I loved the "frozen time" fx too ... but my issue (had I been on that team) would've been: "we're putting all our eggs in the one FX guy's basket"
It's not even an issue over the gamble on "can he do it in 24 hours?" so much as ... the Judges will know we were riding on his coat tails, right? So he'll get through and we'll be stuck be judged on the 'simple camera work' that made it possible for him to shine via his (not the other 2 guys') mad FX skillz.
I'm sooooo happy that the raving egotist guy (who kept shoving his littler team mate aside) got booted: I hate that guy. All weepy and "I'm using these crappy digital cameras ... boohoohoo" Black eyes to you, nazi, we'd all have loved to have you shot, and most wouldn't have been half the jerk you were!
I wanted to cry for the girl who got booted because the snotty DP messed up her visuals ...
I really think it's bad that the Directors are being so rushed ("You have a half hour to go plan your next shoot and then one hour to shoot, and you haven't slept for 48 hours! And did we tell you about the rabid weasel we will sew inside your body cavity? Now ... GO!")
Please: yes, there's "pressure" in shooting ... but there's also the fact that some greatly creative people only show it if you let them be quiet and think, okay? This should be about creativity, not Trumpian bosses setting impossible tasks that weed out the artistry and the contemplative creator.
It's the whole "medical intern on a 36 hour shift" problem: I want my life protected by someone who's had some sleep ... I don't care how "tough" they are.
Anyway ... hope we'll see more of the films and more actually process, not the "survivor island" headgames = ratings schtick.
Love the show. Not sure it has a chance in hell of big ratings success. I'd bet $100 that many (many) of us could've designed a better, more entertaining, more enlightening show.
Guy like Spielberg, I know he's busy, but c'mon ... do the studio suits screw around with his ideas too, or is this just the show Spielberg wanted to make?