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SET: GODZILLA Turns Oceanic Plaza Downtown into San Francisco BART Station

Godzilla crew has turned Oceanic Plaza in downtown Vancouver into a San Francisco BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) station, adding a San Francisco kiosk with ads for the Golden Gate Zoo, San Francisco mental health, San Francisco Pique Ballet Company and Go Whales Tours at Fisherman’s Wharf (the whale watching company and boats used by soldier extras on the Steveston docks to shoot at the Japanese sea monster), decorating West Hastings Street with Presidio New Folk Festival banners (the same ones used on Sixth Street in New Westminster), changing the Guiness Tower signage to Portman Center, another sign to the Kerney-Grand Hotel and parking yellow-and-green San Francisco cabs, black-and-white San Francisco police cars and military vehicles along the street for filming later on today.

Read More »SET: GODZILLA Turns Oceanic Plaza Downtown into San Francisco BART Station

SET: GODZILLA Turns Watchmen’s Main Street Set in Burnaby into San Francisco’s Chinatown

Update: Godzilla filmed four or five massive SPFX explosions on this set overnight Saturday (June 22-23). See photo of one blast.

Godzilla blast

Godzilla lit up the south Burnaby night sky at Marine Way and Byrne Road on Tuesday to shoot scenes on the Main Street set (built for the 2009 movie Watchmen) dressed as San Francisco’s Chinatown — a ravaged Chinatown in the wake of a Japanese sea monster. Not much can be seen from outside the private back lot except for glimpses of Chinatown’s iconic hanging red-and-gold  lanterns, 1920s-era Dragon street lamps and a destroyed pagoda-topped building, so you’ll have to imagine it dark and filled with smoke for scenes of the movie’s hero Lieutenant Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and soldiers running through it.

Related: Godzilla turns New Westminster into Streets of San Francisco – Chinatown

Read More »SET: GODZILLA Turns Watchmen’s Main Street Set in Burnaby into San Francisco’s Chinatown

SHOOT: GODZILLA Turns New Westminster Into Streets of San Francisco – Chinatown

The  U.S. military battled Godzilla in downtown New Westminster dressed as the streets of San Francisco a couple of weekends ago in three overnight shoots (June 7-9). On Friday night, the action started near the Arundel Mansion Hotel, a San Francisco-style apartment complex, on a strewn-with-debris-and-wrecked-cars Begbie Street. Crew wearing gas masks filled the half-block with smoke and pushed spectators back for safety reasons. A jump master (Jared Keeso) and about eight soldiers led Lieutenant Ford (star Aaron Taylor-Johnson) into a wall of smoke in Chinatown up at the corner, renamed the Jin Shufan Dim Sum Buffet (“Voted #1 in San Francisco”), in take after take.

Read More »SHOOT: GODZILLA Turns New Westminster Into Streets of San Francisco – Chinatown

WEEK: June 10-16, 2013

WEEK: June 3-9, 2013

 

  • Sunday, June 9th – Continuum 2×07 Second Degree airs on Showcase: Kiera (Rachel Nichols) & Carlos (Victor Webster) discover a juror on Julian (Richard Harmon)’s trial has been compromised and race to protect his family unaware that it’s part of a larger Liber8 plot to install Jim Martin (Tahmoh Penikett) as Mayor. Trial filmed at Vancouver Art Gallery. And Emily (Magda Apanowicz) reveals kick-ass fighting skills.
  • Sunday, June 9th – The Killing 3×03 Seventeen airs on AMC: so named for 17 body bags Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) finds near the “Picasso Drawing” of a grove of trees by Seward (Peter Sarsgaard)’s son Adrian. Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman) connects with Bullet and gets the name of a pimp who might have Callie. Ryan Robbins introduced as a John.
  • Sunday, June 9th – Godzilla films third overnight in downtown New Westminster dressed as San Francisco, on 6th Street and Clarkson.
  • Sunday, June 9th – The Killing closes the south bound lane of Burrard Bridge in the morning to film scenes, then moves to Main Street cafe and then Pender & Richards.
  • Sunday, June 9th – Falling Skies 2-hour season 3 premiere airs on TNT. Tom (Noah Wyle) is president and father to a baby girl. Robert Sean Leonard joins the group.
  • Sunday, June 9th – Entertainment Weekly’s set visit to Falling Skies S3 in Vancouver.
  • Sunday, June 9th – Ratings for Primeval: New World debut on Syfy in the U.S. – a surprisingly strong 1.33 million on Saturday night.
  • Saturday, June 8th – Godzilla films second overnight in downtown New Westminster dressed as San Francisco, this time on 6th Street from Carnovan down past Columbia Street.
  • Saturday, June 8th –  Comedy couple Brent Butt & Nancy Robertson host Leo Awards Gala Ceremony at Westin Bayshore Hotel.  Continuum wins Best Dramatic Series and six other Leos. Arctic Air contingent owns red carpet. And Primeval: New World represents with three gorgeous cast.
  • Saturday, June 8th – Primeval: New World debut on Syfy in the U.S.
  • Saturday, June 8th – Ratings for Continuum S2 premiere on Syfy in the U.S. — a steady 1.42 million total viewers and 552,000 adults 18-49 on Friday night.
  • Friday, June 7th – Leo Awards celebration ceremony. Simon Barry wins screenwriting award for Continuum‘s season one finale, End Times.
  • Friday, June 7th – Godzilla second unit in overnight shoot in downtown New Westminster filming soldiers running up hill  on Begbie Street dressed as San Francisco. Aaron Taylor-Johnson on set and lots and lots of smoke.
  • Friday, June 7th – Continuum season 2 premiere on Syfy in the U.S.
  • Thursday, June 6th – Supernatural star Jensen Ackles becomes a Dad. Wife Daneel gives birth to baby girl named Justice Jay Ackles, aka J2 orJJ Ackles.
  • Thursday, June 6th – New trailer for Man of Steel starring Henry Cavil. And in interviews Cavill & Krypton Dad Russell Crowe talk about the problem of no fly in super suit.
  • Thursday, June 6th – News from Bell Media Upfront in Toronto: CTV will reverse  the Amell cousins’ Wednesday night block this fall and air it earlier than the CW with Robbie Amell’s The Tomorrow People at 7 p.m. before Stephen Amell’s Arrow at 8 p.m. In CanCon: new Toronto crime drama Players has Sanctuary’s Agam Darshi  in cast.
  • Thursday, June 6th – Psych films inside Caprice night club on Granville after doing quick establishing shot outside the Penthouse in the morning. Read More »WEEK: June 3-9, 2013

WEEK: May 27 – June 2, 2013

  • Sunday, June 2nd – Two-hour season 3 premiere of The Killing on AMC. A year after the Rosie Larsen case, Stephen Holder has cleaned up and buffed up to become Smolder (Joel Kinnaman after RoboCop role) and Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) has left the Seattle police force and learned how to smile, living and working on Vashon Island (played by Bowen Island). Then Holder catches a case of a teen hooker with her head almost cut off, very like one of Linden’s old cases. But the convicted killer in Linden’s case is on death row (Peter Sarsgaard). Is someone new preying on Seattle street kids? 
  • Sunday, June 2nd – Vancouver cop-from-the-future series Continuum 2×06 Second Truths on Showcase: Kiera (Rachel Nichols) must use her knowledge of the future to stop a serial killer while keeping a curious Carlos  (Victor Webster) in the dark but when Kiera’s life is threatened she realizes she could die without anyone knowing she ever existed so she shares her secrets with Carlos. Finally!
  • Sunday, June 2nd – Continuum films over the weekend at the BCIT Aerospace campus in Richmond. Crew played parking lot hockey outside on a break today but filmed inside in the atrium. Wrap party on Monday.
  • Friday, May 31st –  Continuum films its season finale inside CBC Vancouver for the third day in a row (May 29-31)
  • Friday, May 31st – More reshoots for Seventh Son – June 3 – 13th – on BC production list.
  • Thursday, May 30th – YVRShoots Series: Brent Butt & Nancy Robertson Host Leo Awards on June 8th.
  • Thursday, May 30th – Vancouver whydunnit Motive 1×003 Pushover airs on ABC.
  • Thursday, May 30th – Godzilla has night shoot at Kent Hangar field with lights on lifts and giant inflatable green screens.
  • Thursday, May 30th – Leo Awards  announces special presentation to honour The Beachcombers: 357 episodes shot in Gibson’s Landing over 19 seasons & aired in 50 countries. Jackson Davies will represent the cast.
  • Wednesday, May 29th – Psych season 7 finale. Anthony Michael Hall guest stars as police consultant brought in to interview Shawn (James Roday), Gus (Dulé Hill), Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) and Juliet (Maggie Lawson) about their shoddy police work. Explains why we’ve seen Lassie in uniform in season 8. He’s been demoted.
  • Wednesday, May 29th – Psych turns half a block of Gastown into London to film Dule Hill’s Gus as a Hogwarts escapee from the Harry Potter movies and James Roday’s Shawn as a cowboy?
  • Wednesday, May 29th – Final round of voting begins for CineCoup Final Five with six Vancouver teams  — Alien Abduction, Bad, Scam, Grade Nine, The Fall & The Mill and the Mountain —vying for $1-million in produciton financing. YVRShoots Series
  • Wednesday, May 29th – Rogue season finale 1×10 Killing Grace/ While Grace Read More »WEEK: May 27 – June 2, 2013

SHOOT: GODZILLA’s Golden Gate Bridge Set with Inflatable GreenScreens

For locals, Godzilla‘s Golden Gate Bridge set is Rise of the Planet of the Apes redux on the vast Kent Hangar gravel field at the Vancouver/Burnaby border. Rust-red street lights and railings. Giant greenscreens. Motorists and buses trapped on the bridge. Soldiers. Cop cars. Only this time the showdown is between the military/police and Godzilla not empowered apes. Plus the giant greenscreens are inflatable, something we haven’t seen before.

Related: Rise of the Planet of the Apes Reshoots on Golden Gate Bridge Set at Kent Hangar Field

Lieutenant Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson)’s son and schoolkid extras are on one of the Oakland, Alameda and Freemont school district buses evacuating San Francisco,  as tanks with soldiers rolled by yesterday.

Read More »SHOOT: GODZILLA’s Golden Gate Bridge Set with Inflatable GreenScreens

WEEK: May 20-26, 2013

  • Sunday, May 26th – Vancouver-cop-from-the-future series  Continuum 2×05 Second Opinion airs on Showcase. Kiera (Rachel Nichols) has emotional breakdown on her son’s birthday which messes with her CMR. As if that wasn’t enough. Kiera is the target of a department mole hunt.
  • Friday, May 24th – Godzilla main unit films in Steveston’s Finn Slough dressed as Japanese fishing village in nuclear quarantine zone.
  • Friday, May 24th – Godzilla main unit films at USS Alameda set in Steveston’s Garry Point Park.
  • Friday, May 24th – Neill Blomkamp’s Elysium starring Matt Damon & Jodie Foster  makes Entertainment Weekly’s Summer Must List. In theatres on August 9th.
  • Friday, May 24th –  News that The CW will air final episodes of Cult in 2 hour blocks 8pm-10pm on June 28th, July 5th and July 12th. 
  • Thursday, May 23rd – Vancouver whydunnit Motive 1×02 Crimes of Passion airs on ABC network.
  • Thursday, May 23rd – News that hometown comedy couple Brent Butt and Nancy Robertson to host Leo Awards Gala Ceremony.
  • Thursday, May 23rd – Way of the Wicked starring Christian Slater and Peter Fanicelli films near Squamish in Minaty Bay on the Sea to Sky Highway.
  • Thursday, May 23rd – Vancouver whydunit Motive settles into regular time slot on American network ABC but pre-empted locally by collapse of I-5 bridge over Skagit River near Seattle.
  • Thursday, May 23rd – Continuum star Rachel Nichols tweets her thanks to episode director Amanda Tapping – Dear @amandatapping – being directed by you has been my favorite #Continuum experience. You are beautiful, brilliant & inspiring. Thank you. 
  • Thursday, May 23rd – Network Series Rankings: Once Upon a Time still a hit for ABC, ranking  #17 in advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic. Despite an uneven season, OUAT successfuly added Captain Hook (Colin O’Donoghue), the Jolly Roger and Neverland to its fictional worlds.
  • Thursday, May 23rd – Godzilla 2nd unit films on Steveston docks dressed as San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf for last time. Soldier stunt guys carry warhead.
  • Thursday, May 23rd – Godzilla main unit snakes into Steveston’s Finn Slough dressed as Japanese fishing village in nuclear quarantine zone.
  • Thursday, may 23rd – Godzilla main unit films on its USS Alameda set in Steveston’s Garry Point Park. A set which rocks & rolls like a Disney ride.
  • Thursday, May 23rd – King & Maxwell with Jon Tenney & Rebecca Romijn films big scenes inside Pacific Central Station dressed as Washington, D.C. station with dozens Read More »WEEK: May 20-26, 2013

SHOOT: GODZILLA Evacuates Kid Extras From Steveston’s Japanese Cultural Centre as School

Update: Janjira is the name of the Japanese nuclear power plant in the Godzilla reboot

Godzilla crew remade Steveston’s Japanese Cultural Centre/Martial Arts Centre into the Jankira International School for filming on Wednesday, adding fake pink cherry blossoms to the east side of the trees outside and parking a prop Japanese school bus and giant blue screen on the west side where the camera would focus. Dozens of child extras dressed in school uniforms practiced running out of the centre into the bus or towards Moncton Street. And had fun doing it. It’s not clear where the monster is in this scene because it’s unlikely they would run towards it. [Update: this evacuation might have more to do with an earthquake and potential nuclear disaster at the Janjira  reactors nearby]

Read More »SHOOT: GODZILLA Evacuates Kid Extras From Steveston’s Japanese Cultural Centre as School