After filming indoor scenes at Warner Bros. Studio for two weeks, the crew moved to the streets of Los Angeles to shoot outdoor scenes. The sound stages and outdoor sets at the studio needed to be adjusted accordingly. Director Peter Berg's plan was to complete all outdoor scenes by September and finish all filming by October so that post-production could begin by mid-October. Warner Bros. had scheduled "Hancock" for release during the next summer's Independence Day holiday, giving them a relatively comfortable timeline for post-production.
The film would rely heavily on CGI, as Hancock is a superhero, requiring many action scenes that couldn't be performed by ordinary people and needed to be shot in front of a green screen.
The first location after leaving Warner Bros. Studio was Century City.
On an ordinary workday morning, just after sunrise, the crew started working in front of a shopping mall near the Death Star building in Century City. Several police cars from the Beverly Hills Police Department roared in, surrounding a storefront rented by the crew. The crew had an agreement with the Beverly Hills Police Department, which was happy to assist with the filming.
Like the Pentagon, many government departments, such as the police, CIA, and FBI, have Hollywood liaison offices specifically for handling business with Hollywood.
In addition to regular police cars and officers, a SWAT team and an armored vehicle were also on set.
Director Peter Berg was exceptionally busy, as this was his first time directing such a large-scale scene. However, he had experience from working with Michael Mann as an assistant director before directing his own films. He had assisted Mann in shooting films like "Heat" and "Collateral." Particularly, he had been a coordinator for the classic police shootout scene in "Heat."
Michael Mann himself was also present, although he rarely spoke and mainly observed from the sidelines.
In a large trailer, Murphy finished his makeup and put on his costume. The initial design for the costume was a tight superhero suit similar to those in comics, requiring lubricant to put on. Murphy vetoed this idea immediately. After discussing with Akiva Goldsman and Peter Berg, they opted for a black outfit resembling a police Kevlar vest, which was easier to wear and didn't hinder movement during action scenes.
He had seen Scarlett Johansson in her tight costume for a role, and those superhero suits were vastly different from athletic gear. Athletic gear prioritizes practicality for movement, whereas superhero suits are designed for visual impact, often thick, tight, non-breathable, and padded.
Wearing the costume that looked like a Kevlar vest but was actually very lightweight, Murphy tested his movements to ensure his agility wasn't compromised before stepping out of the trailer.
He stood at the trailer door and looked toward the side entrance of Century City Mall, where the set was almost ready. Dozens of police cars surrounded a bank with a glass facade. A police car at the forefront was surrounded by prop debris, and a blonde actress was talking to the assistant director behind the car.
Murphy then entered the set and saw director Peter Berg talking to a white-haired, bespectacled older man, who looked distinguished.
Peter Berg was still directing the crew, and Murphy approached the older man, whom he recognized despite never having met him before.
"Hello, Mr. Michael Mann," he greeted, extending his hand.
Michael Mann also saw Murphy, shook his hand, and said with a smile, "Hello, Murphy. Just call me Michael."
Murphy replied politely, "I didn't expect to see you here."
"I'm friends with Peter," Mann said, not mentioning that Peter Berg was his former assistant. He pointed to the towering Death Star building nearby, "I have some business at CAA today and happened to be passing by, so I thought I'd stop and take a look."
Murphy had heard from Akiva Goldsman that before Peter Berg went independent, he had worked as Mann's assistant. Mann likely came to check on his former student.
The two chatted briefly, naturally talking about the current shoot.
"Looking at this," Murphy said with some sentiment, "reminds me of the shootout scene in 'Heat,' which has become a classic."
Mann smiled and said, "Unfortunately, the overall response to the film wasn't great."
Murphy responded, "With such a scene, 'Heat' is an eternal classic."
Many media outlets frequently list the shootout in "Heat" among the top ten film scenes of the 1990s. Despite the film's slow pace, Murphy had never watched it in full, but he had repeatedly watched the bank heist shootout.
In that scene, a few robbers, armed with automatic weapons, managed to suppress dozens of police officers, with Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer eventually breaking through the police blockade.
The scene's impact was so significant that it became part of many film school curricula, often regarded as transcending the film itself.
In 1997, a bank robbery in North Hollywood saw two robbers wielding automatic rifles against over a hundred police officers. The subsequent police search of their residence revealed a videotape of "Heat." The robbers had reportedly watched the shootout scene multiple times before committing their crime.
Hollywood films influence society just as society influences Hollywood. Many Hollywood directors, screenwriters, and scene designers can be considered criminal masterminds in a certain sense.
After the 9/11 attacks, Washington invited many Hollywood directors and screenwriters to brainstorm potential terrorist attacks on the USA, as if they were terrorists themselves.
Though Hollywood never admits it, many criminal techniques depicted in films have been imitated by real-life criminals.
Once the set was fully prepared, director Peter Berg gave Murphy a few instructions, and the filming began.
The first scenes to be shot were special effects shots. For dangerous stunts involving jumping or other perilous actions, Murphy did not perform personally; stunt doubles were used. In Hollywood, principal actors usually do not perform high-risk stunts. Even if they wanted to, they would not be allowed to.
Firstly, insurance was an issue. For this shoot, Murphy's personal insurance coverage was up to several million dollars. Insurance representatives present would intervene if he attempted dangerous stunts.
Secondly, it was a matter of responsibility to the crew and investors. If a principal actor got injured, the film's schedule would inevitably be delayed, increasing costs.
Finally, Murphy himself was very cautious. He was no longer an unknown actor but a big star who needed to act responsibly.
This wasn't about shirking responsibility but rather about being responsible and professional.
Most of the time, Murphy observed from the sidelines. Typically, he filmed his scenes after stunt doubles completed the dangerous action shots. These shots would then be edited together in post-production seamlessly.
This process is common for most action scenes in Hollywood. By paying close attention, one can notice that principal actors often have limited screen time in action sequences, with their scenes interspersed throughout.
Murphy recently visited the set of "Iron Man" and saw Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow action scene. Her stunt double was a man of similar height!
One can only imagine how audiences would react if they knew that many of Black Widow's enticing fight moves were performed by a man padded in a tight suit.
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