Chapter 671: Safety First

The night shrouded New York, and as it approached the early hours, the bustling Manhattan became much quieter. The crowded roads had significantly fewer vehicles, and the wide streets looked somewhat deserted, with only the streetlights and neon signs illuminating the city brightly. 

Manhattan, the financial hub of the world and a genuine city that never sleeps, is also one of Hollywood's favorite locations for filming. However, shooting on location here comes with numerous challenges, especially with the constant flow of pedestrians who can inadvertently wander into the frame, much to the frustration of any film crew and director.

To mitigate this, Murphy arranged all his shooting during the late-night and early morning hours when the streets were less crowded. Some daytime close-up shots were also handled this way, with the nighttime background being altered to daylight during post-production.

Several police cars, their lights flashing, roared into the street, blocking off both ends. Following them, a series of vehicles rolled in, including trucks hauling containers, numerous police cars, and SWAT vehicles provided by the New York Police Department.

A group of crew members disembarked from these vehicles, with a few carrying small gifts to gently persuade the remaining pedestrians to leave the area. The majority of the crew, under Murphy's direction, began setting up the location for the shoot.

They were preparing to film several intense car chase scenes. Thanks to the full support from the New York City government, they had ample time to temporarily close off this section of the street for filming. While many related scenes had already been shot using models and green screens in the studio, some still required on-location shooting.

Murphy efficiently orchestrated the crew's operations, frequently checking on the actors. This sequence would involve numerous stunt performers in perilous situations, and safety measures had to be impeccable.

No one wanted any accidents on set.

Additionally, several specially modified super motorcycles for Chris Dane were delivered. These vehicles were divided into two categories: those for regular use and those modified to mount mini cameras.

Apart from the first-person perspective shots of Chris Dane on his motorcycle, all other scenes here would be filmed with IMAX cameras.

Murphy first went to the camera crew, where Philippe Rousselot and his assistants were adjusting the IMAX cameras mounted on a camera car. Given the strict control required for these large-scale scenes, Murphy planned to leave the filming entirely to Rousselot and his team rather than shoot himself.

While the crew continued setting up, Murphy exchanged a few more words with Rousselot, once again inspecting the IMAX cameras. These cameras were the most crucial equipment on set; without them, there would be no film.

Of course, a talented cinematographer like Philippe Rousselot was equally essential.

Directors oversee the entire crew and the shooting process, with the Director of Photography (DP) being the most senior creative crew member under the director. The DP is responsible for managing the camera crew, lighting team, and assistants, as well as controlling the visuals of the film.

Most of the time, Murphy would discuss his vision with Rousselot before or during planning, clearly conveying how he wanted the shots to look. They would then choose the appropriate cameras, lenses, filters, compositions, and lighting designs together.

Besides being the DP, Rousselot also served as the primary camera operator in Murphy's team. The main camera operator might vary depending on the situation, sometimes even being Murphy himself. However, in 99% of cases in Hollywood, the DP is the primary camera operator.

Murphy knew very well that making a film, especially a large-scale action movie, wasn't a one-person job. The key was to coordinate and leverage the entire team's abilities.

Leaving the camera crew, Murphy walked to where the vehicles were parked. He first circled the police cars, then approached the large truck the Magician would use to attack Chris Dane. He immediately noticed something amiss.

"Martel, come over here."

Murphy called over the head of the props department for the vehicles. Pointing to the lettering on the truck's container, he said, "Did you forget something?"

After closely examining the truck, Martel quickly responded, "Sorry, Murphy, I'll get someone to fix it right away."

"Quickly," Murphy nodded slightly. "You have half an hour. Don't delay the shoot."

He then walked towards the director's monitor.

The props team had made a small error by omitting a letter, which changed the meaning of the sentence on the container's side.

The original phrase was "Laughter.is.the.best.medicine," but this didn't fit the scene's tone. The Magician, as a character, would never agree with such a sentiment.

So, in the initial design, Murphy had them add a striking, blood-red "S" at the beginning of the phrase, turning it into "Slaughter.is.the.best.medicine," making it "Slaughter is the best medicine."

As per Murphy's requirements, the "S" was painted on the container's side door, right where the Magician would appear and start shooting.

Once the preparations were complete, filming began. Despite the vehicles not moving very fast in reality, the camera's motion created the illusion of high speed. The shoot was broken into numerous fragments, with most stunts performed by stunt doubles rather than the main actors. 

Chris Dane's motorcycle chase scenes had no face-revealing shots, so Murphy never considered having Henry Cavill perform them. In the film's credits, three stunt performers would be listed under "Dark Knight," as they performed 90% of the masked scenes.

Henry Cavill's name would only appear under Chris Dane.

The sequence involved police sedans, SWAT trucks, an armored prisoner transport, police sedans, and a helicopter hovering above. Explosions and car flips filled the scene.

These stunt sequences didn't require much acting skill but took considerable time to prepare. A ten-second crash and flip scene could take over an hour to set up.

Such grand and explosive scenes are a test for any director, except perhaps Michael Bay.

Honestly, it was Murphy's first time shooting such intense chase scenes and large-scale explosions on location.

His previous films had large-scale scenes, like "Man of Steel" and "City of Chaos," but those were primarily CGI-generated, with a two-to-eight ratio of real shots to CGI, or even higher.

This time, it was different. The large-scale scenes were mostly real, with CGI enhancements, flipping the usual ratio.

In action films like "Dark City," car chase scenes are unavoidable and a highlight, tapping into the audience's tension. They are dangerous but offer a bizarre thrill, with the roaring engines and sweaty palms providing a tense and exciting viewing experience.

As a first-time director of such explosive scenes, Murphy maintained a strict safety-first principle on set.

Safety ensured the well-being of actors, cameramen, vehicles, equipment, and the surrounding area. It avoided trouble from various guilds and allowed smooth shooting, enabling Murphy to unleash his creativity.

Filming chase scenes requires strict control, thorough rehearsals, and a creative mind to orchestrate a gripping sequence.

Every extreme problem encountered during filming, whether in the overall shoot or in details, could be traced back to inadequacies in the pre-production script or production phase. Considering this, the complexity of shooting car scenes was evident, making a detailed, well-formed script crucial.

Murphy always had comprehensive plans and wasn't the type to think he could dominate the film industry without meticulous preparation.

With a solid plan, Murphy's main task on set was controlling the filming environment. This included managing the entire scene, not just the interior of cars and the space around the cameras.

He needed to define and arrange the whole environment clearly, including all areas visible as the camera moved, and ensure "buffer" spaces for the safety of actors and crew against any unexpected car accidents or stunts.

Just as Murphy never let Henry Cavill ride the complex super motorcycle, the main characters in chase scenes were performed by skilled drivers. The foundation of this realism was using professionals, including stunt drivers and specialized driving.

Unless the car scenes were shot against a green screen with a stationary car, professionals had to execute the complex driving.

Because shooting could only happen at night, these action scenes took a full week to complete, drawing significant media attention.

_________________________

[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!] 

[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]

[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]