Entertainment

‘The Smashing Machine’ Director Benny Safdie Breaks Down a Scene | Vanity Fair

Published

11 months ago

October 2, 2025

In this episode of “Notes on a Scene,” ‘The Smashing Machine’ director Benny Safdie breaks down the scene where Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson) has lost his first professional fight, and Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt) sits down to consult him. Benny explains how he built the scene with just two camera positions and intricate choices.

Director: Claire Buss
Director of Photography: Eric Brouse
Editor: Michael Penhollow
Talent: Benny Safdie
Producer: Madison Coffey
Line Producer: Natasha Soto-Albors
Associate Producer: Lyla Neely
Production Manager: Andressa Pelachi
Associate Production Manager: Elizabeth Hymes
Talent Booker: Lauren Mendoza
Camera Operator: Caleb Weiss
Gaffer: David Djaco
Audio Engineer: Rebecca O’Neill
Production Assistant: Shanti Cuizon-Burden; Ryan Coppola
Post Production Supervisor: Christian Olguin
Supervising Editor: Eduardo Araujo
Assistant Editor: Andy Morell

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Arts and entertainment, business and media, politics, and world affairs—Vanity Fair’s features and exclusive videos capture the people, places, and ideas that define modern culture.

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12 Comments

@sherrymimy

October 2, 2025 at 12:00 pm

I’m first

Reply
- @CloseUpLover
  
  October 2, 2025 at 12:11 pm
  
  enjoy this moment
  
  Reply
- @paulwillard81
  
  October 2, 2025 at 3:19 pm
  
  You want a cookie?
  
  Reply
@highlycreativedigital5472

October 2, 2025 at 12:38 pm

Love this breakdown, really insightful.

Reply
@Trinigoff

October 2, 2025 at 12:49 pm

I love this breakdown so much and I’m going to go see this movie today and I am excited

Reply
@xChuck17

October 2, 2025 at 12:54 pm

Beautiful film. Benny sure does know how to make an audience tense!

Reply
@BeefStainsOnTheBedSheets

October 2, 2025 at 1:16 pm

Favourite movie of yhe year 🙌

Reply
@cameron1975williams

October 2, 2025 at 1:24 pm

Emily is distractingly hot, just sayin’. Don’t get me wrong, that’s as it should be.

Reply
@fredvasquez4201

October 2, 2025 at 1:53 pm

Benny, I liked this movie, specially because I grew up watching Pride’s back in the day!

Reply
@maudbm

October 2, 2025 at 2:46 pm

Beautiful Benny!

Reply
@paulwillard81

October 2, 2025 at 3:26 pm

Great breakdown of that first scene. It would’ve been really easy to fall into an over the shoulders, shot-reverse-shot with them. But this “we’re in the room with them” approach is really smart.

Reply
@tanado55

October 2, 2025 at 3:44 pm

Usyk 😁

Reply

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Director: Jackie Phillips
Director of Photography: Riccardo Mejia
Editor: Sara Rao

Producer: Chase Lewis
Producer, On Set: Gigi Chavarria
Associate Producer: Lea Donenberg
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Assistant Editor: Andy Morell
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VP, Video Programming: Thespena Guatieri

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