Jun 152 min read

Story of a shoot - Titanic drawing

Today, I'd like to share a story about a shoot that has had a particular impact on me. I work regularly with a model who has become a friend, @aatypique, who is as beautiful as she is creative. From our very first session, we felt a real creative harmony. Dozens of ideas have emerged from our discussions, and we're gradually putting them into practice. She often comes to the studio with her partner, @sylverdbruxelles, which has enabled us to explore themes together.

One of these ideas was particularly close to our hearts: depicting the mythical scene from the film Titanic where Jack draws Rose. This scene marked the history of cinema for several reasons. Firstly, it represents a crucial moment of vulnerability and intimate connection between the two main characters, symbolising the trust and love emerging between them. Secondly, the scene is artistically and visually iconic, with memorable staging and art direction. Finally, it embodies Kate's liberation and self-assertion, as she literally and metaphorically reveals herself, breaking the social constraints of her time. This scene is also marked by its emotional intensity and symbolic significance. In drawing Kate, Jack captures not only her image, but also her essence and her desire to break free from social expectations. The fact that Kate asks Jack to draw her "as one of his French girls" is a sign of this.

symbolises her desire for freedom and individual expression. This scene is a powerful blend of emotion, art and symbolism, which explains why it has remained etched in the collective memory and become one of the most iconic scenes in modern cinema. Did you know that the original design was created by James Cameron himself?

Here's an interesting anecdote:

Due to a delay in the construction of the sets, James Cameron changed the order in which the scenes in the film were shot. The first scene finally shot was the one where Jack was drawing Rose, who was completely naked. This was a godsend for the director, who felt that it allowed the two actors, who had only crossed paths a few times, to break the ice and create a beautiful bond before shooting the other scenes. Leonardo DiCaprio, a little disoriented when he saw Kate Winslet completely naked, then asked his partner to "lie down on the bed... I mean, the sofa". This line wasn't in the script, but James Cameron kept it, believing it better reflected the emotion the actor felt at the time.

I've also read that Kate is still "haunted by this scene" years later, as many fans ask her for autographs on the drawing, which often makes her feel uncomfortable.

To tackle this theme, we needed a number of elements: the famous Heart of the Ocean necklace, a beautiful red wig, a print of Cameron's original drawing and an outfit for the passionate illustrator! For the lighting, I went for orange tones and an intimate atmosphere. With the help of AI, I was able to create effective prompts to convey the rich image of the luxury cabin.