- Mar '01
- <Experiences of Jada Pinkett-Smith>
- <Shooting in Sydney official>
- <Set report - 4 - Who's the Asian guy?>
- <Special effects go in-house>
EXPERIENCES OF JADA PINKETT-SMITH >Source: Chicago Sun-Times
Jada Pinkett Smith spoke about her experiences so far, working on the 'Matrix' Sequels: Apart from being "in a warehouse of pain" from all the wirework and flips and such, Smith said that her character Niobi "hangs with Trinity." In fact, Smith had auditioned quite a bit to try and snag the role of Trinity in the first film, she says, back when Val Kilmer was set to play Morpheus.
MARTIAL ARTIST >Source: UK Magazine
Actor and martial arts expert Ngai Sing (also known as Colin Chou) is working on the Matrix sequels. Sing/Chow has appeared in many Hong Kong films including 'Bodyguard From Beijing' and 'Return to a Better Tomorrow.'
NEW CHARACTER: LOCK >Source: Variety
There's been more casting for a major role in the currently shooting Matrix sequels, plus dealings regarding the Australian portion of the shoot.
According to Variety columnist Michael Fleming, actor Harry Lennix (Titus) has been tapped for the simultaneously shooting sequels. Fleming reports that Lennix will be taking on the villainous role of a character named Lock who will be a part of both the second and third parts. In addition, it is specifically noted that Lock will be pitted against Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne).
Meanwhile, it appears that there was something still going on regarding shooting of the sequels in Australia. Fleming, once again, reports that the production had been haggling with the Australian government in order to get tax breaks said to be worth tens of millions of dollars. Regardless of how that was/is going, word is that Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures decided to shoot there anyway. As it works out, the production will shift its focus down under in September.
SHOOTING IN SYDNEY OFFICIAL >Source: CountingDown
Producer Joel Silver and directors Larry and Andy Wachowski will shoot the two sequels to "The Matrix" in Australia, it was announced today by Lorenzo di Bonaventura, President of Worldwide Production, Warner Bros.
Pictures. "We had a terrific experience shooting 'The Matrix' in Australia," Lorenzo di Bonaventura said. "We look forward to returning to the state-of-the-art facilities and incredible locations in Sydney to shoot the sequels in collaboration with the talented local production crew and with the cooperation of the Australian government."
"This is wonderful news because it's return business," said Bob Carr, the Sydney-based Premier of New South Wales. "'The Matrix' was the first big international production to come to our new Sydney studios. Now the sequels will be shot here as well. That's a great vote of confidence in our crews, our locations and our facilities. It confirms our position as a leading film-making destination."
After completing preliminary photography in California, the production will be based at the Fox Studios in Sydney. "The Matrix" sequels will film on location in Sydney with the support and assistance of the Federal Government, the State Government of New South Wales, N.S.W. State Premier Bob Carr, and the Office of State and Regional Development.
SET REPORT - 4 - WHO'S THE ASIAN GUY? >Source: CountingDown
A great report including updates on the Mysterious Asian Gentleman and the Silvermen:
Well from the 26th to the 27th Oakland was in the Matrix. First I must say that it was the very first day of shooting for the Matrix. The main action of this outdoor shooting was a car chase. On monday, 26th 2 stars were present on the set: Carrie-Ann Moss (exactly same outfit as the first opus)and Lawrence Fishburne (in a purple suit and long black coat). They were in silver Cadillac 2003 model ('cause the movie will be released in 2003). They were both at the front of the car and trinity was driving.
But there is a mystery. At the back of the car there was an Asian business man.Looks like they saved him from the bad guys. Who is he? What is his role? Then the bad guys or also named Silvermen were behind them in a black Cadillac Escalade shooting at them. They look weird: White/Beige suit with a long white/beige coat, white face, sun glasses, hair: white "rasta" dreadlocks. Are they new kind of agents?
The day after it was about the same scene except that no stars were present, just the doubles because they were shooting a car crash. The street where the scene was shot had to be changed and they had to paint everything in green, I mean the signs, the plates, the benches. On the cars you could read the plate and instead of a state name you could read "Metropolitan" and the buses were renamed "City Transit". Also they built 2 advert signs on one you could read "ONE" and the other "Watch TV". In the background a shop was renamed "TV Repair". Looks like the directors want their movie to denounce some kind of TV abuse or something.
Although Moss and Fishburne were the only stars on the set (with the Washowski Bros.),on Monday all the cast was gathered for lunch. Wed, 28th and Thu, 29th they will shoot in the Webster.
SET REPORT - 3 - NEW RIDE >Source: CountingDown
Trinity has a new ride:
"On Tuesday 3/28 they were near 15th and Telegraph in Oakland, doing some car interior filming of a chase sequence. In the car were Carrie-Anne Moss and Laurence Fishburne. They came up a side street, turned left onto Telegraph (narrowly missing a bus), and then drove down Telegraph swerving around other cars. Most interesting was the car that Carrier-Anne was driving, instead of the retro sedan used in the first movie, they were in the new Cadillac Evoq. Looks like the success of the first movie has opened the gates for more product placements in the sequels."
SET REPORT - 2 >Source: Matrix Online
Here is an excerpt: Yeah, there was Laurence Fishburne in downtown Oakland, looking cool in a sleek silver Cadillac. No sign of Keanu Reeves, though, who was rumored to be on a soundstage elsewhere.
Nonetheless, it was enough to send some female gawkers into a tizzy as they caught a glimpse of the famous Fishburne and a co-star shooting a car scene for the sequel to ``The Matrix.''
Oakland's taste of Hollywood centered Monday on a heavily guarded, closed four-block area of mostly tall office buildings on 16th Street and Telegraph Avenue. The sequel to the big blockbuster sci-fi thriller is set to shoot in Oakland and Alameda for the next 12 weeks before going to Australia for a year of filming.
SET REPORT - 1 >Source: CountingDown
Here is another report about the happenings in the Oakland area: Yesterday I saw a guy who appeared to be Laurence Fishburne's stunt double, and a number of Black Cadillac SUVs. In one of them was a guy who was painted silver, with long silver dreadlocks and a silver tie. There was another man dressed just like him, possibly his stunt double. They looked like a cross between John Travolta in Battlefield Earth and those silver guys who act like statues for tourists in Union Square in San Francisco. There were also tons of people who were dressed like Agent Smith wandering around the area.
SPECIAL EFFECTS GO IN-HOUSE >Source: Corona
It looks like Manex, the company responsible for the cool bullet time effects for the first movie, will have less to do for the sequels. Manex is apparently no longer doing some of the effects with Warners going in-house instead.
Why would WB not give Manex Full Special effects work? Well, here are possible answers: "This is mostly to discuss the reasons why Warner Brothers would change their mind and do the effects in-house." "The 'leader' of the 'Manex' effects team for Matrix 1 is actually an employee of WB. Therefore, what will likely happen is that several key personnel (such as the original team) will just switch from working for Manex and start working for WB. Hence, the digital effects shouldn't suffer."
"Also, WB simply performed a negotiating trick that many studios (including Manex) have used before: ie. They had Manex do preproduction work for free as a goodwill gesture, and then once seeing Manex figure out initial planning, decided to go about it themselves. For example, WB is renting hangers at the Alameda Naval Base directly from the city instead of renting from Manex."
"Finally, Manex is in seriously poor financial condition, though they have a few remaining contracts. They laid off their entire Surreality.com division last December, and then their Manex Interactive division after Christmas. The digital effects industry is notorious for poor profit margins, unless the studio is well diversified (a la LucasArts). Unfortunately, Manex is no longer such. It's Studio Effects division tends to break even at best and mostly serves as good publicity for the rest of the company. WB probably figures it's easier to do the work themselves than worry about Manex's unresolved debt issues. For example, the original draft of the proposed contract between Manex and WB contained language prohibiting Manex from using initial funds from WB for any other projects/expenditures towards anything not having to do with Matrix 2 & 3."
THE ROLES OF TRINITY >Source: Cinescape Insider
In choosing to sign on to The Matrix sequel production, Carrie-Anne Moss also had to consider that her work on the production would keep her out of the running acting in other films.
While talking to the NY Daily News, Moss, who has been seen in 'The Crew' and 'Chocolat', as well as new 'Momento', addressed if she had any worries about being unable to take on a preponderance of potential roles due to the possibility of being pegged simply as Trinity. "I have no control over that part of it. I see the fork in the road very clearly. There's a fork to the left that could be 'Oh, my God, how do I continue making choices that can elevate my career? Is the movie going to be successful? Is it not going to be successful?'...Then there's this other road. It's about staying in the moment. Enjoying where I'm at. Having a life. And that's the road I choose. And it's pretty easy for me to choose it, to be honest. The other road is too uncomfortable."
Regarding her Trinity role, Moss says, "I'm proud to be a part of [The Matrix]. I don't worry, 'Oh, maybe people will only see me as Trinity.' That's fine. It was shot incredibly well, the story is fantastic. The special effects and the martial arts are unique and extraordinary. And you care about the characters." As for the character's appeal, Moss guesses, "Maybe it's [because she's] a woman who is strong and yet not nasty or bitchy or cold. She's that empowered and that strong."
ANOTHER TWO CREW-MEMBERS >Source: ComingSoon
Harold Perrineau ("Oz") and Daniel Bernhardt ("Mortal Kombat: Conquest") have been added to the cast of the next two installments of "The Matrix" franchise for Warner Bros./Village Roadshow Pictures and producer Joel Silver.
The story lines for both "Matrix" sequels are being kept under tight wraps, though it is known that Bernhardt will play bad-guy agent Johnson.
POSSIBLE SET PICTURES >Source: Countingdown
Matrix 2 has begun filming at the Manex Studios in Alameda, and 'Coastie Bill' has a report: "Manex, which has taken over one of the old aircraft painting hangars, has converted part of the old airfield into a highway. They have constructed fake walls to simulate the highway walls used as sound barriers from highway sounds. I drove down to the set (about 1/2 mile from my house) and took the following pictures (which, off course, are so vague that they could be taken anywhere, but hey...):
Pic 1: The entrance to the highway set and some signs which they were painting. It stretches about a mile or so.
Pic 2: It's a bit hard to see, but the highway set extends from the right to the left. About midway down, you can see the black outline of a 'overpass' built on the set.
Pic 3: Manex studios. There were six mobile-home trailers onsite as well.
KEANU HAS MORE TO SAY
Entertainment weekly interviewed Keanu Reeves about the Matrix sequels: Initially, he says what we know, stating, "Filming starts late in March in Oakland. I've read both scripts and they're fantastic, bla bla bla..."
Reeves adds, "Before, all the fights were one on one and now there's going to be more multifighting." On this point, the site quotes Reeves from his recent Rolling Stone interview, when he said, "There's going to be much more wire work (in the sequels) because the characters can fly. With this one I'll fight in the sky."
Regarding when production on the sequels might wrap, Reeves says, "From what I've heard, I'm working until September 2002." That would suggest that the second film, at the earliest, wouldn't hit theaters until holiday season 2002, though it would suggest summer 2003 (What another half year!? No! red.).
In addition, it is reported that the twin productions are scheduled for 200 days of shooting, which could be lengthened due to the threatened actors strike. The shoot will star in Oakland and run for 12 weeks before shutting down for the strike, even if there isn't one. This shut down will allow the effects side of the production to kick in and do their thing.
After the strike is averted or settled, shooting will resume in Australia. No mention is made of shoots in Chicago.
MONICA BELLUCCI >Source: Variety
Variety.com reports that Italian beauty Monica Bellucci ("Malena") is in negotiations to star opposite Keanu Reeves in the back-to-back sequels. Bellucci most recently starred in the Italian-language "Malena" for Miramax Films. She also recently graced the cover of Esquire magazine.
Born in Perugia, Italy 32 years ago, Bellucci has made more than 20 films since 1990, most in her native country. She made her English-language debut as Dracula's bride in Francis Ford Coppola's "Dracula." Her first major English-language role was in last year's "Under Suspicion" opposite Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman.
LONG LIVE TAX! >Source: Variety
While "The Matrix" pitted humans against machines in a war for the future of the planet, the sequel has been all about a battle between the filmmakers and the Australian government over tax breaks. At stake is a disputed tax incentive that could be worth up to $30 million for the two films shooting back to back, which is roughly Keanu Reeves's upfront salary for the pair. Warner Bros., which is partnering again with Village Roadshow Pictures (VRP) on two sequels, would not comment, though studio sources acknowledge that a dispute has been ongoing, with a lot of money at stake.
The sequels are booked to shoot at the Fox Studios in Sydney starting in September, but that was done with the full expectation that the production could take advantage of 10B of the Tax Act, which is frequently used to entice big budget films to shoot Down Under. It's a complicated arrangement that entices locals to front production money for massive write-offs, saving the film's financier all kinds of interest charges. The government has tightened the loopholes on the grounds that the local investors aren't risking their funds, since in recent cases they are either aligned with the studio or are guaranteed recoupment. The stalemate is considered serious enough that the filmmakers have had to at least explore the remote prospect of shooting the sequels in Canada.
WB and VRP were counting on that discount to help them bring in the sequels at an affordable level. People close to the film said they hope to spend $215 million for the pair, though other rumored estimates are higher. That number would require financial discipline, given that ``The Matrix'' has become WB's most valuable film franchise, and that Larry and Andy Wachowski will understandably be looking to top the cutting-edge effects employed in the first film, which cost an estimated $80 million.
Fortunately for the studio and VRP, the Aussie issue can take its time to unfold, since the film will begin production pre-strike in Oakland. Filming in Australia won't happen until after the actors strike is averted.
ODD NEWS PART 1 >Source: Dark Horizons
"The French show Exclusif indicated some of the fights will be filmed in zero gravity using NASA's Vomit Comet, whilst some characters will transform into animals as well as other humans like the Agents could. Uhm...
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