BEHIND THE SCENES: CITY OF THE DEAD

This entry was posted on 10/31/2006 3:20 PM and is filed under production

Creating the illusion of a dead city might be easy when you can afford to block off as many intersections as far as the eye can see but when you don't have the budget for anything that ambitious, it's no easy trick. Nevertheless, we still managed to pull off the same ambitious imagery by filming downtown early on a Sunday morning while the city was still asleep.

In 2006, there aren't many cities that still sleep in late on a Sunday morning anymore. In Downtown Tucson, we had to run 'n gun as many shots as possible before background traffic grew into too much of a problem.

We began by first filming from inside the Camero convertible. I wanted a ragtop specifically because I needed to solve a few problems by the right choice in the automobile. In the story, Ray (played by Tom Rogers) would have access to any car he wanted, so it would have to be something that fit the character like a sports car. On the technical side, I also needed to keep my Actors lit and nothing is as well lit as a convertible in the daytime. Without a roof, I could easily accomplish two things, Show the characters driving in the shadows of the tall downtown buildings as well as frame out pedestrian and automobile traffic.

To create this illusion, we broke the filming into two Sunday mornings, the first only required the car, the two characters and the D.P. The second day would require the two characters and the car racing by all of the "corpses" littering the city from many different angles and locations.

Once edited, the illusion from inside and outside the convertible will be complete. A big THANK YOU to Actor Roy Patterson for doubling for fellow Actor Tom Rogers and for the loan of his Camero convertible. Here are some behind the scenes photos of how this illusion was done.

 
Actors Tom Rogers pulling up in the convertible in front of Santiago Craig at the ballpark.
James Arnett directing Actor Santiago Craig.
James Arnett and Roy Patterson filming the action.
Setting up a two shot of Actors Tom Rogers with Santiago Craig in the background.
Filming a two shot of Actors Tom Rogers with Santiago Craig in the background.
Filming a two shot of Actors Tom Rogers with Santiago Craig in the background.
Setting up the low angle shot of the car leaving.
Setting up the over the shoulder shots for Actor Tom Rogers driving into town.
Setting up the over the shoulder shots for Actor Tom Rogers driving into town.
Actors Tom Rogers and Santiago Craig ready to shoot in the alley.
James Arnett shooting in the alley where the car runs out of gas.
Over Actor Tom Rogers shoulder shot taking his pump shotgun with him.
Shooting the Martini Shot from above the alley.
The following Sunday morning, the Actors arrive before dawn. Actor Roy Patterson gets into the "Ray" costume, doubling for Tom Rogers driving the car.
Makeup FX Supervisor Frank Guerra processes "Corpse" Actor Errick Craig for the morning shoot.
Actors Roy Patterson and Armando Franco both yawning before the first sign of sunrise.
Downtown Tucson, early on Sunday morning, standing in for our city of the dead.
Downtown Tucson, early on Sunday morning, standing in for our city of the dead.
Downtown Tucson, early on Sunday morning, standing in for our city of the dead.
Downtown Tucson, early on Sunday morning, standing in for our city of the dead.
Downtown Tucson, early on Sunday morning, standing in for our city of the dead.
Downtown Tucson, early on Sunday morning, standing in for our city of the dead.
Downtown Tucson, early on Sunday morning, standing in for our city of the dead.
Downtown Tucson, early on Sunday morning, standing in for our city of the dead.
Actors Armando Franco and Dominique Borrego playing dead.
Actors Armando Franco and Dominique Borrego playing dead, right next to a sleeping homeless person.
Stuntwoman/Actress Dominique Borrego playing dead.
Actresses Zelli Rivera and Deanna Martinez playing dead.
Actors playing dead at La Placita outdoor Mall.
Actress Vernice Robles-Barker playing dead.
Actor Errick Craig playing dead.
Actress Deanna Martinez playing dead.
Actors playing dead outside the Tucson Museum of Art.
Our Cast of "Corpses" for the day: Actors Robert Linden, Zelli Rivera, Vernice Robles-Barker, Junior Medina, Joey Hernandez, Errick Craig, Deanna Martinez, B.A. Loya, Liz Haro and Christina Haro.
 

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