Nicholas Greening’s VDT Set Visit Blog

Posted November 29, 2009 11:19 am by fantasia_kitty

Nicholas Greening has posted a follow-up blog to the one we linked a few weeks ago (here). This time he talks about his tour of the sets in detail. Here are some highlights from his report.

After clearing security at Movie World, we drove past the giant water tank with a suspended blue screen around it, to a car park that was surrounded by props for the movie. This was really like entering a fantasy world  – Imagine all of the props look real, however they are made of fiberglass or foam or MDF.  There were the larger than life statues of the seven lords, rock walls, trees & boulders that looked like the moeraki boulders on New Zealand’s South Island (Maybe there will be some filming done in that region??) .

…

Our second stop was the set for inside the hull of the Dawn Treader, up a flight of stairs and entered into another world, visually it all looked so real, the timber could have been 100 year old oak, it was not until you touched it that you knew it was all fabricated. There were wooden oars laid along the floor, large wooden barrels. This is the engine room of the Dawn Treader, when man power is needed to propell the ship. The explanation for why the ship was named of the Dawn Treader, was it always heads East approaching the Dawn.

The next set we were in King Caspian’s quarters aboard the Dawn Treader. It was dimly lit and really looked the part, this was a truly amazing visual treat. There was an ornate wooden writing desk below the large stained glass window which was surrounded by the timber of the boat with a mural on one of the walls.

You can read Nicholas’s full report here.

Thanks to icarus for the heads-up!

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General Movie Discussion | Nicholas Greening's Set Visit

Seems in all the recent excitement we forgot to keep an eye on Nicolas Greening's set-report blog, as he had posted a new entry back on Monday. His previous last post was back on November 9th (reported on NarniaWeb News on Nov 11th but didnt contain a great deal of exciting information. His latest blog however contains a fair few interesting things. A few select highlights....

Nicolas Greening wrote:imagine all of the props look real, however they are made of fiberglass or foam or MDF. There were the larger than life statues of the seven lords, rock walls, trees & boulders that looked like the moeraki boulders on New Zealand’s South Island (Maybe there will be some filming done in that region??)


Where on earth could they possibly have seven statues of the seven lords?

Nicolas Greening wrote:The next set we were in King Caspian’s quarters aboard the Dawn Treader. It was dimly lit and really looked the part, this was a truly amazing visual treat. There was an ornate wooden writing desk below the large stained glass window which was surrounded by the timber of the boat with a mural on one of the walls.


You can read the rest on his blog website here:

http://nicolasgreening.com/

Statistics : Posted by icarus • on Nov 26, 2009 3:35 pm • Replies 13 • Views 309

General Movie Discussion | Re: VDT: Movie Blog

Seven statues of the seven lords? That intrigues me. Perhaps the seven lords were national heroes before Miraz sent them away? Then the statues would add a cinematic touch.

He mentions the engine room of the Dawn Treader, in which are oars and wooden barrels. I wonder if one of those barrels will be the barrel which Eustace tries to snitch an extra ration of water from?

Wow, that hydraulic base sounds cool! It would be the best theme ride ever to be on the Dawn Treader while it was being rocked. And the stunt men get paid for it!

Statistics : Posted by Lucy P. • on Nov 27, 2009 8:44 am • Replies 13 • Views 309

General Movie Discussion | Re: Nicholas Greening's Set Visit

Lucy P. wrote:Seven statues of the seven lords? That intrigues me. Perhaps the seven lords were national heroes before Miraz sent them away? Then the statues would add a cinematic touch.


I'd agree that it could perhaps provide a nice cinematic visual to help illustrate the task of finding the seven lords, and the seven portrait pictures we saw on the Cabin wall the other week could then help to reinforce that - adding extra visual presence to the seven lords plotline would help to strengthen that objective in the audience's mind considerably, as it can at times feel slightly marginalised in the book.

But I just can't think where such statues would possibly be though. We've had no indications at all that they plan to include any scenes back in Narnia - it would be far too pointless to the narrative, and far too expensive for the budget. And even if they did, i wouldnt of thought Miraz's castle would contain statues of the seven lords, and i can't see a rebuilt Cair Paravel including them either.

So if the statues are not in Narnia, that would only leave the Lone Islands really, since that is the only other place that the seven lords were ever together in the same place - but why would anyone on the lone islands want to build statues of them? Lord Bern perhaps? Seems kind of odd to me.

Statistics : Posted by icarus • on Nov 29, 2009 11:27 am • Replies 13 • Views 309

General Movie Discussion | Re: Nicholas Greening's Set Visit

I'm also very curious about the statues. I'd say it may have just been an exaggeration and he merely saw the statue for Lord Restimar. Yet, everything else he posted seems to be factual.

While poking about his site, I came across his father's site. Not much in way of posts, but a handful of pictures; one of which is an incredibly high rez shot of Gary Sweet in costume.

Also, the father, Andy Greening, is in one of the shots with this article, posted on NarniaWeb back in September.

I hope that doesn't go too far off topic, I wasn't quite sure where to put this. Image

Statistics : Posted by Lady_Liln • on Nov 29, 2009 11:56 am • Replies 13 • Views 309

General Movie Discussion | Re: Nicholas Greening's Set Visit

Lady_Liln wrote: one of which is an incredibly high rez shot of Gary Sweet in costume


Wow. You weren't kidding about the incredibly high resolution bit! Image

Can pretty much see every microscopic pore on his face!

Statistics : Posted by icarus • on Nov 29, 2009 12:00 pm • Replies 13 • Views 309

General Movie Discussion | Re: Nicholas Greening's Set Visit

statues of the Seven Lords! that sounds awesome! but what are they going to do with them? the statues can't be on board the ship.....can they?
this si interesting news! I can't wait for VotDT! Image

Statistics : Posted by Liberty Hoffman • on Nov 29, 2009 12:30 pm • Replies 13 • Views 309

General Movie Discussion | Re: Nicholas Greening's Set Visit

I love Drinian’s costume, wish we had that high resolution for each characters costumes! I'm wondering if all the Telmarine lords had their statues made, not just the seven lords but the rest like, Sopespian, and Miraz himself, all of the lords in the council that we see in PC. If they all had statues of themselves then maybe this is where they got the sketches from, by looking at the statues of the seven lords.
The only other place I could think of there being a statue was as Lady_Liln said
lord Restimar turned into gold. Besides that I can't think of any other place for seven statues. Image

Happy Birthday C.S. Lewis: "Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthday!" - Bilbo, Fellowship of the Ring Image

Statistics : Posted by 7chronicles • on Nov 29, 2009 12:36 pm • Replies 13 • Views 309

General Movie Discussion | Re: Nicholas Greening's Set Visit

Glad for another set visit! I love all these in-detail descriptions! Image I noticed a lot.

Didn't someone buy the Dawn Treader? Nicholas says that it will be scrapped and dumped at the end of filming, and I thought someone bought it. Image

Statistics : Posted by Lady Galadriel • on Nov 29, 2009 3:54 pm • Replies 13 • Views 309

General Movie Discussion | Re: Nicholas Greening's Set Visit

Nicolas Greening wrote: There were wooden oars laid along the floor, large wooden barrels. This is the engine room of the Dawn Treader, when man power is needed to propell the ship.


Although such a set was mentioned before, and although we've seen photos of the oars themselves lying on the ground at Cleveland Point, i had still been thinking up to this point that we probably wouldnt ever see the Dawn Treader being rowed. Despite all the footage and pictures from Cleveland Point we never got to see the oars in action, which seemed a little odd. But this is the first time its occured to me that we will actually see the Dawn Treader being propelled by its oars.

Which then reminded me of something else. A few weeks back we had an extras casting announcement for a woman playing a "Narnian Rower". I was kind of confused by that at the time, and was thinking rowing as in a small rowboat, but perhaps she is one of the people rowing the Dawn Treader itself?

I'd still be confused as to where they got an adult female crew member from (perhaps another slave refugee along with Gael?), and why she would then be made to row the ship (perhaps they are very shorthanded) but i think the role of "Narnian Rower" would definitely seem to match up with that set.

See here:
http://www.narniaweb.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=371&start=16
Quote:Represented by Vox Talent Management. Bianca Tsakissiris has recently worked as a Narnian Rower in the Feature Film Narnia "Invisible Army".


Statistics : Posted by icarus • on Nov 29, 2009 5:28 pm • Replies 13 • Views 309

General Movie Discussion | Re: Nicholas Greening's Set Visit

Personally, I like the idea of statues of them. I imagine they were set up in remembrance of them back in Narnia. Maybe even over their graves because I imagine if they were gone that long they would have been assumed dead. Or it could have been somewhere in the palace. Or maybe someone found them later when Caspian was ruling. Anyway, neat idea, gives you a visual something to help identify them. I bet they look cool! Image

Statistics : Posted by HM Swanwhite • on Nov 29, 2009 9:08 pm • Replies 13 • Views 309

General Movie Discussion | Re: Nicholas Greening's Set Visit

Nicholas Greening wrote:the boat lurches, the deck is strewn with bodies. Edmund is one of the first to his feet and charges across the deck to the Starboard side of the ship yelling over the side, everyone else follows his lead, ready for a battle.


That is a wonderful paragraph! Almost as good as a video. Good job and thank you, Nicholas!

HM Swanwhite wrote:I imagine they were set up in remembrance of them back in Narnia. Maybe even over their graves because I imagine if they were gone that long they would have been assumed dead.


Or perhaps they brought them to place over the actual graves of the lords, if they find that any of them have died. I can just see it: Caspian: "O.K. men, we've discovered what unfortunately appears to be the last resting place of the Lord Octesian. Unload the Octesian statue, we'll leave it over here under the arm ring, for lack of an actual grave." Image Image

Is it just me, or does that incredibly hi-res shot of Lord Drinian show a pattern of ship's wheels (AKA helms) embroidered on his red waistcoat? Neat!

Statistics : Posted by Adeona • on Nov 30, 2009 12:56 pm • Replies 13 • Views 309

General Movie Discussion | Re: Nicholas Greening's Set Visit

Nicolas Greening wrote: rock walls, trees & boulders that looked like the moeraki boulders on New Zealand’s South Island (Maybe there will be some filming done in that region??)


Don't know why it took me so long to actually look up what "Moeraki Boulders" were on Google. I had assumed they would be nothing particuarly interesting, but in actual fact they are rather quite cool:

Image

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moeraki_Boulders

Statistics : Posted by icarus • on Nov 30, 2009 2:57 pm • Replies 13 • Views 309

General Movie Discussion | Re: Nicholas Greening's Set Visit

icarus wrote:Don't know why it took me so long to actually look up what "Moeraki Boulders" were on Google. I had assumed they would be nothing particuarly interesting, but in actual fact they are rather quite cool:

http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/95807a_650_300.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moeraki_Boulders


http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s77/trolode/c-a-1234.jpg

Just my imagination, just the Magician's Garden or just something else?

Statistics : Posted by Salem • on Nov 30, 2009 3:22 pm • Replies 13 • Views 309

General Movie Discussion | Re: Nicholas Greening's Set Visit

I had an idea.... There is one place in particular that we've heard very little about as far as filming goes. In fact so little they're still sitting on the casting announcement for one of the main characters. Image
How about Ramandu's Island? Not only for the super cool boulders above (nice spotting on the concept art Salem!), but perhaps the seven statues of the seven Lords could have been built there by the three remaining Lords that arrived there, as some sort of memorial or whatnot?

Statistics : Posted by fantasia_kitty • on Dec 01, 2009 8:57 am • Replies 13 • Views 309

52 Comments For This Story

  • narniaismylife says: November 29th, 2009 on 11:33 AM

    sweet

  • TumnusTheBrave says: November 29th, 2009 on 11:35 AM

    nice i cant wait

  • 7chronicles says: November 29th, 2009 on 12:07 PM

    Can’t wait for more news! As always!

  • A_Narnian_Ship says: November 29th, 2009 on 12:30 PM

    This is getting very exciting!!! can’t we bump it back to May 2010?!?!?!?

    • Griffle says: November 30th, 2009 on 3:39 AM

      It’s released December 10th 2010, so if they bump it BACK, that would put it at a release dat in May 2011. I don’t want that, YOU don’t want that. ;)

      • iLiveInNarnia says: November 30th, 2009 on 6:18 AM

        NO ONE wants that! :D

      • Adeona says: November 30th, 2009 on 12:38 PM

        I think A_Narnian_Ship means that they should bump the release date back in the sense that it would be closer to today’s date; back instead of forward.
        May 2011 would be… *shudders* uggh.

  • Lady of Narnia says: November 29th, 2009 on 12:48 PM

    Awesome!!!! It sounds so cool! I am most definately excited now!! *squeals like a crazy fan girl*

  • Eilonwy Arwen Kenobi of Narnia says: November 29th, 2009 on 1:00 PM

    Sweetness. Can’t wait! Yay!!!!!!

  • Mapthestars says: November 29th, 2009 on 1:03 PM

    Every day I get more stoked for this film!!! It seems as if it’s going to be fantastic. but statues of the seven lords? – what, are they going to have Caspian take them from the castle with him on the boat, and then when they find a lord have them stand next to their statue to see if they check out? haha. well whatever they’re for, I’m sure it’ll be alright.

  • andrea says: November 29th, 2009 on 1:08 PM

    this is sooo amazing!

  • Mirima Rosetrader says: November 29th, 2009 on 1:37 PM

    Cool! Can’t wait for more news! Sail on VDT!

  • narnian resident says: November 29th, 2009 on 2:27 PM

    whats with the statues of the seven lords? idk. oh well anyway this is all so cool i love hearing about the sets and such. my fave!

  • pole says: November 29th, 2009 on 2:33 PM

    how do you get the pictures on there?

  • Narnia Lover says: November 29th, 2009 on 4:07 PM

    cool! :D SAIL ON VDT!

  • Christian says: November 29th, 2009 on 4:47 PM

    I hope that mural is of a lion. ;)

    • JadistarkilleR says: November 30th, 2009 on 1:18 AM

      thats also what i had in mind.

      • narniafan4ever ♥ says: November 30th, 2009 on 1:55 PM

        I knew that in the book there was a picture of Aslan in Caspian’s cabin on the Dawn Treader….I wonder if they decided to make it a mural instead…

      • WillMoseleyandSkandarcrush! says: December 1st, 2009 on 10:53 AM

        I don’t remember a pic of Aslan in his cabin, but it’d still be cool if he had something of Aslan. Lucy sleeps in Caspian’s room, right? That’s cool. I wonder if they’ll make her talk to the mural now and then. That’d be so cute! Hope the year goes quickly so it wouldn’t take so long to wait 4 the movie!

      • narniafan4ever ♥ says: December 1st, 2009 on 11:44 AM

        Or, maybe it was a shield hanging on the wall. Either way, there is a scene in the book where Caspian goes into the cabin and then Aslan, through his own picture, speaks to Caspian and tells him that Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace were to sail east…or something like that….I don’t remember. I haven’t read the book in a while. And, yes, I want this year to go by quickly because of the movie, but I also want to enjoy the year as well. I can’t believe how fast time is flying already! AH!!!!!! :D

      • narnian resident says: December 4th, 2009 on 8:27 PM

        yeah it said there was some sort of plaque or picture of a lion’s head, and after caspian has his temper fit and he storms into his room, the lion head comes to life and tells him that he must return to narnia and Lucy, Edmund, Eustace, and Reepicheep are to continue sailing east. im looking forward to that scene, cuz its such a cool part in the book. caspian never really has a one to one talk with aslan and this is that chance he does, and aslan scolds him for being angry. i hope they make it really cool!

  • Warrior 4 Jesus says: November 29th, 2009 on 5:33 PM

    Interesting. I can’t read the report from the other website, the upper-case letters are way too distracting and difficult to read. They should never be used for body text.

    • icarus says: November 30th, 2009 on 2:20 PM

      It’s not actually been typed in all-caps, its just been presented in a font which has all its characters in the style of capitals. If you copy and paste the text into a MSWord/Notepad/Wordpad you should be able to view it in a sensible font. :)

    • NarnianElf says: December 3rd, 2009 on 5:52 PM

      I am too!! I love your name, Warrior 4 God. I love learning that the people who write these chats are Christians!!!

      • narnian resident says: December 4th, 2009 on 8:33 PM

        its not hard to know that some readers of Lewis are definatly christian. after all, his stories are all christian based anyway. thats one BIG reason why i love reading his books :-)

  • Silver the Wanderer says: November 29th, 2009 on 5:54 PM

    Sweet!

    Hmmm, I wonder what the "Classified First Stop" is…

    But a couple of things are still confusing me. Firstly, why does it say that the Dawn Treader will be scraped? I thought we already established that it WASN’T going to be scraped. Also, if the material it’s made out of would "deteriorate rapidly" if kept outside, then why were they able to film outside in Austraila all that time? Are there two Dawn Treaders? Sorry, I’m just a little confused.

    • Fire Fairy says: November 30th, 2009 on 9:13 AM

      It sounds to me that they made two Dawn Treaders: one life-size model made to be walked on and withstand weathering–that was the one we saw in all the spy videos. The other one is the one that is "fake", which is only a few parts of the ship made especially for the studio. The "fake" one was probably made so that it could easily be removed from the studio, even though it’s made to look as real as possible.

    • narnian resident says: December 4th, 2009 on 8:46 PM

      i thought they said a long time ago that some man had bought it. i’d rather it be owned by someone than scrapped, the Dawn Treader is just too great for that. if thats the case, they should find a home for it, like somewhere in america or new zealand, and make it into a walk on narnia expedition display. now that would be awesome! why dont they ever take advice from us? they should, cuz i think we narniawebbers have got some good ideas :-)

  • Shy Galadriel says: November 29th, 2009 on 8:30 PM

    Wow. That makes me even more excited to see it when it comes out in theaters. Boy, I really hope Fox isn’t allowed to mess this up like it did Eragon (rubber bad-guy nails anybody?).

  • greenbird37 says: November 29th, 2009 on 9:47 PM

    This is amazing!

  • JadistarkilleR says: November 30th, 2009 on 1:24 AM

    "larger than life statues of the seven lords"….

    hmm…. i’m starting to wonder just how big these statues are. are the scaled to human sizes of something that can be found in a museum (or maybe a chamber at the palace to be featured in the film)? or are they thinking The Argonath x7?

  • narniamouse says: November 30th, 2009 on 6:00 AM

    That is so cool!

  • iLiveInNarnia says: November 30th, 2009 on 6:19 AM

    Thats amazing. I can picture what each of these sets/props look like!

  • Peepicheep says: November 30th, 2009 on 8:12 AM

    Alsan is on the move. I can’t wait until a trailer comes out!

  • King Skandar the Just says: November 30th, 2009 on 4:06 PM

    wow! thanks! I can’t wait!

  • Me Sa U Sa says: December 1st, 2009 on 7:43 AM

    WOW!! I havn’t commented in a while. Sorry. I have been SO Busy with stuff. But that sounds really good. =)

    • NarnianElf says: December 3rd, 2009 on 5:54 PM

      I have that same problem. I get on NarniaWeb as much as I can, and yet the latest headlines always have tons of comments already! ah well.

  • NarnianElf says: December 3rd, 2009 on 5:56 PM

    This is SOOOO awesome. it is indescribable how much I want to see this movie! I want to act Jill Pole in TSC and TLB so bad, I have dreamed about it at night (except it was a bad dream :D )Anyway, this is SOOOO cool! They are doing such an awesome job on this production.

    • narnian resident says: December 4th, 2009 on 8:50 PM

      lol thats funny narniaelf! im sure we all dream of being in the movies, working with the movies, or doing something with the movies. i just want to be there with them to experience it! i’ll intern! i’ll tell them im doing a project on how a movie is made! lol that would be cool! i would love to work with the costume designers, or the scriptwriters. i bet i could give them some great ideas with the script :-)

  • Milady of Narnia says: December 3rd, 2009 on 9:58 PM

    I am so excited!

  • Waleed Sajjad says: December 4th, 2009 on 7:07 PM

    wer da heck do u get emotikonz on dis?!?!