Editing Saving Private Ryan (section)

===Pre-production===
The pre-production for ''Saving Private Ryan'' was truncated because Spielberg chose to film ''[[Amistad (film)|Amistad]]'' (1997) immediately after finishing work on ''[[The Lost World: Jurassic Park]]'' (1997). Cinematographer [[Janusz Kamiński]] spent several weeks performing camera tests to define the film's visual aesthetic. The pair considered filming [[black-and-white|monochromatically]] as Spielberg had with his Holocaust film, ''[[Schindler's List]]'' (1993). However, they considered that this would seem "pretentious," and were interested in emulating the colored WWII footage from their research. Kamiński let his interpretation of the narrative dictate how to light scenes and narrowed down visual styles by identifying which films he did not want ''Saving Private Ryan'' to emulate.<ref name="ASCMagJanusz"/> He and Spielberg were visually influenced by WWII documentaries, such as ''[[Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress]]'' (1944), ''[[The Battle of Midway (film)|The Battle of Midway]]'' (1942), ''[[Why We Fight]]'' (1942–1945), and the [[Nazi propaganda]] films of [[Leni Riefenstahl]]. They also looked at various books, paintings, and photographs of the Omaha Beach invasion taken by the war photographer [[Robert Capa]].<ref name="ASCSpielberg98"/> Kamiński wanted it to look like a major production "shot on <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[16 mm film]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> by a bunch of combat cameramen".<ref name="ASCMagJanusz"/>

A variety of camera techniques were used to emulate the experience of being on a battlefield: Kamiński removed the protective coating on some lenses, creating a "flatter", degraded image akin to WWII-era cameras, and mismatched lenses when using multiple cameras for an inconsistent result; alternating [[Rotary disc shutter|shutter angles]] and speeds; and desynchronizing the camera shutter which created a "streaking" effect. Kamiński considered this a risky option because if it failed there was no way to fix the image in post-production.<ref name="ASCSpielberg98"/><ref name="ASCMagJanusz"/><ref name="FarOutIntentions"/> A [[Shaky camera|Clairmont Camera Image Shaker]] vibrated the camera to emulate the effects of a nearby explosion or rolling tank.<ref name="ASCMagJanusz"/> Spielberg chose to film in [[1.85:1|1.85:1 aspect ratio]] because he believed it was more lifelike and closer to "the way the human eye really sees," and found [[widescreen|widescreen formats]] to be artificial.<ref name="ASCSpielberg98"/>

Three months were spent scouting for a location to portray the Normandy coast. The real location was too developed for their needs, and many other French beaches were restricted by military or wildlife use; Spielberg believed officials were difficult because they did not want him filming there.<ref name="ASCMagJanusz"/><ref name="UproxxFacts"/><ref name="NYTimesTrue"/> Beaches researched in England and Scotland lacked either the aesthetics or amenities required, such as housing for the crew, and the filmmakers needed a specific depth for the cast to leap from the landing crafts into the water.<ref name="NYTimesTrue"/> Associate producer, Kevin De La Noy's earlier work on ''[[Braveheart]]'' (1995) in Ireland had developed contacts with the Irish Army and knowledge of local beaches. One such location, the {{cvt|11|km|mile}} long Curracloe Beach, near [[Curracloe]], County Wexford, offered the desired golden sands and sheer cliffs and nearby amenities.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name="NYTimesTrue"/><ref name="IndependentIE"/><ref name="UproxxFacts"/><ref name="ASCMagJanusz"/>}} Spielberg selected a {{cvt|1|km|mile}} segment of the beach, known as Ballinesker.<ref name="BBCBeach"/><ref name="IndependentIE"/><ref name="IndependentIEOmaha"/> He said, "I was a bit disappointed that the beach we used wasn't as broad as the real Omaha Beach{{nbsp}}... I tried to use certain wide-angle lenses to extend the length of the flats on the sandy beach before the soldiers reach the shingle. I used wider lenses for geography and tighter lenses for the compression of action."<ref name="ASCSpielberg98"/> A segment adjacent to [[Blackwater, County Wexford|Blackwater]], also in Wexford, was considered, but the local nuns could not make the land available in time.<ref name="IndependentIE"/> Service roads were built for vehicles to reach Ballinesker.<ref name="IndependentIE"/><ref name="IndependentIEOmaha"/> Production designer [[Thomas E. Sanders]] led construction of the concrete battlements, bunkers, [[Czech hedgehog]]s, and barbed wire, much of which was made by local metalworkers.<ref name="IndependentIE"/><ref name="IndependentIEOmaha"/><ref name="ASCMagJanusz"/> Over eleven weeks were spent preparing Ballinesker for filming.<ref name="IndependentIEOmaha"/> A storm destroyed some of the props just before filming, but they were rebuilt overnight.<ref name="NYTimesTrue"/> The main crew arrived on location on June 25, 1997.<ref name="IndependentIE"/>