Editing Raging Bull (section)

=== Principal photography ===
[[File:filming the boxing scenes.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.9|Filming of the boxing scenes with director, Scorsese (center left, with beard) and the director of photography, Michael Chapman (center right, with white shirt)]]
According to the production mixer, Michael Evje, the film began shooting at the [[Los Angeles Olympic Auditorium]] on April 16, 1979. [[Grip (job)|Grips]] hung huge curtains of black [[duvetyne]] on all four sides of the ring area to contain the artificial smoke used extensively for visual effect.

On May 7, the production moved to the [[Culver City, California|Culver City]] studio, Stage 3, and filmed there until the middle of June. Scorsese made it clear during filming that he did not appreciate the traditional way of showing fights from the spectators' view.<ref name="Thompson p80" /> He insisted that one camera operated by the Director of Photography, [[Michael Chapman (cinematographer)|Michael Chapman]], would be placed inside of the ring, as he would play the role of an opponent keeping out of the way of other fighters, so that viewers could see the emotions of the fighters, including those of Jake.<ref name="Baxter pp196-201" />

The precise moves of the boxers were to be done as dance routines from the information of a book about dance instructors in the mode of [[Arthur Murray]]. A punching bag in the middle of the ring was used by De Niro between takes before he aggressively came straight on to do the next scene.<ref name="Baxter pp196-201" /><ref name="Thompson and Christie pp83-84">Thompson and Christie, ''Scorsese on Scorsese'', pp. 83–84.</ref> The initial five-week schedule for the shooting of the boxing scenes took longer than expected, putting Scorsese under pressure.<ref name="Baxter pp196-201" />

According to Scorsese, production of the film was closed for nearly four months with the entire crew being paid, so that De Niro could go on a binge-eating trip around northern Italy and France.<ref name="Total Film pp180-181" /><ref name="Thompson and Christie pp83-84" /> When he arrived in the United States, his weight had increased from 145 to 215&nbsp;pounds (66 to 97&nbsp;kg).<ref name="Baxter pp196-201" /> The scenes with the heftier Jake LaMotta—which include announcing his retirement from boxing and LaMotta in a Florida cell—were completed seven-to-eight weeks later when approaching Christmas 1979, so as not to aggravate the health issues that were affecting De Niro's posture, breathing and talking.<ref name="Baxter pp196-201" /><ref name="Thompson and Christie pp83-84" /><ref name="Baxter p83">Baxter, John, ''The Making of Raging Bull'', p. 83.</ref>

According to Evje, Jake's nightclub sequence was filmed in a closed [[San Pedro, California|San Pedro]] club on December 3. The jail cell head-banging scene was shot on a constructed set, with De Niro asking for minimal crew to be present. There was not even a boom operator present.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

The final sequence, in which Jake LaMotta is in front of his mirror, was filmed on the last day of shooting, requiring 19 takes, with only the 13th being used for the film. Scorsese wanted to have an atmosphere that would be so cold that the words would have an impact as he tries to come to terms with his relationship with his brother.<ref name="Thompson pp.76/77" />