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REALLY SUGGEST YOU COME WITH ME.
THE MOST RIDICULOUS LONG WAY
TO MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY IN A SHORT WHILE.
ONLY TWO TYPES COME UP HERE --
A GUY WITH A SHOVEL AND A GUY WITH A BUSINESS PLAN.
SHOVEL GUY.
YOU AFRAID OF DYING?
TO HAVING NOTHING IN HER POCKET.
HEAD FOR THE HOLE.
YUKON GETS TO ALL OF US SOONER OR LATER, LADY.
YOU WANT TO TRY TO KILL ME, COME FOR MY GOLD?
WHERE IS IT?
[ PANTING ]
Zucker: DISCOVERY KNEW IT WAS THE RIGHT PROJECT FOR DISCOVERY,
THAT THIS WOULD BE THE TYPE OF MATERIAL,
THE TYPE OF DRAMA
THAT WOULD REALLY APPEAL TO THEIR AUDIENCES.
WE HAD A VERY SIMPLE CONVERSATION --
WHAT ARE THE STORIES THAT WE HAVEN'T TOLD YET?
HISTORICAL DRAMAS.
AND SO, WE SAID, "OKAY.
"WHAT IS THE BEST STORY
TO START THIS NEW KIND OF GENERATION OF STORYTELLING?"
AND THE GOLD RUSH WAS AN OBVIOUS ANSWER FOR US.
THIS GOLD RUSH, IN PARTICULAR, WAS A DEMON EPIC, YOU KNOW?
IT'S A HUGE TALE THAT SEEMS TO HAVE NEVER BEEN TOLD,
FOR SOME REASON.
Roth: HOW THEY DID IT,
IT SEEMS COMPLETELY IMPOSSIBLE, PHYSICALLY,
TO PULL OFF WHAT THEY ACTUALLY DID PULL OFF.
Shepard: THE TREK TO GET UP THERE --
INCREDIBLE THAT PEOPLE WOULD PUT THEMSELVES THROUGH THAT.
Gavin: IT'S EPIC. IT'S PERSONAL.
IT'S VERY INTENSE. IT'S EMOTIONAL.
Roth: AND THEY THREW THEMSELVES AT IT,
AND IT LIKELY DECIMATED THE POPULATION, YOU KNOW?
BUT THEY WENT FOR IT.
Gavin: WE'RE NOT PLAYING.
WE SAID, "OKAY, THE FIRST STEP HAS GOT TO BE A FIRM STEP.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE BEST."
DISCOVERY'S GONNA TAKE YOU IN A UNIVERSE
THAT WE CAN'T ACTUALLY POSSIBLY CONCEIVE OF TODAY.
RECKON WE'VE GOT TWO MORE HEADED FOR DAWSON CITY --
PARIS OF THE NORTH.
Madden: IT'S ABOUT THE BEAUTY
AND THE VICIOUSNESS AND DESTRUCTIVENESS
AND THE KINDNESS OF HUMAN BEINGS.
Shepard: THE SCRIPT, I THOUGHT,
WAS REALLY EXCEPTIONAL, YOU KNOW?
I MEAN, I WAS STUNNED BY THE SCRIPT,
AS FAR AS A TELEVISION SCRIPT AND A MINISERIES, YOU KNOW.
Scott: THE DREAM IS GOLD, AND SO MANY PEOPLE NEVER ACHIEVED THAT.
YOU'RE DRAGGED INTO, YOU'RE PUSHED INTO,
YOU'RE SUCKED INTO,
AND YOU'RE LIVING AND WATCHING THESE EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES
OF THESE PEOPLE WHO SURVIVE AND EVOLVE.
YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YUKON.
WE RUN OUT OF MONEY, WE ARE DEAD.
SO, I THINK THE SHOW'S MUCH BIGGER
THAN JUST "GUYS TRY AND FIND GOLDEN CUP AND BECOME RICH."
THAT'S REALLY -- I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S IRRELEVANT, OF COURSE.
BUT THE GOLD THING IS NOT REALLY THE HEART OF IT.
IT'S ABOUT FINDING YOURSELF.
YOU'RE THE DEAD MAN AND NOT JUST IN THIS LIFE.
IT WAS REALLY FASCINATING TO ME TO SEE KIND OF "MODERN PEOPLE"
GOING INTO THOSE KIND OF MORE PRIMITIVE ENVIRONS.
AND THE QUESTION FOR ME WAS,
"WELL, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GO INTO THE WILD?
DO YOU BECOME WILD ULTIMATELY?"
Nelson: I THINK THIS BELONGS ON THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL
BECAUSE THE PHENOMENON
OF FINDING THIS PRECIOUS RESOURCE --
GOLD --
IN THE MIDDLE OF NATURE'S WRATH
IS EXACTLY WHAT THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL IS ALL ABOUT,
WHICH IS MAN'S RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE.
YOU DON'T NEGOTIATE WITH NATURE.
YOU EITHER BEST IT OR IT BESTS YOU.
Gavin: MAN VS. NATURE --
THAT'S ALSO TRUE WITH PRODUCTION.
[ LAUGHS ]
EVERY SINGLE DAY HAS BEEN SHOT OUTSIDE.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN LIKE MINUS-20 OR MINUS-38?
IT IS STULTIFYINGLY HARD,
AND YOU'VE GOT TO BE DRESSED PROPERLY
TO ENABLE YOU TO THINK PROPERLY.
THE CONDITIONS AT THAT LEVEL ARE REALLY DIFFICULT.
EVERYTHING'S COLD. THE CAMERA FREEZES UP.
THERE HAS BEEN BRUTAL WEATHER.
THEY HAVE SHOT IN LOCATIONS
THAT, YOU KNOW, NO ONE HAS EVER SHOT BEFORE.
"A" MARK.
THREE BEATS AFTER ACTION, WE'RE GONNA MOVE,
SO HE'S GONNA SCRAMBLE THREE BEATS, AND THEN WE MOVE.
Gavin: THERE WAS A SCENE THAT WAS SHOT
ON A MOUNTAIN CALLED FORTRESS MOUNTAIN,
AND IT'S ACTUALLY ABOVE THE CLOUD COVER.
YOU'RE GRASPING TO HOLD ON TO THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN.
YOU'RE REALLY HANGING ALONG THE SIDE OF IT.
THE MOUNTAIN WILL EAT YOU.
AND RICHARD AND THE CREW AND AUGUSTUS WERE REMARKABLE
AS THEY WERE TRYING TO SAY THEIR LINES
WHILE THEY'RE LITERALLY TRYING TO HOLD ON
TO PREVENT THEMSELVES FROM SLIDING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN.
Madden: AND EVERYONE'S KIND OF AT THEIR LIMITS OF PHYSICALITY
TO MAKE THE SHOT WORK, GET THE SHOTS WE NEED,
TO GO AGAIN WHEN THE ALTITUDE IS SO --
THE AIR IS SO THIN THAT YOU CAN'T BREATHE,
BUT YOU'RE HAVING TO RUN UPHILL
FROM AN AVALANCHE OR INTO AN AVALANCHE.
"A" MARK.
"C" MARK.
Madden: AND THE CAMERA GUYS ARE DOING THAT AS MUCH AS I AM.
COSTUME AND MAKEUP HAVE TO COME IN AND OUT.
THEY HAVE TO GET UP THE MOUNTAIN.
I ALWAYS TRY AND BE AS FIT AS I CAN,
AND THIS JOB IS DEFINITELY THE MOST PHYSICALLY DEMANDING JOB
I'VE EVER HAD.
Cornish: THE FIRST WEEK WAS VERY COLD AND VERY CONFRONTING.
THAT SET A TONE.
IT MADE ME UNDERSTAND THAT WORLD.
George: OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE ON THIS
IS JUST THE WEATHER AND THE LOCATIONS
BECAUSE WE APPROACHED IT USING MINIMAL VISUAL EFFECTS
AND TO TRY AND CREATE AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
AND SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS REAL.
WE DID CLIMB THE MOUNTAINS.
WE DID CROSS THE RIVERS.
WE DID LIVE IN MUD.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE ALL THAT.
Gavin: THERE IS A SCENE BETWEEN THE COUNT, PLAYED BY TIM ROTH,
AND FATHER JUDGE, PLAYED BY SAM SHEPARD,
THAT TAKES PLACE INSIDE THE CHURCH.
AND IT STARTED RAINING,
AND THE RAIN ACTUALLY STARTED LEAKING THROUGH THE CEILING.
SO, RATHER THAN SHUT DOWN OR MOVE OR DELAY ANYTHING,
YOU KNOW, SIMON, BRILLIANT SIMON JUST SAID,
"WELL, GET SOME AUTHENTIC PANS OF THE TIME,
AND LET'S MAKE SURE THEY'RE LIT WELL."
AND THE WHOLE SCENE WAS SHOT
WITH THE RAIN POURING DOWN THROUGH THE CEILING.
AND IT'S FANTASTIC 'CAUSE THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS.
DAWSON'S A GODLESS TOWN. YOU'LL SOON FIND OUT.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IS, NOT ONLY ARE WE TELLING THIS STORY,
BUT WE'RE TELLING IT IN A VERY CREATIVE, ARTISTIC WAY.
AND ACTION.
A LOT OF THE TIMES, IT'S HANDHELD,
THERE'S NO MARKS ON THE GROUND FOR ACTORS,
SO THERE'S THIS FEELING OF THINGS SORT OF BEING REAL,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT LOOKS EXQUISITELY BEAUTIFUL.
Scott: I THINK THE STORY SHOWS HOW WELL IT'S BEEN RESEARCHED.
YOU CAN SMELL IT, YOU KNOW?
WHEN SOMETHING'S WELL-RESEARCHED,
I DON'T CARE WHETHER IT'S BASED ON FICTION
OR IT'S AN ADAPTATION BASED ON A BOOK ON FACT,
IT'S VERY WELL-RESEARCHED, YOU CAN SENSE IT.
AND I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT IN ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
YOU'VE GOT TO GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT,
WHETHER IT'S IN THE WARDROBE, AND CERTAINLY IN THE STORY.
THEN, FROM THE STORY IS THE MELTDOWN INTO EVERYTHING
AND THE WAY EVERYTHING LOOKS,
THE WAY EVERYONE BEHAVES.
GOODMAN!
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE A GOOD SCRIPT
OR YOU COULD HAVE A GOOD DIRECTOR,
BUT IF YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, A DOUGHNUT HOLE
AT THE CENTER OF YOUR PRODUCTION IN TERMS OF AN ACTOR,
THE AUDIENCE JUST DOESN'T CARE.
IT WAS REALLY A VERY EXCITING CASTING PROCESS
BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM FOR THE MATERIAL.
AND THEN, THEY JUST POPULATED IT
WITH ALL THESE VERY GOOD ACTORS
IN THIS EXTRAORDINARY SET THAT WE HAVE,
AND SO, YOU COULDN'T REALLY WALK AWAY FROM IT.
IT'S RATHER GOOD.
Jones: DISCOVERY HAD THIS GREAT ATTITUDE
OF BEING BOTH VERY SORT OF BOLD AND EPIC AND GRAPHIC,
BUT ALSO VERY, VERY IMMERSED
AND VERY SORT OF PRESENT IN THEIR SUBJECTS.
IT'S NOT ALL SORT OF BEAUTIFUL, EPIC SHOTS FROM A HELICOPTER.
THERE'S A REAL SENSE OF THEM
GETTING INVOLVED IN THEIR SUBJECTS.
AND I THINK THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE
WITH THE WAY THEY APPROACHED THIS.
I THINK THAT WAS THE NATURE OF THE KLONDIKE.
IT KIND OF BROKE PEOPLE IN HALF
AND PUT THEM BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
WHAT MAKES YOU SO DIFFERENT?
Madden: YOU KNOW, BILL'S WHOLE JOURNEY FOR HIM
IS ABOUT HUMAN KINDNESS AND BEAUTY.
AND I HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE
THE KINDNESS THAT CAN COME
WHEN PEOPLE PUT THEMSELVES OUT THERE FOR OTHER PEOPLE.
Cornish: AND I THINK THAT'S WHY BELINDA CONNECTS WITH HIM
SO MUCH,
BECAUSE SHE'S LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST SHE'S HAD TO PUT A LOT OF THAT UNDERNEATH
AND PUT ON A REALLY HARD EXTERIOR SHELL.
I WORRY ABOUT YOU.
I DON'T THINK YOU UNDERSTAND THIS PLACE.
Scheuring: THIS LOOKS LIKE AN EPIC
AND SIMON CELLAN JONES HAS DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB
OF PUTTING THAT DOWN,
ALONG WITH THE CINEMATOGRAPHER, MIKE ELEY.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST A FANTASTIC PALETTE.
THE MATERIAL ITSELF PROVIDES ITS OWN BEAUTIFUL ROADMAP.
AND THEN, HERE WE ARE ON THESE BEAUTIFUL SETS,
WHICH ARE STAGGERINGLY ACCURATE,
AND YOU ULTIMATELY FEEL LIKE YOU'RE THERE.
Cornish: IT'S LIKE WE'RE MAKING A FILM.
IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE MAKING A FILM.
Scott: IT'S A GREAT STORY -- BOTH ENTERTAINING.
BUT IT'S ALSO EDUCATIONAL.
THAT'S HARD TO FIND TODAY.
THERE'S MORE AND MORE AND MORE AND MORE PRODUCTION
AND MORE AND MORE AND MORE AND MORE CRAP.
AND SO, IT'S GOOD WHEN YOU COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT'S GREAT.
Gavin: ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US AT DISCOVERY
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS IMPORTANT TO OUR AUDIENCE
IS THEY WANT TO IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN DIFFERENT WORLDS
AND THEY WANT TO LEARN.
AND I REALLY HOPE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE
THEY HAVE WALKED IN THE SHOES AND WALKED IN THE FOOTSTEPS
OF SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY MADE IT THROUGH A YEAR UP HERE
DURING THE GOLD RUSH IN 1897 AND 1898.
IT'S JUST LIKE ANYTHING ELSE.
WHAT YOU WANT TO BE IS THE TRAILBLAZER.
YOU GO AS FAR AS EVERYONE ELSE DOES,
AND THEN YOU JUST KEEP GOING.
AND THAT TAKES YOU WHERE, EXACTLY?
TO THE YUKON.