TIM BURTON'S ALICE IN WONDERLAND TEASER TRAILER

See, I knew we needed to see the trailer. Much better Mr. Depp.

IRON MAN 2: GIANT GREENSCREEN

The GIANT BUILD we talked about earlier in the week was obviously for this:

Maybe for an explosion or scenic background?

DECORATIVE OBJECTS FROM HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE

Interested in buying items for your home from the set of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince? PopSugar did an awesome slide-show of objects here.

MUST SEE MOVIE: HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince releases July 15 and I will be there at midnight!! Yes, I'm Harry Potter obsessed, I even did my senior thesis on it and the films are part of the main reason I started working in film production. Every department comes together in a perfect symphony, making them GREAT movies. Here are some of my favorite photos that were taken while filming.



(source: justjared, ign.com, warner bros.)

TIP # 4 OF THE ART DEPARTMENT: BUBBLES

Who doesn't love BUBBLES!!??
Oddly enough, I've used bubbles a lot in film and photo shoots. I've learned this tip while on a Disney TV show and it was definitely an 'ah ha' moment:

Take 'Mr. Bubbles' bubble bath (can find at any supermarket, drugstore, $1 store for cheap), put in a big bucket you get at hardware store and fill up only a 1/4 of the way up with a smidge of water (you don't even have to do that). Take your cement mixer attachment on your electric drill and mix! Bubbles will instantly fluff up! For bigger the job, get more buckets and do an assembly line...

If you have to put bubbles on someone: Put bubbles on top of bubble wrap! Wrap the bubble wrap around the model, tape in place and add bubbles. It adheres the bubble wrap and doesn't pop as fast.

You can also put bubbles on top of the bubble wrap and move the bubble wrap in a controlled motion if you are able to hide behind something to make it look like it is overflowing. If you can't hide behind something, see below:

To show an overflowing bathtub: Rent a foaming machine from a set store. Put in bathtub and fill up bubbles over and around right before you need to roll. Can even do it with a remote from the other room.

Exhibition at Muzeo

If you are in the Anaheim, CA area, check out this exhibit at Muzeo!! Learn how they create beasts and monsters with animatronics. Check out everything about the exhibition here.

What is Filming Now--Iron Man 2

According to Comingsoon.net, this is a GIANT set build for the Iron Man 2 set. What I found most interesting about this is the bracings they are using for their flats-- 4 rows of shipping containers!!

PINK HAY!!

(source: Popsugar)

In these new ads for Candie's shoes, Britney Spears sits atop some PINK HAY!! Looks like it was was spray painted because it has splotchy areas. I wonder if it came off on her in a residue? But still it's PINK HAY!!

MOVIE MAGIC-- A Gimbal

Ashton Kutcher and Robert Luketic (director) show off their fancy set on their twitter accounts. They are on the set of their movie Five Killers in Atlanta, Georgia on a soundstage. They have rigged up a "Gimbal" against a greenscreen to control the movements of a car when "driving". All fabulous movie magic!!

COLORS NOW IN CHALKBOARD PAINT

Hudson Paint is now offering other colors beside chalkboard colors in their paint series. Find out more information here.

A SAD DAY

Michael Jackson, the King of Pop has died today and although the past decade for him has not been glorious, the seventies and eighties were explosive for him. I was always amazed by "Thriller" and "Billy Jean" and hearing them at any point of the day makes me happier. I consider it a part of growth and career. I moonwalked my way around the kitchen and I hope he is moonwalking in a better place....


Michael Jackson - Thriller (Official Music Video) - The top video clips of the week are here



Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (Official Music Video) - Watch today’s top amazing videos here

INSPIRATION--MOTHER EARTH

NASA took these shots from space recently and you can see more of them here.


Shot of the San Francisco Bay

Greenland during the wintertime.

HERMOINE ALL GROWN-UP

Check out these new gorgeous pics from Teen Vogue of Emma Watson. She's all grown-up!! Always love fields of flowers and horses (mini ones too!) in shoots.
(source: justjared)

DISNEY RELEASES PROMO PICS OF TIM BURTON'S ALICE WONDERLAND

I am still extremely excited to see the imagery. These graphics are gorgeous. Look at the topiaries!!
These new promo pics of the characters from Tim Burton's version of Alice in Wonderland leave me a little unsure.

Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter leaves me feeling like he looks a little like "Carrot Top" has gone deranged and Anne Hathaway's wig, looks just like that. Her look looks like a little less graceful than the Elves of "Lord of the Rings". I need to see a trailer!!

(source: bizzarelink.info, justjared, ifilm)

Shutter Island Trailer

OOooo, love Martin Scorsese & Leonardo DiCaprio! And a thriller/horror film. Wow. Looks interesting...

TIP #12 OF ART DEPARTMENT: Hats in the Wind

Well, this is actually for costume and hair departments. I noticed in the bloopers section of Pirates of the Caribbean that they did not know this trick! I learned this trick from my western horseback riding competitions. We keep our hats on with hairspray. Spray it around the rim of the hat and quickly put it on your head. It instantly glues to your head, so make sure its in a good position, otherwise it becomes uncomfortable. Taking it off when it is on your forehead isn't the most comfortable, but in the wind, it stays on perfectly!!








(source: http://brandmediaweek.typepad.com/)

The Dresses are the ART

There is no need for complicated background imagery with these gorgeous dresses. They are all the art we need. For more couture, click here.

Photographer We Would Love to Work With: Bjorn Giesbrecht

Check out his portfolio. We love his use of his art department with their props, colors and textures!!

NEW HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE INTERNATIONAL TRAILER!!!

Click the Pic to watch!
(source: you tube, geeks of doom)

Seth Rogan gets his Frieda Kahlo On

(source: what possessed me, api.ning.com, hipretty.files.wordpress.com)
We just had to post this hilarious picture of Seth Rogan as Frieda Kahlo in Vanity Fair. We think they did an amazing job with the background as well as the make-up.

What is Filming Now

RUM DIARY

starring Johnny Depp (silent squeal) and Aaron Eckhardt, filming in Puerto Rico, set in the 1960s.

Johnny Depp driving around in what looks like a red '56 Chevy Corvette.

(source: totally gonzo)
They needed 800 extras to film above, 200 of which were tourists.

LEAP YEAR
starring Amy Adams (pictured below), Matthew Goode,
and Adam Scott (pictured below) read more about it here.

It is being filmed in Dublin, Ireland, but they still had to bring in the fake snow.

Apparently they don't like the look of surrounding buildings, so they set up green-screens.

(source: ineedmyfix.com)
Fake snow coming in! (either shredded styrofoam or salt)

Angelina Jolie is still getting SALT-y.

They filmed Wednesday, April 8th out on the New York harbor by Staten Island, all bundled up.

(source: gossip girls)

NEW MOON
is Still Filming in Vancouver, Canada

The exterior of the school is being created by green-screen
and later digitized in post-production.

Fake Trees are put in front of "school".

What is said to be the "Cullen House".

(source: newmoonmovie.org, twilightseries.ca)

WHAT IS FILMING NOW

(source:zimbio)

Nicholas Cage is filming "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" at the 7th Avenue subway stop in NYC. Nicholas Cage apparently plays the Sorcerer, but he sort of looks homeless here....it is based on Disney's story of the same name in the film "Fantasia".

FIRST GLIMPSES AT HARRY POTTER'S WIZARDING WORLD

First glimpses of the Harry Potter theme park that is set to open in 2010 in Orlando, FL that will be part at Universal Studios amusement park.

Stuart Craig (production designer of Harry Potter films) is a lucky man!! How many production designers get their designs put into reality? Very few. Plus, there is a traveling art exhibit of the Harry Potter sets occurring, starting this summer in Chicago, IL (details to come).

ECO-FRIENDLY PAINTS

Unfortunately, we work with lots of harmful chemicals. Now that "Going Green" has become in-style, they are finally making safer products for us. We do a lot of painting & here are some better options with low or no fumes:





Low- and No-VOC Paints

The Home Depot offers the Freshaire Choice

AFM (American Formulating and Manufacturing)
www.afmsafecoat.com

Benjamin Moore & Co. (Pristine® Eco-Spec® )
www.benjaminmoore.com

BioShield Paints
www.bioshieldpaint.com

Devoe Paint
www.devoe.com

Duron Paints and Wallcoverings (Genesis Odor-Free products)
www.duron.com

ICI Dulux Paints
www.iciduluxpaints.com

Kelly Moore

www.kellymoore.com

Mythic Paint

http://www.mythicpaint.com/

Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company
www.milkpaint.com

Sherwin-Williams (HealthSpec® paints)
www.sherwin.com

Quantum of Solace Oil Slick

(source: Telegraph.co.uk, filmschool rejects)
The 'crude oil’ that is used to cover Gemma Arterton was actually food thickener mixed with children’s black non-toxic paint. It took the special effects team about an hour and a half to get it just right. Gemma could not move during that period of time. They are paying homage to early bond films by using the scene from the film "Goldfinger" (1964) where Shirley Eaton is covered in gold.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 3 OUTTAKES

Just had to put in this gag reel from Pirates of Caribbean 3 because of all the goofs with props, stunts and set dressing. Even the big films are not perfect and we love silliness. I laugh every time at their down-to-earthiness.

WHAT IS FILMING NOW

Sources: (carrizozo, imdbpro)
Book of Eli starring Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis and Gary Oldman. Shooting in New Mexico. Building onto pre-existing abandoned buildings and scenicing.





(source: Popsugar)
Howl starring James Franco. Love the color of the car and all the debris around!


(source: popsugar)
Salt starring Angelina Jolie and Liev Schreiber. They squish amongst the many cop extras. It has been filming around D.C. and New York City, with Angelina mainly doing her own stunts.


(source: newmoonmovie.org)
New Moon of Twilight Series...Decided to build Bella's house this time on soundstage in Vancouver, rather than shoot on location, like in the first one.