Editing Babe (film) (section)

==Production==
''Babe'' is an adaptation of [[Dick King-Smith]]'s 1983 novel ''[[The Sheep-Pig]]'', also known as ''Babe: The Gallant Pig'' in the US, which tells the story of a pig raised as livestock who wants to do the work of a [[Herding dog|sheepdog]]. The main animal characters are played by a combination of real and [[Audio-Animatronics|animatronic]] pigs and [[Border Collie]]s.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Chanko |first=Kenneth M. |url=https://ew.com/article/1995/08/18/real-pigs-steal-scene-babe/ |title=This Pig Just Might Fly |magazine=EW.com |date=August 18, 1995 |access-date=May 31, 2010}}</ref> The breed of pig used was a [[Large White pig|Large White]], which grows rapidly. On account of this, 46 piglets of the required size were used during the course of the filming,<ref>Kenneth M. Chanko, [https://ew.com/article/1995/08/18/real-pigs-steal-scene-babe "Real pigs steal the scene in ''Babe''"], August 18, 1995</ref> as well as the animatronic model for visual effects.

The film is divided into six chapters to preserve the storybook-like feel of the original novel (although none of the film's chapters are the same as the book's). The film's mice characters were subsequently added to read the chapter titles aloud after a test screening in which producer George Miller noted that younger audiences had trouble reading them, needing help from the adults.

After seven years of development,<ref>[http://www.signis.net/malone/tiki-index.php?page=Chris+Noonan&bl "Interview with Chris Noonan", 9 September 1999] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928054329/http://www.signis.net/malone/tiki-index.php?page=Chris+Noonan&bl |date=September 28, 2013 }} accessed November 19, 2012</ref> ''Babe'' was filmed in [[Robertson, New South Wales|Robertson]], [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/new-south-wales/robertson/2005/02/17/1108500198901.html|title=Robertson&nbsp;– New South Wales&nbsp;– Australia |newspaper=[[The Age]] |date=April 10, 2008 |access-date=July 20, 2008 |location=Melbourne}}</ref> The talking-animal [[visual effects]] were done by [[Rhythm & Hues Studios]] (R&H), [[Animal Logic]] and [[Jim Henson's Creature Shop]].

According to actor James Cromwell, there was tension on the set between producer George Miller and director Chris Noonan.<ref>{{cite web|last=Robinson|first=Tasha |title=Interview: James Cromwell|url=https://www.avclub.com/james-cromwell-1798229824|website=AV Film|access-date=December 31, 2017|date=February 8, 2012}}</ref> Noonan later complained, "I don't want to make a lifelong enemy of George Miller but I thought that he tried to take credit for ''Babe'', tried to exclude me from any credit, and it made me very insecure... It was like your guru has told you that you are no good and that is really disconcerting."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/film/leap-of-faith/2007/01/24/1169594352749.html | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | title=Leap of faith | date=January 26, 2007}}</ref>

Miller shot back, "Chris said something that is defamatory: that I took his name off the credits on internet sites, which is just absolutely untrue. You know, I'm sorry but I really have a lot more to do with my life than worry about that... when it comes to ''Babe'', the vision was handed to Chris on a plate."<ref>{{cite web|last=Turner|first=Brook|title=Curious George|url=http://www.kythera-family.net/index.php?nav=117-121&cid=193&did=14114|website=Kythera-Family.net|access-date=December 31, 2017|date=September 21, 2007}}{{Dead link|date=March 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Interviewed about the movie in 2020, Cromwell admitted he nearly turned it down, as his character only had about 16 lines. He was persuaded by his friend [[Charles Keating (actor)|Charles Keating]] to take it anyway. Keating told him: "it's a free ticket to Australia, and if the movie tanks, it's not your fault, it's the pig's fault." Cromwell said Noonan wanted him for the part, and won out over Miller, who had wanted to cast an Australian actor. Cromwell's fee was around $50,000. He asked for an increase when he realised the movie was making millions of dollars, but was turned down. Nevertheless, he said "I got a lot out of that film, and it turned my whole life around. I didn't have to audition anymore."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonthompson/2020/12/18/james-cromwell-talks-babe-at-25-and-how-he-almost-turned-it-down/|title=James Cromwell Talks 'Babe' At 25 And How He Almost Turned It Down|work=[[Forbes]]|date=18 December 2020}}</ref>