 Mendes avoided using close @-@ ups , as he believed the technique was overused ; he also cited Spielberg 's advice that he should imagine an audience silhouetted at the bottom of the camera monitor , to keep in mind that he was shooting for display on a 40 @-@ foot ( 10 m ) screen . Spielberg — who visited the set a few times — also advised Mendes not to worry about costs if he had a " great idea " toward the end of a long working day . Mendes said , " That happened three or four times , and they are all in the movie . " Despite Spielberg 's support , DreamWorks and Mendes fought constantly over the schedule and budget , although the studio interfered little with the film 's content . Spacey , Bening and Hall worked for significantly less than their usual rates . American Beauty cost DreamWorks $ 15 million to produce , slightly above their projected sum . Mendes was so dissatisfied with his first three days ' filming that he obtained permission from DreamWorks to reshoot the scenes . He said , " I started with a wrong scene , actually , a comedy scene . And the actors played it way too big : [ ... ] it was badly shot , my fault , badly composed , my fault , bad costumes , my fault [ ... ] ; and everybody was doing what I was asking . It was all my fault . " Aware that he was a novice , Mendes drew on the experience of Hall : " I made a very conscious decision early on , if I didn 't understand something technically , to say , without embarrassment , ' I don 't understand what you 're talking about , please explain it . ' " 
 Mendes avoided using close @-@ ups , as he believed the technique was overused ; he also cited Spielberg <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>advice that he should imagine an audience silhouetted at the bottom of the camera monitor , to keep in mind that he was shooting for display on a 40 @-@ foot ( 10 m ) screen . Spielberg — <a href='null_relcl' title='2'><mark>who</mark></a>visited the set a few times — also advised Mendes not to worry about <a href='negative_concord' title='3'><mark>costs</mark></a> if he had a " great idea " toward the end of a long working day . Mendes said , " That<a href='been_done' title='4'><mark></mark></a> happened three or four times , and they <a href='drop_aux' title='5'><mark>are</mark></a>all in the movie . " Despite Spielberg <a href='null_genetive' title='6'><mark>'s</mark></a>support , DreamWorks and Mendes fought constantly over the schedule and budget , although the studio interfered little with the film <a href='null_genetive' title='7'><mark>'s</mark></a>content . Spacey , Bening and Hall worked for significantly less than their usual rates . American Beauty cost DreamWorks $ 15 million to produce , slightly above their projected sum . Mendes was so dissatisfied with his first three days <a href='null_genetive' title='8'><mark>'</mark></a>filming that he obtained permission from DreamWorks to reshoot the scenes . He said , " I<a href='been_done' title='9'><mark></mark></a> started with a wrong scene , actually , a comedy scene . And the actors played it way too big : [ ... ] it was badly shot , my fault , badly composed , my fault , bad costumes , my fault [ ... ] ; and everybody was doing what I was asking . It was all my fault . " Aware that he was a novice , Mendes drew on the experience of Hall : " I made a very conscious decision early on , if I didn 't understand something technically , to say , without embarrassment , ' I don 't understand what you 're talking about , please explain it . ' " 
Mendes avoided using close @-@ ups , as he believed the technique was overused ; he also cited Spielberg  advice dat he should imagine an audience silhouetted at the bottom of the camera monitor , to keep in mind that he was shooting fa display on a 40 @-@ foot ( 10 m ) screen . Spielberg — visited the set a few times — also advised Mendes not to worry about no costs if he had a " great idea " toward the end of a long working day . Mendes said , " That done happened three or four times , and they alll in the movie . " Despite Spielberg  support , DreamWorks and Mendes fought constantly over the schedule and budget , although the studio interfered little with da film  content . Spacey , Bening and Hall worked for significantly less than their usual rates . American Beauty cost DreamWorks $ 15 million to produce , slightly above their projected sum . Mendes was so dissatisfied wit his first three days  filming tdathe obtained permission from DreamWorks to reshoot tdascenes . He said , " I done started wwida wrong scene , actually , a comedy scene . And the actors played it way too big : [ ... ] it was badly shot , my fault , badly composed , my fault , bad costumes , mah fault [ ... ] ; and errbody was doin wht I was asking . It was all my fault . " Aware that he was a novice , Mendes drew on thdaxperience of Hall : " I made a very conscious decision early on , if I didn 't understand sumin technically , to say , without embarrassment , ' I don 't understand wwatyou 're talking about , plz explain it . ' "