'Hunger Games' Director Avoids Using CGI And Stand-Ins For Philip Seymour Hoffman's Remaining Scenes
Contrary to reports, Philip Seymour Hoffman's remaining scenes as Plutarch on "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay" would not be faked using CGI or stand-ins. The actor deserves better than than, the director says.
Philip Seymour Hoffman's untimely and unfortunate death back in February not only left the "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay's" set in mourning but there was also the conundrum. The actor, who played the important character of Plutarch, still had two scenes to shoot at the time of his death due to drug overdose -- one for each part of the finale. Director Francis Lawrence and the team grieved for the loss of a good actor and at the same time, they had to think about the best way to complete the film. Originally, the idea of using CGI and stand-ins sounded appealing in order to still have a sense of Hoffman as Plutarch in the two remaining scenes. However, after careful deliberation, the director said that they decided to rewrite the scenes, instead of using technology to avoid catastrophic results.
"I just think to try to fake a Philip Seymour Hoffman performance would have been catastrophic and I would never want to do that," the director said to The Huffington Post. As such, the director revised the scripts written by Danny Strong and Peter Craig. The scenes were given to other people so that they do not have to do any sort of "digital trickery." The director wanted to avoid patching together the actor's voice, use a computer to have a digital Phil speak or use other technical tools.
USA Today has praised Philip Seymore Hoffman's performance is his last film. The report says that he stole every scene that he is in. Even though it is only the first of the two-part movie finale, "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay" Part 1 is expected to feature a lot of heartstopping scenes. In the first movie, Katniss will be seen living in the underground District 13 with her mother and sister. She will guided by her closest childhood friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth). The character will plan and execute a rebellion against President Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland). She'll be forming an alliance with Alma Coin, who is going to be played by Julianne Moore, in order to win the revolution and rescue her longtime ally and love interest, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson).