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Photographer Greg Williams: “Sam Mendes is a jolly nice bloke”


Greg Williams – the world-renowned photographer who has been on set for the last three James Bond films – knows that taking pictures on film sets doesn’t exactly win you any favors with the cast and crew. Lucky for him, Sam Mendes was a bit different. “At the beginning I was scared of getting under […]

Greg Williams – the world-renowned photographer who has been on set for the last three James Bond films – knows that taking pictures on film sets doesn’t exactly win you any favors with the cast and crew. Lucky for him, Sam Mendes was a bit different. “At the beginning I was scared of getting under his feet,” says Williams in an interview with 007.com, promoting his new book of behind-the-scenes photography, Skyfall: Bond on Set. “The last thing anyone needs on a movie set is another photographer, because you get in people’s eyeline and that can make some people uncomfortable. But Sam was a jolly nice bloke; he obviously knows exactly what he wants and you can see why he’s at the very top of this game.”

With Williams on the ground floor of production, there are few people more informed about Skyfall‘s shoot – and most of his praise lands squarely on Mendes’ shoulders. “There was such attention to detail,” he recalls. “One day they were shooting a scene where a load of guns get fired into the roof of an office block, but after they shot it, Sam thought the way the plaster fell wasn’t quite right. So they re-shot it, just so the plaster fell off the ceiling in a particular way. Other people might look at it and go, ‘That’s all right, move on,’ but Sam wanted it to be perfect, which is something I really admire. That’s an example of the meticulous attention to detail he brings to Bond.” Skyfall doesn’t hit theaters until November 9, but Williams’ Skyfall: Bond on Set is available now. ~Devin Garabedian

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