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Well, my fellow LJers, I know a lot of you have been very patient...so here it is, my official report from the set of "Iron Man 2"!
First off, I want to start out by saying that, due to security reasons, I was unable to get any "on-set" pictures during the filming. So yeah, no behind-the-scenes footage.
But don't worry -- one thing you should know about me is that I never walk away empty-handed from anything. You'll see what I mean by the end of the post.
Anyways, here's what went on. I arrived at the Raleigh Manhattan Beach Studios just before 7 AM. When I got to the studio, a man in a golf cart brought me to "home base", which is where some of the cast and staff go to get themselves ready for the shoot. I got a room in one of the trailers, and changed shirts (mainly because having logos would cause a lot of legal issues that the filmmakers would have to deal with). From there, I went to the hair and makeup people, and then it was off to the shoot.
I would like to point out that while they were filming, I brought along a copy of the Essential Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe: Master Edition, Vol. 2, which I had picked up from a comic book store in Santa Monica. I purposely picked it up because Iron Man was one of the profiles included, and the movie guys were good enough to let me bring it onto the set -- in fact, they encouraged it!
So anyways, back to the filming. The scene was designed to take place during the "Stark Expo", which, in the context of the movie, is located in Flushing Meadows, NY (and right next to the World's Fair). The set was basically a huge stage with a large screen in the back, promoting the expo, and would also feature Tony Stark's father, Howard Stark, promoting Stark Expo '74. There's also an opening show featuring "the Iron-ettes," a kick team wearing uniforms resembling Iron Man's armor, and dancing to a song by AC/DC (forgot what the title was). The scene would also feature the Iron Man armor, which Stark uses to make his grand entrance at the expo, and which will retract from his body while on stage (compliments of the CGI guys).
In case you're wondering, I play one of the guys in the audience cheering Stark on, and I'm right in front of the stage, just at its edge. So, chances are you might be able to get a glimpse of me in the film.
Before the takes started, I was able to see both Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau talking on the set, althought I didn't actually get to speak with them until later in the day. A couple of takes in, I got to see Iron Man (sorta)! This time around, they have the stunt actor wearing the armor from the waist up. The rest will be filled in by CGI (mainly because wearing the full armor in real life could probably get a little uncomfortable). At one point I even got to hold Iron Man's helmet. It was really awesome for me since it was like pulling something right out of the comic page -- and actually being, in some small way, part of the action that I would read about on a weekly basis.
Btw, I was able to get my picture taken with Shellhead, although I won't be getting the pic until the publicity shots of the armor are released, but once I get it, you can bet your repulsor gauntlet that I'll feature it here ;)
By the middle of the day, it was time for lunch. A banquet was being held on the studio's "Anytown" lot, which I learned had been set up to look like a street in Moscow for the movie (the villain this time around is Whiplash, or more appropriately, Whiplash incorporating elements of another classic Shellhead foe, the Crimson Dynamo, one of the Soviet Union's answers to the Armored Avenger). After getting something to eat, I, along with a few other lucky people, got a tour around some of the other sets from the movie. One set that we saw resembled a fancy hotel in Monaco, Italy, where Stark would be staying to watch the Grand Prix. Another set that we saw was designed as the interior of Hammer Industries, which was run by another of the film's antagonists (and another longtime Iron Man foe), Justin Hammer. It was also explained that there was a scene where Hammer would kidnap one of Stark's friends and force him to build a suit of armor. However, something goes wrong, and, in the words of the tour guide, "all hell breaks loose". The best part of the tour, however, was seeing Stark's workshop, which was featured in the first movie, but now including a hall of armors, which featured the Mark I Grey, the Red and Gold suit which was damaged during the fight with the Iron Monger, and the other half of the new suit. Missing from the collection was the Mark II Silver, which as the guide explained, is gonna be used by Jim Rhodes aka WAR MACHINE!!!!
Afterwards, we got back to the set, and it was then I got to meet the man himself -- Robert Downey Jr.! It was kinda brief at the beginning -- I got to shake hands with him, and he agreed to meet me after the shoot (I want to point out here that I still had my book with me; he was interested so I let him take a look, and he was amused by some of the characters featured, including Plantman). During the shooting, Downey, as Stark, gives a speech about the Expo, as well as some of the new directions that Stark Industries is taking in order to get out of the weapons-making business. In between takes, I got to speak with Jon Favreau, a very nice man, and I told him I really enjoyed his roles as Foggy Nelson in "Daredevil" and in the episode of Monk, "Mr. Monk and the Dentist" (he'll also be reprising his role as Stark's chauffer Happy Hogan in the second movie).
Once the shooting was finished for the day, I went back to Home Base, and there I got to meet Robert again, who's pretty awesome in person. In addition to the first "Iron Man," I explained that my mom really enjoyed his performance in the movie "Chaplin," where he portrayed silent film legend Charlie Chaplin, which he really appreciated hearing. We had a pretty good conversation, talking about the first movie as well as the second. In the midst of our talk, he even autographed my book. But the best moment had to be...
( Behind a cut to contain the raw awesomeness )
All in all, an incredible experience, and well worth the wait. Now I gotta figure out what to do until the movie comes out XD
So...whatcha think?Current Mood:  accomplished |
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