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A Quick Peek From the Matrix Set In Sydney
We posted recently about the planned shutdown of part of Sydney for filming of the upcoming Matrix sequel. Now reader zobier points to a followup describing the shooting, and since he was on hand to see it first-hand, writes: "I went along to watch the filming, it was very cool (I love helicopters tho' ;) They didn't block off much city space, maybe (100 - 200m), and the chopper flew down the square (Martin Place) between the buildings about 5 - 10m above our heads. Many onlookers were videoing and photographing the scene. At about 5pm when it got dark the camera flashes started going off, this pissed off the director as it was interfering with his film." GoogolPlexPlex adds a link to coverage in the Sydney Morning Herald.
At about 5pm when it got dark the camera flashes started going off, this pissed off the director as it was interfering with his film.
Y'know, if I'm on the street and a helicopter goes flying by with people fighting on it, I'm going to take a picture.
"Oh no, 3 horny women and only 2 condoms...Thank god I read slashdot"
Oooooooh, it makes me giggle when those silly little automatic cameras go all flashy at night. A tiny little camera with a tiny flash isn't going to illuminate a large helicopter at a range of 20m.
The camera moments that really make me laugh are flash photographs of cityscapes at night taken through windows. Well, everyone needs pictures of bright reflected flashes. My album is full of them.
EtF
I took some pictures of the set but they turned out like crap, all you can see is a bunch of 111000110011001001101
Saying Java is nice because it works on all OS's is like saying that anal sex is nice because it works on all genders.
I don't think a lot of you are understanding why the flashes pissed of the director.
Yes, a camera flash at that distance won't illuminate a hellicopter. That's good for side views or shots shot angling up at the hellicopter shot from below (probably a 45 degree angle)
However, if the director wanted an overhead shot, or one angling down at the hellicopter, the street would be visible and that's where the flashes would be seen. The director probably wanted to see an average street so the distracting flashes were causing him lost time, film and money.
"Oh no, 3 horny women and only 2 condoms...Thank god I read slashdot"
So I wonder what the next movies are going to be about. At the end of the matrix, neo is like unto a god, and the agents can't stop him.
Outside the matrix, neo is a wimpy bald guy who eats gruel and has no ability to fight the enemy.
A movie needs conflict to be interesting. There's lots of obvious conflict available in the real world, where neo and company are underdogs in the fight against the machines, but the parts of the matrix that were really cool were *in the matrix*. So the major conflict being outside the matrix is out.[1]
But neo is all powerful inside, right? Well, that pretty much has to change for there to be anything interesting happening. So my prediction is, right at the beginning of the movie, we're going to find out that the machines have changed something about the matrix that takes away some (but not all) of neo and company's power. That way they still get to do their cool slow motion three-d rotating martial arts, but they can't just win outright.[2]
It's an open question, of course, whether this will be done well enough to allow you to sit back and enjoy the movie, rather than internally kvetch about how contrived things are.
Note that the above is not based on any actual knowledge or information.
- target
[1] Of course, as in the first movie, there will certainly be some conflict outside the matrix. Expect that there will be twin threats, inside and outside, just as in the first. Expect also that those threats will be interrelated, so that solving one is necessary to or will solve the other.
[2] This is perhaps supported by the title. If the matrix gets reloaded, will somee of the rules change?
..your life must be incredibly small and boring if you refuse to see any Hollywood movie because of decss. Hate to tell you, but just about ALL indy films are in some way connected to, produced by, and funded by Hollywood money. You better quit watching TV too, my friend.. Man, there are SO many more important things in this world to worry about...
Moderation totals that amuse me for one of my posts: Flamebait=1, Insightful=2, Funny=2, Overrated=1, Underrated=1
Why are there so many idiots with cameras? It's a major issue during the olympics as well...
A camera's flash works for a very short distance, perhaps 100 feet... If you're any further away from the source than that, the camera flash distracts your subject, while NOT lighting up anything (except possibly the dust between you and your subject).
If you don't know how to use it properly, shut it off... People have become accustomed to the flash on cameras, but few ever actually need it. Not to mention how much harm that flash does in the hands of idiots.
Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
Anyone heard news that there will be a new actress to play the Oracle?
I was in the National Geographic shop in Darling Harbour Sydney, browsing, when a lady with a Yankee accent came in. The guy behind the desk asked her where she was from, if she was a tourist, etc, etc.
She claimed that she was working on a new movie, the guy behind the counter asked which, she replied The Matrix. The guy and the girl behind the counter were impressed, they asked what she had to do with it and she said she plays the role of the Oracle, since the actress who played the Oracle in the first movie has passed away.
Can anyone confirm that the origial Oracle actress has passed on?
Damn, she was uber cool.
War crimes, torture, lies, illegal spying... Would someone give Bush a blowjob, already, so he can be impeached?
I always thought it was a test for software DVD players... ;)
Mr Director, I think it would be quite unrealistic in a film if a helicopter flew 10 meters over your head in a city like Sydney and nobody would take pictures...
A line from the upcoming movie : Neo : "Whoa....check out all those flashes" Morpheus : "Concentrate on the task at hand; they are merely glitches in the Matrix caused by our presense in this place"
Passed away last year, at the age of 64.
She had already filmed her scenes for Matrix II, I believe. Dunno what they're doing for Matrix III.
You cannot apply a technological solution to a sociological problem. (Edwards' Law)
Err... You are aware that most non-professional cameras today decide weather to use the flash by themselves, and that you should therefor blame the technology rather than the user in this case?
Here is why, most meters will average across the whole frame and the thing you are photographing is usually occupying maybe 10 to 20% of the frame.
Switching flash will normally set a fixed speed on 1/30th sec. This is usually enough for the illuminated bit of the photograph. Forget the flash itself, it is the fixed speed that helps. With negative film there is usually enough lattitude to get something off the negative. This is why flash photos of concerts often work.
If they are filming on to negative film, they will need a fair amount of illumination (even with black helicopters). I wouldn't be suprised if the photographers don't actually get something (although a 30th is a bit slow for action and it is sure to blur).
First look at the teaser poster and more plot speculations were reported first at corona.
Lets face it, the whole idea is silly. Theres the whole laws of thermodynamics thing for a start but then theres this problem that they need some sort of artifical reality to make it work, and its really tricky, because they keep escaping and fighting and stuff. OK, so why not use Llamas instead. Or Cod. Problem solved - Next! Maybe its good that I'm nto a hyperintelligent machine ruling the world with an iron fist, er, manipulator.
<fnord>OBEY</fnord>
My friend was out and about with his shiny new camera, and took a piccy of the 'copter as it was being filmed... Not bad quality, but would have liked to get more! Don't wanna slashdot my own server, so check out the pictures to have a peek... Rob.
Sure, look up sites about Airwolf (that 1980s series); it made use of R/C models quite heavily - I doubt ever as much since (due to the advanced of computer-generated images, no doubt).
:>
Here's a company that flies R/Cs for camera work
Just to illustrate :
Their 'Airwolf' cam
Oh, some more Airwolf
UKcultTV.tripod.com
I was onsite (on business in the city) and I can assure you that Keanu was not there. All in all it was a pretty boring few hours. I was in the best viewing spot just off the square near Elizabeth street and although the buildings were non-descript, the head security guy nearest me said the Brothers picked the building because it looked dark and sinister. I was further told that the sequence would later be filled in with a fight seen with Neo on a windy and rainy night, although they were filming in the late afternoon before losing light.
Since the chopper came in from a few streets away and flew to the square then then traveled up along the building, my guess is that Neo might be "flying" as he did at the end of Movie 1 and then fighting someone on the externals of the building. All Greenscreen of course.
They are filming 2 more sequences during the next 2 Sundays and the second one will be the largest street closure ever (surpassing Vanilla Sky's empty street scene). I won't be here for the big one where they will close down all of George Street, but I'm hoping to see some of the cast (Trinity anyone?) next Sunday.
Either way, it will be cool having pre-CGI footage of the scene as it will likely be a pivotal sequence.
Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information upon it. -Samuel Johns
I don't get it either. Hotrod opened the matrix and stopped Unicron (Becoming Rodimus Prime in the process). I know they still have to bring O.P. back, but thats more of an episode thing,not a full film.
Either way, it will be cool having pre-CGI footage of the scene as it will likely be a pivotal sequence.
Ya, just as cool as having pre-CGI Jurassic Park (empty woods).
It seems like there is "more than meets the eye" to your reply.
"More organs means more human." - Zim
I posted an answer, titled "Gloria Foster, RIP," almost immediately after you posted your question. It got modded down. Twice. WTF?
You cannot apply a technological solution to a sociological problem. (Edwards' Law)
I'll agree with that - I don't understand why more movies aren't filmed in Melbourne. In the US both LA and NYC are used to film movies - usually with a distinct genre, so I don't see why Melbourne and Sydney could be used. The problem is Melbourne is too un-American I guess as you said.
If you check out www.imdb.com for the Matrix sequal you'll see that Agent Smith is now Agent Smith 2.0
An upgrade, hmmm? Let's hope it's not as diabolical as Microsoft's recent Media Player 7.1 security fix. Maybe the 2.x series of agents will realize the only way to defeat a vastly superior Neo is for all of them to attack him simultaneously rather than following the time-honored martial arts movie tradition of politely waiting their turn. Now that would make for a cool (and novel) fight scene!
GMD
watch this
It also stops all of those annoying exploits of the spoon protocol by script kiddies.