Inside the blockbuster 'King Kong' studio in Ninh Binh
Nearly 400 Vietnamese and American members coordinated smoothly and professionally at the film studio located in an isolated valley, surrounded by Trang An mountains and rivers.
The Kong: Skull Island crew got to work the next morning after arriving in Ninh Binh (evening of February 26). According toAccording to production director Alex Garcia, Ninh Binh is not only the most important setting in Vietnam but also an important setting equivalent to Hawaii (USA) and Australia.
The Hollywood film crew's working area is located 200 meters from Trang An wharf, divided into two areas - the main camp and a separate studio inside the valley. The main camp is about one square kilometer in size, containing more than 100 vans and trucks.This area houses filming equipment, props, and costumes. It alsois where the film crew's desks, dining and living areas are located.
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The makeup room and hair salon are located in the vans. |
From early morning, people from each department gathered and started working according to the schedule set the day before. The kitchen staff worked early and busily to ensure the health of the whole crew. Ms. Jen Conroy - the nutritionist in charge of the film crew - shared,To have 800 meals for the group every day, she had planned it before coming to Vietnam. "After arriving in Vietnam, I went to survey and reconfirm with local colleagues about the dishes for the whole group. The menu is scheduled at the beginning of each week.Buffet style, with enough dishes for Vietnamese, European or American members", Jen Conroy said.
The three departments of makeup, hair, and costume work closely together and start almost first thing in the morning. Because it is a mobile studio, the studios for these three groups are all located in vans. These vans are placed close together to facilitate sequential operations. Every day, before going to the set, the actors will go in for makeup, hair, and costume changes. The film's main stars, such as Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hiddleston, and Brie Larson, usually spend three to five hours in makeup.
In the two makeup and hairdressing rooms, in addition to the basic makeup and beauty tools, above the mirror on each wall is a row of pictures of actors with the character names. The character pictures have some distinctive details for makeup identification.
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One of three costume rooms. |
Because the film was so large, the studio had three large costume rooms. Each room was numbered and had a list of the characters in costume. Each room contained hundreds of sets of clothing, each with a name tag for the character in the film. The costumes were cleaned and returned to their proper place in the warehouse.
The studio is located in an isolated valley, surrounded by a river and undulating mountains.This was built into an aboriginal village,There are about 20 bamboo houses.The village has many crimson and purple flags scattered about. Some of the paths are made of earthen steps.
With a large scale (more than 400 members), each small department works independently and scientifically, helping the overall work run smoothly.
The design team, including Vietnamese and American sides, worked meticulously to createA series of unique props, from small to giant, for the film as well as the scenes as required in the script. Design teamVietnam is the production director.Alex GarciaHighly appreciated for creativity and flexibility on set.Members communicate fluently in English and Vietnamese via walkie-talkie.
At the filming location, everything was done quickly and strictly in accordance with the principle of maintaining order. Hundreds of people were present to serve the scene, but only the director, producer, actors and design members directly involved in the scene were allowed to stand close.The rest of the people who prepare the scene or support gather at a location 200 meters away from the filming location. Every time a shot starts or ends, someone signals so that the whole crew knows clearly and keeps absolute silence.
A scene filmed in Ninh Binh on February 27 with the participation of actorsveteran Samuel L. Jackson. ActorThe actor transformed into a soldier, carrying an M16 and seemingly surrounded. He acted so well that each take took only two takes.shows a poised, natural and professional acting style as well as spiritcomfortable, friendly with everyone. This is the actor's last working day in Vietnam.Brie Larson and Tom Hiddleston will return to Vietnam and film their scenes.
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Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts (in red shirt) on the set of "Kong: Skull Island" on February 27. |
Leading the crew, director Jordan Vogt-Jordan is friendly, personable, and strict. He works carefully in each take. Before each take, he comes to direct the actors' acting, then sits in front of the camera to watch the scene. After each cut, the director steps out from the darkroom to give instructions for the next scene or scene.
The average actor time per take is30 minutes.After noon, the sun was high, everyone was still happily working in order even though the heels of many members of the group were covered with mud from the valley. When it was time to rest, theyenjoy a snack.
During a break, director Jordan Vogt-Roberts shared: “After a week of working in Vietnam, my excitement has not diminished. I am happy to finally bring my colleagues here and admire these breathtaking landscapes. Vietnam will definitely look very different on screen."
Then, to promise viewers to wait for King Kong to appear, he said loudly into the camera: "I love Vietnam."
According to VNE
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