Da Vinci Code Set Report!
From larryfilm on the IMDB Messageboards: Just so that you know: yesterday, Wednesday June 29 2005 was the 1st official shooting day for DVC at Paris' exclusive, upscale Place Vendome. I was there by accident with some friends from University of Kansas, around 9:00PM. We bumped into a pretty big film crew that was prepping the first shot. Before the very imposing security detail and Paris PD evacuated the square around 10:00pm, we were able to appreciate the scope of the production.
First of all, for those of you not familiar with Paris, Place Vendome is a pretty large, very elegant square surrounded by exclusive 19th century 6-story limestone "palaces", including world famous Ritz Hotel. The square itself is pretty much void of cars and pavement is in small cobblestone, adding a feeling of "chic" and magnificence to it, so typical of the City of Light.
There were no less than 80 to 100 crew members and they had 2 latest model PFX-M Millenium Panaflex/Panavision cams with Hylén System (so told me a DP's assistant): "A" and "B" cams, each with their own 8-people dedicated crew) with LCD secondary viewfinder to help the focus puller check at all time the frame's accuracy (focus, lighting, etc. A major remote controlled crane (60-ft long) was sitting on tracks perpendicular to the Ritz Hotel Main entrance. That area being already cordoned off and shielded by an impressive security detail, we decided to wait as much as we could across the square, where I could briefly talked to P.As (Production Assistants). All of them had some kind of Clearance Badge that was sporting the new DVC logo/initials (the one from the poster) and a color code depending on which restriction access level there were. Two of those guys has the time to tell me that after shooting all night on Place Vendome, the crew would move to the Louvre this Thursday night (6/30) for a long 2-week shoot, before security arrived and literally kicked us out. Said P.As told us that next week they would shoot as well around St Sulpice (but no specific date yet) and that in the near future (thanks for being that specific!) producers will request "car driving extras" for Robert Langdon faked escape from the Louvre, when dozen of Paris PD cars are chasing the big truck on which RL allegedly jumped and hid. I'll go rent a car right away!!
Anyway, while we were pushed outside the perimeter, thus unable to see anything, they started lighting heavily the square (very impressive) and we caught a glimpse of director Ron Howard's Mercedes 500 SL limo which stopped 10 yards from us: he just walked to the set and with the casual way he was dressed (a worn cap, t-shirt, jeans, sneakers), who would think this was one of the world most famous and respected directors?
BTW, we couldn't see any member of the cast who where brought on set by a small motorcade of black Mercedes minivans whith heavily tinted windows. Bummer! We'll try to go to the Louvre tonight (where there are setting up 13 Motion Picture Power generators and prepping a very large parking area to accomodate the 40-truck transportation department + a huge tent for catering/craft service that one P.A. told me can accomodate 150+ crew/cast member at the same time).
I'll come back later in the week to add more on site news. BTW, for those of you wondering, pics and video filming where banned, evene with cellphones (security was everywhere, but unable to prevent me to grab precious insider info from P.As!), thus I did not have a chance to even take one or two pics. I'll try harder next time and for sure will be more prepared! Also from what I could see though at Place Vendome, there was some presence of US media such as NBC's Access Hollywwod, CBS' Entertainment Tonight, and E!, thus I guess you will see a lot of visuals confirming my "scoop"!
UPDATE: Yesterday, Thursday June 30, the DVC cast and crew was filming street scenes on Paris upscale Rue de Rivoli in the French capital 1st District (1er arrondissement), right along the Louvre Museum. We were on set (well, actually "by" the set for the production security detail made sure that passersby would not stop and go on with their walking) around 11:00pm, and we could see one huge crane with several HMI flood literally "sun lighting" the street.
As we found a "safe" spot at a street corner were security and PAs where too busy to tell us to keep moving on, Paris PD TCM (Police Dept Traffic Control Management) just stopped traffic in front of us. Then a huge filming truck with 10-crew members and director Ron Howard on board and additional Keno-flo (= neon soft lighting) came in from a perpendicular street, with two "A" and "B" Panavision 35 mm cams on it, and the cast car (the super mini-sized "Smart") attached to it thanks to a low bed that gives the feeling that the car is actually being driven by the actors. Behind the Smart car were several crew and extras cars, creating a fake, messy traffic jam.
Anyway, we were no more than 10 yards from the actual shooting and could clearly see Audrey Tautou/Sophie Neveu driving and obviously having an animated conversation with a slim and tanned (yes, tanned !) Tom Hanks/Robert Langdon. They reshot the scene several times. Very nice to have a close up of the actors yet the scene itself was not particularly interesting for we could not hear the dialogues...
Tonight (Friday 1st of July), additional scenes will be shot around the Louvre, including Robert Langdon's arrival to the crime scene (well the driving part at least). Can't wait to see Tom Hanks testing his driving skills in Paris nightmare traffic!
First of all, for those of you not familiar with Paris, Place Vendome is a pretty large, very elegant square surrounded by exclusive 19th century 6-story limestone "palaces", including world famous Ritz Hotel. The square itself is pretty much void of cars and pavement is in small cobblestone, adding a feeling of "chic" and magnificence to it, so typical of the City of Light.
There were no less than 80 to 100 crew members and they had 2 latest model PFX-M Millenium Panaflex/Panavision cams with Hylén System (so told me a DP's assistant): "A" and "B" cams, each with their own 8-people dedicated crew) with LCD secondary viewfinder to help the focus puller check at all time the frame's accuracy (focus, lighting, etc. A major remote controlled crane (60-ft long) was sitting on tracks perpendicular to the Ritz Hotel Main entrance. That area being already cordoned off and shielded by an impressive security detail, we decided to wait as much as we could across the square, where I could briefly talked to P.As (Production Assistants). All of them had some kind of Clearance Badge that was sporting the new DVC logo/initials (the one from the poster) and a color code depending on which restriction access level there were. Two of those guys has the time to tell me that after shooting all night on Place Vendome, the crew would move to the Louvre this Thursday night (6/30) for a long 2-week shoot, before security arrived and literally kicked us out. Said P.As told us that next week they would shoot as well around St Sulpice (but no specific date yet) and that in the near future (thanks for being that specific!) producers will request "car driving extras" for Robert Langdon faked escape from the Louvre, when dozen of Paris PD cars are chasing the big truck on which RL allegedly jumped and hid. I'll go rent a car right away!!
Anyway, while we were pushed outside the perimeter, thus unable to see anything, they started lighting heavily the square (very impressive) and we caught a glimpse of director Ron Howard's Mercedes 500 SL limo which stopped 10 yards from us: he just walked to the set and with the casual way he was dressed (a worn cap, t-shirt, jeans, sneakers), who would think this was one of the world most famous and respected directors?
BTW, we couldn't see any member of the cast who where brought on set by a small motorcade of black Mercedes minivans whith heavily tinted windows. Bummer! We'll try to go to the Louvre tonight (where there are setting up 13 Motion Picture Power generators and prepping a very large parking area to accomodate the 40-truck transportation department + a huge tent for catering/craft service that one P.A. told me can accomodate 150+ crew/cast member at the same time).
I'll come back later in the week to add more on site news. BTW, for those of you wondering, pics and video filming where banned, evene with cellphones (security was everywhere, but unable to prevent me to grab precious insider info from P.As!), thus I did not have a chance to even take one or two pics. I'll try harder next time and for sure will be more prepared! Also from what I could see though at Place Vendome, there was some presence of US media such as NBC's Access Hollywwod, CBS' Entertainment Tonight, and E!, thus I guess you will see a lot of visuals confirming my "scoop"!
UPDATE: Yesterday, Thursday June 30, the DVC cast and crew was filming street scenes on Paris upscale Rue de Rivoli in the French capital 1st District (1er arrondissement), right along the Louvre Museum. We were on set (well, actually "by" the set for the production security detail made sure that passersby would not stop and go on with their walking) around 11:00pm, and we could see one huge crane with several HMI flood literally "sun lighting" the street.
As we found a "safe" spot at a street corner were security and PAs where too busy to tell us to keep moving on, Paris PD TCM (Police Dept Traffic Control Management) just stopped traffic in front of us. Then a huge filming truck with 10-crew members and director Ron Howard on board and additional Keno-flo (= neon soft lighting) came in from a perpendicular street, with two "A" and "B" Panavision 35 mm cams on it, and the cast car (the super mini-sized "Smart") attached to it thanks to a low bed that gives the feeling that the car is actually being driven by the actors. Behind the Smart car were several crew and extras cars, creating a fake, messy traffic jam.
Anyway, we were no more than 10 yards from the actual shooting and could clearly see Audrey Tautou/Sophie Neveu driving and obviously having an animated conversation with a slim and tanned (yes, tanned !) Tom Hanks/Robert Langdon. They reshot the scene several times. Very nice to have a close up of the actors yet the scene itself was not particularly interesting for we could not hear the dialogues...
Tonight (Friday 1st of July), additional scenes will be shot around the Louvre, including Robert Langdon's arrival to the crime scene (well the driving part at least). Can't wait to see Tom Hanks testing his driving skills in Paris nightmare traffic!
posted by rorschach at 5:40 PM
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