showcasing the behind-the-scenes processes and the technology used in the film’s production. Additionally, fans will have access to the director’s annotated scripts, personal notes, photo storyboards, and various audio recordings.

Mann emphasized to the Los Angeles Times the value of this endeavor, noting, "Directors have no idea how any other director makes a movie. And so we each evolve our own particular process. This is an opportunity to pass that on, convey something I’m just very enthusiastic about."

Edward Saxon, a University of Southern California Cinematic Arts professor and producer of The Silence of the Lambs, lauded the Archives as “a unique, essential addition to film and filmmaking scholarship. Brilliant. Immersive. As close as you can get to understanding a filmmaker’s process, and the entire Mann filmmaking process without being on set. It’s also tremendous fun.”

The access pass provides unlimited viewing of these exclusive materials but does not allow for downloading. Currently, the service is available to residents in the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, with plans to expand to other regions in the future.

For Ferrari, the Archives features six curated scenes: the opera sequence introducing the core characters, a confrontation between Enzo and Laura, the workers’ mass and the Maserati challenge, the two-part Mille Miglia race, and the dramatic Guidizzolo crash.

Mann boasts an extensive and illustrious filmography. Over his career, he has directed 12 feature films, including notable works like Manhunter (1986), The Last of the Mohicans (1992), Heat (1995), The Insider (1999), Ali (2001), Collateral (2004), Miami Vice (2006), and Public Enemies (2009). In addition to his feature films, he has directed single episodes of four TV series, including HBO | Max’s Tokyo Vice, along with two TV movies and five short films.

Throughout his career, Mann has received four Academy Award nominations. Three of these nominations were for The Insider—Best Adapted Screenplay (shared with Eric Roth), Best Director, and Best Picture (shared with Pieter Jan Brugge). He was also nominated for Best Picture for his work on The Aviator.

Currently, Mann is preparing for a much-anticipated sequel to his influential film Heat. The new project, titled Heat 2, is exploring both prequel and sequel narratives to the original 1995 film. In collaboration with Meg Gardiner, Mann authored the novel Heat 2 in 2022, which is set in both 1988 and 2000. The story explores Neil McCauley’s (originally portrayed by Robert De Niro) backstory and continues the saga of McCauley’s crew as they navigate their lives post the original film’s events, still eluding Al Pacino’s character, Vince Hanna.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times