Shooting sharks: on the set of Spielberg’s Jaws – in pictures

In autumn 1974, Steven Spielberg went out to Martha's Vineyard in New England with a small crew, a few boats and a rubber shark – and made motion picture history. Here's a selection of unseen pictures from the groundbreaking shoot
  
  


Jaws: Constructing the sharks at Bob Mattey’s Sundland, California machine shop
The sharks are constructed under the supervision of special effects man Bob Mattey in Sun Valley, California Photograph: 1974 Joe Alves /Courtesy of Moonrise Media
Jaws: Make-up artists moisten the shark’s quickly drying skin
Makeup artists moisten the shark’s quickly drying skin to preserve the illusion of freshness Photograph: 1974 Jackie Baer /Courtesy of Moonrise Media
Jaws: The shark is lifted out of the water on 12 September 1974
Two different sharks were constructed for left-to-right and right-to-left movements – the other side has no skin. Here right-to-lefty is hoisted out of the water for a break Photograph: 1974 Edith Blake /Courtesy of Moonrise Media
Jaws: Bob Mattey (steering boat) and Richie Helmer touch up the shark
The shark gets another wash and brush-up from effectsman Richie Helmer. Effects supervisor Bob Mattey is behind the wheel Photograph: 1974 Edith Blake /Courtesy of Moonrise Media
Jaws: The shark moves through the water
Another shark was mounted on a platform; here it's headed toward Orca's stern (just visible on extreme right) Photograph: 1974 Charlie Blair /Courtesy of Moonrise Media
Jaws: The shark mounts the boat
The platform shark in action again; here riggers prep it for the boat attack scene Photograph: 1974 Cal Acord /Courtesy of Moonrise Media
Jaws: The shark after smashing through Orca II’s balsa wood transom
Another sequence of the boat attack scene: the left-to-right shark smashes through Orca II’s transom. The prop shark was badly damaged as a result Photograph: 1974 Cal Acord /Courtesy of Moonrise Media
Jaws: Smiling for the camera
Effectsman Richie Helmer again, with the left-to-right shark. The shark props were nicknamed Bruce, after Steven Spielberg's lawyer Bruce Ramer Photograph: 1974 Cal Acord /Courtesy of Moonrise Media
Jaws: A man crawls out of the shark’s mouth
Effectsman Cal Acord repairs the shark's teeth Photograph: 1974 Cal Acord /Courtesy of Moonrise Media
Jaws: Spielberg lines up a shot
Director Steven Spielberg lines up a shot into the shark's mouth Photograph: 1974 Edith Blake /Courtesy of Moonrise Media
Jaws: A brand-new platform shark created solely for the underwater cage sequence
Another 'platform shark' was built for the underwater cage sequences. Here it is readied in MGM’s studio tank. The tank would additionally be used for the underwater point-of-view shots of bathers’ dangling limbs Photograph: 1974 Cal Acord /Courtesy of Moonrise Media
 

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