On set report

via Media Club

Yesterday I headed over to the film set for the upcoming big-budget 2011 Marvel release, Captain America: The First Avenger, after receiving a sneaky tip from a friend that the filming was taking place near my house. After trekking through the Bourne Woods in Farnham, Surrey, for about 10 minutes we reached a perimeter which, due to health and safety reason (AKA massive explosions etc), we were not allowed to cross… so we didn’t. There were some tanks and some fellas chilling out in army uniforms, just then I noticed a man with a dirty blonde grown-out military haircut and I pointed for my friend to see. At this point a northern security woman tottered over to ask us if we were okay, to which we replied “yes”. We then began having a friendly chat to the woman about the location that has been previously used in Gladiator, Children of Men, Harry Potter, Wolfman and the more recent Robin Hood. We then asked her what was going on currently– with all the military vehicles and alike. At this point a rather serious looking gentleman came over and began to explain that the production was that of a upcoming World War 2 film with the ridiculous name ‘Frostbite’. We pretended to eat up his barrel of lies until he went on his busy way (which took all of 2 seconds). The security lady then seemed rather proud of their deception before she noticed us whispering and giggling– like girls. She once again asked us if we were ok; this was the point at which our visit turned. We responded by informing her that we knew it wasn’t ‘Frostbite’, she played dumb and asked us what we ‘thought’ we knew. “Well,” I began “that guy over there is watching a Captain America Tshirt, that massive sticker on that trailer has Captain America on it, that’s Hayley Atwell (the female lead in the film) and we just saw Chris Evans (the actor playing Steve Rogers AKA Cpatain America) walking past in the costume barely covered by a trench coat.” This did have a shocking effect on the security woman, and she rudely claimed that we knew more than she did. She took a few steps back and we continued to talk quietly amongst ourselves behind the barrier. About a minute later a tall man walked towards and told us we were being ‘a nuisance’ we apologised and told him we were unaware; he then continued and told us that he was calling the police and that we would be arrested. At this point I wondered on what charges this could take place, he continued to glare at us. “Manners cost nothing, my friend” I replied. He didn’t take too kindly to this recommendation and we walked off.

Basically, it was very exciting to see Chris Evans in costume, the film set is looking good and the production is obviously being taken very seriously (as it should because Captain America is awesome) and the shoot is being kept on the super-secret down-low but regrettably some of the crew are so far up their own ass that they really ruined my excitement about a film I have been hugely looking forward to. Truth be told that guy is a tosser, and I went home to make posters to inform the public that ‘Frostbite’ is a lie and that there was free entry to the set of Captain America.

America’s First Avenger will battle his foes on the streets of Manchester and Liverpool during filming on the big-budget superhero film.

Manchester’s Northern Quarter is to be transformed into 1940s New York for a dramatic car chase in Captain America: The First Avenger.

Producers chose the Northern Quarter to recreate New York because of its towering buildings and pre-war architecture.

The location was organised through the Vision+Media film office, based at Mediacity in Salford Quays, which brought the big budget production of Sherlock Holmes to Manchester and Liverpool.

Susan Williams, drama liaison manager, said the company was approached by the studio, which is also behind the successful Spider Man and Hulk films, in February.

“We suggested the area to Marvel as its wide streets, towering buildings and pre-war architecture will make the perfect 1940s New York.”

Residents, local businesses and Manchester City Council have all been consulted about the production, which will last about two weeks from mid September.

Details of scenes due to be filmed at Liverpool’s Stanley Dock are yet to be finalised.

“But [the suit]‘s not bad. It’s a World War II movie, so I think a little bit of a cumbersome feel to it and something that’s a bit chunkier … not only serves the time period, I think it looks better. […] It’s not this sleek spandex suit. It looks like something you might wear in the ‘40s in the middle of a war.”

“There’s a couple stages and initially in the script, Steve isn’t Captain America right away. […] He gets the injection and isn’t asked to go to war right off the bat. He’s used in different areas, so he has different stages of the suit. I don’t think he actually jumps into the final suit until the third act of the film.”

[talking about the shield]

“Well, during the USO tour, there’s obviously a different shield. […] And he goes on a couple missions, he goes AWOL and kind of takes the USO shield. And he’s kind of allowed to be this soldier and they outfit him with the new uniform. They decide to outfit him with an updated shield.“

The appearance of the gauntlet throws up some questions and predictions for the Thor and Avengers movie plots. The gauntlet was created by Thanos,

From Wiki:

Thanos mounts the six Infinity Gems, (collected in the The Thanos Quest limited series), on his left glove to form the Infinity Gauntlet, the focus of the title of the series. Each Gem grants its bearer complete mastery over one aspect of the universe: Time, Space, Mind, Soul, Reality, and Power.

/Film more importantly point out that, in the comics, Loki tries to attain the power of the gauntlet, by stealing the infinity gems. He also seeks the Cosmic Cube, which has been referenced in the Captain America footage; which would be a nice movie crossover prior to The Avengers. This ultimate power and cross-film villain makes a very strong case for Loki being The Avengers main villain. Thanos remains a strong possibility, as he too sought the cosmic cube.

Description of footage from Quint at AICN:

Kevin Feige started the panel which began with a teaser for Captain America, a film that has only been shooting for 5 days.
The teaser was WW2 footage… typical stuff: planes bombing, anti-aircraft guns firing, soldiers marching, superimposed over what is obviously a very slow reveal of the red, white and blue shield. Roosevelt’s Day of Infamy speech plays over this footage as text appeared on the screen:
Our courage and strength led us into battle, stories emerged of heroes … but one story has never been told.
Bam, the full circular shield. Is shown, then fades to black as text appears: Every army starts with one man.
Captain America’s silhouette, shield on the arm, standing in near profile. To black.
“Next summer meet the world’s first avenger.”
Chris Evans turning around in costume, very much like the designs we’ve seen over the last month or so. No wings on head, but very much a practical army suit.
The title hit and then the zinger (you know the zinger… every trailer has one… you think it’s over and then BAM something else) was of Evans launching the shield right at camera.

Description of footage from /Film:

The teaser begins showing clips from World War II superimposed over close-ups of the Captain’s shield, while audio plays of FDR’s “Day That Will Live in Infamy” speech. On screen text reads: “Stories emerged…. But one story has never been told…. Every army starts with one man.” Cut to a shot of a silhouette of Captain America. On screen text reads: “Next Summer you will meet the First Avenger” We then see a short shot of Chris Evans in costume as Captain America shown from behind/side. Captain America logo. Cut to another shot of Evans in costume, this time from the front view. We don’t get to see much as he tosses his shield at the camera.

Hugo Weaving footage

Quint again:

Norway, May 1942. Two men stand in a stone castle as one of the walls is busted inward, crushing one of the men. The room fills with Nazis as they restrain the older gentleman (who looked just like Finch from Potter, but I’m not 100% positive it was actually David Bradley).They go to an elaborate coffin, with an intricate stone design on top. “Open it! Quickly! Before he gets here.”

Of course “he” is The Red Skull. Hugo, looking sharp in an SS uniform, is silhouetted in the hole the Nazis busted into the keep. After a beat, he comes down, obviously feared by his crew. His face is just normal Hugo Weaving as he approaches the terrified older guy that may or may not be Finch from Potter.

“It took me a long time to find this place,” Weaving said with an eloquent menace.

“What you seek is just a legend!” says the Old Man.

:Then why make such an effort to conceal it?”

Weaving easily pushes the heavy stone slab off the coffin, revealing a skeleton clutching a cube, which Weaving called the Jewel of Odin’s treasure room. The Cosmic Cube? I don’t remember if it’s tied to Thor in the books, but I like them already tying these franchises together.

Weaving holds the cube, looking at it and suddenly smashes it. It’s a fake, a decoy and Skull saw through it. “It is not something one buries, but I think it is close, yes?”

He walks to an elaborate door with a carving on it of a large tree. Tree of the world, garden of wisdom… and fate… Weaving says as he admires it. He reaches out and touches a snake eye in handle, which opens a container filledwith a glowing blue light. Weaving looks longingly inside and then back up at the old man. “You have never seen this, have you?” The old, defiant man answers: “It is not for the eyes of ordinary men… “ With a wicked smile Weaving says: “Exactly!”

End of scene.

/Film’s version of events:

They then premiered footage they claim was filmed just last week. The footage was very rough, complete with timecode. The footage begins with the title card “Norway, May 1942″ we see told older men in a stone castle-like interior. The walls are shaking, dust and dirt falling. The wall implodes inward as a Nazi soldiers come rushing in, and examine a crypt in the center of the room. And then Johann Shmidt (Hugo Weaving pre Red Skull) makes his entrance from the huge hole in the wall. He orders the surviving old man to hand over “The Tesseract.” The man tells Shmidt that what he is looking for is just a legend. Shmidt responds, “then why go through so much work to conceal it?” The crypt is opened, and inside is the bones of a crusader holding a misty crystal white cube. Shmidt picks it up, and says “The Tesseract was the prize of Odin’s collection.” But he isn’t fooled. He throws it down on the ground, smashing it to bits. This is not what he was looking for.

He then turns his attention to the wall, which contains a large wood caving of Yggdrasil, the Norse Tree of Life. In the wall he finds a hidden compartment. Hell pulls it out and opens it. Blue glow fills his face. Shmidt says to the man “You haven’t seen this yet, have you?” The man responds, “It’s not for the eyes of ordinary men.”

Iron Man 2

In the first movie the film makers managed to get the tone just right, for the sequel they are looking to add characters and up the action whilst maintaining this tone — keeping the right sense of humour. Filming is half way through and the majority of the spoken parts are complete, the next six weeks shall be dedicated to action scenes!

Thor

There will be no Shakespearean dialogue in the Thor movie, despite its usage in the comics. Some scenes will take place in Asgard.

Captain America

The first avenger movie shall be a period piece, set predominantly during WWII. It is hoped that the movie can capture a feeling similar to Raiders of the Lost Ark, with the same levels of fun. Sidekick Bucky (wiki) will also make an appearance, in some capacity.

As for director Joe Johnston,

A little bit of The Rocketeer, lots of October Sky, and a little bit of the ship designs that Johnston did for Star Wars, alluding to how this is the perfect movie for him to direct. “It’s the movie his entire career has been leading towards.”