Editing American History X (section)

=== Filming ===
{{quote box
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| quote = I was attracted to the complexity of the role. This character travels so far within the course of the film. By the end, he's completely humanized and the audience might even be sympathetic, or at least, empathetic towards him. Derek is very much a guy whose anger and rage have superseded his intelligence. They have paralyzed his boundless potential. I liked the transformation that he goes through as his intelligence reasserts itself over his anger.
| source = —Norton on his character<ref name="ProductionNotes" />
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[[Principal photography]] took place in Los Angeles and Venice Beach, lasting for several months and finishing in May 1997.<ref name="Goldstein" /><ref>{{cite web |title=American History X Filming Locations |url=http://www.movielocationsguide.com/American_History_X/filming_locations |publisher=Movie Locations Guide |access-date=August 28, 2013 |archive-date=November 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111041334/http://www.movielocationsguide.com/American_History_X/filming_locations |url-status=live }}</ref> Kaye served as [[cinematographer]] and [[camera operator]], and would often silently walk around the set, scouting for camera angles or visuals.<ref name="Goldstein" /> During filming, Kaye established a casual environment for the cast and crew. He welcomed visitors on set, including singer [[Courtney Love]], Norton's girlfriend at the time, and British historian [[John Richardson (art historian)|John Richardson]].<ref name="Goldstein" /> Kaye would arrive for work in a [[Lincoln Town Car]] with a [[chauffeur]], and a license plate that read "JEWISH". He carried four cell phones and a [[Fax|fax machine]], and during the [[Passover]] holidays, Kaye had boxes of [[Matzah|matzo]] delivered to the set.<ref name="Goldstein" /> He also discovered at the time a newsletter published by a British political group, the [[National Front (UK)|National Front]], which said he was a prominent Jew who supposedly controlled Britain's media.<ref name="Goldstein" />

Both Furlong and [[Ethan Suplee]] found taking on their roles that had hateful views to be uncomfortable. Furlong said "It's pretty intense, having to say this incredibly hateful stuff".<ref name="Goldstein" /> The actors had [[White pride|"white power]]" tattoos painted on their arms, which Suplee forgot to remove one day after filming, and was confronted by a man in a convenience store.<ref name="Goldstein" /> Norton recalls "Doing that film created the strangest distortion of perception on me ... the degree to which that film and the magic of camera and art and black and white photography ... made a lot of people think that I was a larger and tougher person than I am".<ref name="Ferriss" /> The [[Flashback (narrative)|flashback]] scenes were edited to be in black-and-white, whereas the present-day scenes were edited to be in color.