James Cameron Reveals The Clever Trick He Used To Make The Titanic Set Look Bigger

James Cameron reveals the clever trick he used to make the Titanic set look bigger. The film, released in 1997, explores the romance between fictional characters Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) and Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) while incorporating historical context to portray the disastrous fate of the titular ocean liner. Along with Winslet and DiCaprio, the movie’s cast includes Billy Zane, Frances Fisher, Bill Paxton, Kathy Bates, and more. Despite a massive budget and filming challenges, Titanic has been celebrated over the years for its performances and production design, as well as Cameron’s direction.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in celebration of Titanic‘s new 4K remaster, Cameron explained how he managed to make the film’s set appear larger and save money as a result. The director’s trick was to hire short background actors, all below a certain height. Read Cameron’s comments regarding the production of Titanic below:

We only cast short extras so it made our set look bigger. Anybody above 5’8”, we didn’t cast them. It’s like we got an extra million dollars of value out of casting.

Why Titanic’s Production Is So Impressive

Cameron’s ability to emphasize the scale of an actual vessel, the RMS Titanic being one of the largest passenger ships of its time, through his casting, is part of what makes the production so impressive. He might have used that trick in response to the film’s overall cost, but the director was still able to create a physical set and combine digital effects to depict the sinking. When discussing the possibility of building a full-sized liner for Titanic, Cameron revealed that he opted against the idea because it would mean he got one take.

Cameron has ventured underwater and observed the wreckage of the Titanic first-hand, and given his achievements in filmmaking, it makes sense that he would be able to then recreate the ship, as best as possible. Set photos from Titanic released in October 2023 have provided fans with an even better look behind-the-scenes of production as well. Some of the images feature exterior shots of the vessel, along with cast members in their period clothing.

It’s interesting to hear about the filming of Titanic and the unique way Cameron was able to make his set look bigger. Considering the movie was released 26 years ago, this kind of information also gives fans more insight and something to think about when rewatching it.