Behind the Scenes of “Ocean's Eleven”

by Lewis Robinson

The 2001 film “Ocean's Eleven” was received very well by audiences, and has a score of 83 percent on Rotten Tomatoes to this day. Everything came together spectacularly, from the casting choices to the gripping story. However, some of what went on behind the scenes was just as gripping as the movie. Keep reading to learn about the following facts about the behind the scenes of “Ocean's Eleven.”

The Majority of the Vision Is Thanks to One Producer

Since the majority of the film occurs in Las Vegas casinos, there was initial apprehension because of how long they had to film on the actual casino floors. The casinos in Las Vegas have a very limited filming schedule due to various strict physical and network security measures that have to be taken into consideration to ensure that operations run smoothly. One of the producers, Jerry Weintraub, was able to bypass the restrictions due to his extensive network of connections, so they were able to film uninterrupted and without having to worry about how much time they were taking up. Without Weintraub, the movie would have had to deal with a lot more red tape.

The Cashier's Cage Had to Be Built

One of the biggest and most integral props that had to be built was the cashier's cage. It was built in Los Angeles and then had to be brought to Las Vegas, where it was installed in a corner of the Bellagio casino. This cage helped get the desired angle and allowed the entire casino floor to be viewed all at once.

The Surveillance Room Had to be Dressed Up

Casinos are known for their surveillance rooms, colloquially known as the eyes in the sky, where all of the casino can be viewed on the cameras at the same time. Unfortunately, if you are filming something that is meant to be constantly glamorous, when it comes to a surveillance room, it is usually anything but. Surveillance rooms are designed to be functional, so most of them do not have aesthetics as part of the design consideration. Since an actual surveillance room was used in the film, it had to be dressed up a bit so it matched everything else.

Clooney Got the Cast

As wonderful a concept as the movie was, there was a limited budget for the film. Since the casting was crucial, there was a concern as to whether the dream cast could be achieved with the budget that they had. As one of the producers and being among the first to cut his salary, George Clooney was able to get an all-star cast for a fraction of the cost, creating that camaraderie that was central to the film's success. After all, if the story is that eleven people are going to rob three casinos, that whole group needs to have natural chemistry and good communication, things that are very hard to fake. In fact, all of the actors were excited to work with each other, and the friendships made during filming continued once it was wrapped.

Each Actor Got to Choose Their Character's Quirk

It is not often that an actor gets to choose a quirk for their character, but in this case, everyone got to choose one. One of the most memorable is Brad Pitt's character, Rusty. Pitt decided to make Rusty eat on the go, which resulted in Pitt eating on camera. It makes sense. If one is constantly on the run, when does one have the time to sit and get food?

While it is a remake of the original, 2001's “Ocean's Eleven” is gripping, riveting, and full of wonderful people, both on camera and off. This movie is highly recommended, especially if you like to watch people committing crime while cracking wise.