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Alien: Covenant Filming in New Zealand?

Alien: Covenant is filming in New Zealand based on a Tweet by Special Visual Effects Supervisor, Neil Corbould. We reported in January that Sir Ridley Scott had commented on scouting for locations in New Zealand, possibly for Alien: Covenant.

At the end of February, Stuff.co.nz had reported on the possibility of Alien: Covenant being filmed in Fiordland but there was very little to go on: “There’s been a few whispers around Fiordland about some scenes being filmed in Milford Sound but at this stage people are keeping quiet.”

At the end of last week, Neil Corbould posted a Tweet simply stating: “On my way to Milford Sound!” Corbould is serving as the Special Visual Effects Supervisor for Alien: Covenant so it seems likely that he is heading to Milford Sound for the Prometheus sequel.

Neil Corbould has an impressive resume behind him and has worked with Ridley Scott on several films including The Martian, Exodus: Gods and Kings, Kingdom of Heaven, Black Hawk Down and Gladiator.

Alien: Covenant filming in New Zealand based on a Tweet by Special Visual Effects Supervisor, Neil Corbould.  Alien: Covenant Filming in New Zealand?

Alien: Covenant filming in New Zealand based on a Tweet by Special Visual Effects Supervisor, Neil Corbould.

100316_02 Alien: Covenant Filming in New Zealand?

The plot synopsis for Alien: Covenant mentioned the colonists in the film believing they were heading to paradise. Based on the pictures I’ve seen of Milford Sound, it could certainly fit the role of paradise. Thanks to Stolen for the news!

In other Alien: Covenant related news, actor Demian Bichir posted the following image to his Instagram account. It shows him having a cast taken of his head.

Alien: Covenant actor Demian Bichir posted this image of him having his head cast to his Instagram. Alien: Covenant Filming in New Zealand?

Alien: Covenant actor Demian Bichir posted this image of him having his head cast to his Instagram.

Whilst he doesn’t specifically state it is for Alien: Covenant, we know he has been cast in the film and considering this being an Alien film, it might be likely that Bichir’s character meets an unpleasant end at the hands of an Alien (or android, Blade Runner style!)



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  1. Stolen
     ;)

    Another report:

    http://www.chimayi.com/blog/has-the-new-prometheus-movie-landed-in-te-anau

    QuoteWhile the film crew works hard to get the landscape shots done I haven't seen any actors around yet.  So for now I cannot spoil you with anecdotes about the celebs. I can tell you that I have spoken with some of the crew members about the progress they are making  and they commented mostly on the many faces of the beautiful fiordland the saw so far.  WOZ productions started filming a few weeks ago in the pouring rain but thankfully the weather hasn't been that bad all the time. I guess we will see it all back in the next Prometheus (?) alien movie...
  2. Stolen
    Another article

    http://www.odt.co.nz/regions/southland/377992/sci-fi-blockbuster-scenes-being-filmed-fiordland

    QuoteDetails of exactly what is being filmed, how many people are involved and how long filming will take are shrouded in mystery, but it has been confirmed scenes for Alien: Covenant are at present being shot in the Te Anau-Milford Sound area.

    QuoteA company spokesman, who declined to be named, said 13 trucks fitted out as camera, make-up, wardrobe and office trucks had been hired ''for a few weeks''.
    Most were already in Fiordland, with the rest on their way south.
    They were being used for Alien: Covenant scenes, he said.

    Quotehe knew Fiordland was to be a location for Alien: Covenant and had heard some filming had begun.

    Scouts had been scoping locations for the past six to eight weeks, he said.
    ''I know Fiordland is ideally suited to their needs. It is a grand-scale production ... which will use Fiordland's natural scenery overlaid with special effects.''
  3. CainsSon
    Quote from: The Eighth Passenger on Mar 30, 2016, 01:01:00 PM
    Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Mar 30, 2016, 07:40:56 AM
    Or it's actually just a type of vehicle? http://www.northharbourrentals.co.nz/services/film-industry/office-greenroom-film/prometheus-office.html

    Well, I'll be... what are the odds of that! Nice spot Corporal.

    It says that the truck has:

    - Dual air-conditioning heat pumps
    - Sink area with bar and fridge
    - Wired for ethernet network
    - 7 speed manual transmission
    - Build in Jacuzzi

    So kind of a luxury truck version of the Prometheus space ship.

    To think, we're such a sad bunch of nerds that we're now having in-depth discussions about the vehicles being used by the production.  :-\

    The COVENANT crew - They "like to minimize risk."

    EDGE Auto rental has these Mobile PO's here in NYC. They are nice. They had a contest last month, and I was trying to win Production one for our locations on CORTEX (I was TRANSPO and LOCATIONS COORDINATOR on that) and this Assistant Camera person had a meltdown because they didn't have their own truck. It was very funny.

    https://www.google.com/search?q=Edge+Auto+Rental+Mobile+Production+Office&biw=1276&bih=675&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwill-Sc9ejLAhVEnoMKHVyDCacQ_AUICSgE#imgrc=cvLIdxZVlJM5QM%3A
  4. 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯
    Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Mar 30, 2016, 07:40:56 AM
    Or it's actually just a type of vehicle? http://www.northharbourrentals.co.nz/services/film-industry/office-greenroom-film/prometheus-office.html

    Well, I'll be... what are the odds of that! Nice spot Corporal.

    It says that the truck has:

    - Dual air-conditioning heat pumps
    - Sink area with bar and fridge
    - Wired for ethernet network
    - 7 speed manual transmission
    - Build in Jacuzzi

    So kind of a luxury truck version of the Prometheus space ship.

    To think, we're such a sad bunch of nerds that we're now having in-depth discussions about the vehicles being used by the production.  :-\
  5. CainsSon
    Quote from: The Eighth Passenger on Mar 29, 2016, 09:33:15 PM
    Quote from: Primordial on Mar 29, 2016, 05:42:02 PM
    Why Prometheus painting ? Because cost reduction, orders from executives are to recycle everything possible from the previous film, starting from David's head of course  :P
    'Office Prometheus' search didn't give anything interesting.

    That truck was hired from Auckland-based rental company North Harbour Rentals. So not a recycled truck from the first Prometheus film.

    It would be crazy to ship in a truck like that from the UK when you could just rent one locally for much cheaper.

    That too. Production vehicles are rented.
  6. 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯
    Quote from: Primordial on Mar 29, 2016, 05:42:02 PM
    Why Prometheus painting ? Because cost reduction, orders from executives are to recycle everything possible from the previous film, starting from David's head of course  :P
    'Office Prometheus' search didn't give anything interesting.

    That truck was hired from Auckland-based rental company North Harbour Rentals. So not a recycled truck from the first Prometheus film.

    It would be crazy to ship in a truck like that from the UK when you could just rent one locally for much cheaper.

  7. CainsSon
    Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Mar 29, 2016, 06:06:40 PM
    It would have been very expensive hanging onto old vans with old graphics on them that long.  Perhaps we will have another movie name change?

    Office Prometheus

    in the Office no one can see you hanging out on the AVPGalaxy forum...   

    :D

    They wouldn't hold onto a Mobile Production Office (PO) and NOT use it on other productions, just because PROMETHEUS was decaled on the side.

    That's a very NICE Mobile PO though!
  8. Perfect-Organism
    It would have been very expensive hanging onto old vans with old graphics on them that long.  Perhaps we will have another movie name change?

    Office Prometheus

    in the Office no one can see you hanging out on the AVPGalaxy forum...   

    :D
  9. Primordial
    Why Prometheus painting ? Because cost reduction, orders from executives are to recycle everything possible from the previous film, starting from David's head of course  :P
    'Office Prometheus' search didn't give anything interesting.
  10. Enoch
    Well Covenant is a direct sequel to Prometheus... Scott himself said that few days ago...
    I more and more think that we ll see some underground facilities and some Matrix shit...
    so all this nature will be shown briefly :)
  11. 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯
    Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Mar 16, 2016, 01:13:38 PM
    I'm not particularly versed in Blade Runner, I'm afraid. Do you have a link?

    QuoteTowards the end of principal photography on Blade Runner, an incident occurred which has become known as the T-shirt war. The majority of the crew didn't enjoy working on the film, and didn't like working for Ridley Scott, who they considered to be cold and distant. In an article in the British press, Scott commented that he preferred working with English crews because when he asked for something they would say, "Yes guv'nor" and go get it, but things weren't that simple with American crews. Makeup supervisor Marvin G. Westmore saw the article and was disgusted. In retaliation, he had t-shirts printed with "Yes gov'nor my ass!" on the front, and either "Will Rogers never met Ridley Scott" or "You soar with eagles when you fly with turkeys" on the back. In retaliation, Scott and several of his closer collaborators had t-shirts made with "Xenophobia sucks" on them.

    So yeah, that job ad does indeed sound like Ridley Scott.  :laugh:
  12. Corporal Hicks
    Quote from: The Eighth Passenger on Mar 16, 2016, 01:09:19 PM
    I know Corporal, just funny that they would advertise a job and then tell people that they would be expected to do what they're told.  :P

    Apologises.  :laugh:

    QuoteNot sure if you're aware of the controversial interview Ridley did with a British newspaper during Blade Runner's production which almost led to a total crew revolt as well as instigating the infamous T-shirt war?

    I'm not particularly versed in Blade Runner, I'm afraid. Do you have a link?
  13. Stolen
    Sir Ridley Scott's Alien film set for Fiordland?

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/77946760/Sir-Ridley-Scotts-Alien-film-set-for-Fiordland

    QuoteTe Anau resident Shevaun Taberner sent an email to some Te Anau residents from a contracting firm working with a film company but could not confirm if that agent was contracted to 20th Century Fox, or if the film in question was Alien:Covenant.

    She said she had signed a confidentiality agreement and could not reveal any details.

    The email says the film contractor is looking for 10-15 able-bodied people to help work the 10-hour days from April 6-14 and they must "happy with being told what to do".
  14. Enoch
    Quote from: The Eighth Passenger on Mar 10, 2016, 08:03:08 PM
    No need to apologize Stolen. I just jokingly stated that we here at AVPG had already picked up the possibility of a New Zealand, South Island shoot long before Stuff.co.nz, Scified and News Hub New Zealand. I think the Corporal even had it on the news page back in early January as part of a different article.  :)

    Well it was obvious after Globes... :) :P

    AVP and Scified are both top sources for all kinds of informations about Alien and other SF movies!
    Good work guys! ;D
  15. Perfect-Organism
    Quote from: Stolen on Mar 10, 2016, 07:00:58 PM
    Sorry The Eighth Passenger and Enoch.  I had seen the news on the board, but I didn't know where it was and by whom.

    @Corporal Hicks Thanks for the article.



    I think this is the perfect place to represent Paradise. And we just talk about the surface of the planet.

    Because I have a theory about the engineers, I think they're troglodytes. This is one reason why there will be big mountains in Covenant. Like Prometheus everything that represents engineers are in caves.

    I hope (and I think) the caves will be original, may be giger-esque and impressive. Obviously everything will be shot in the studio.

    That's spot on.  And it gives some solid reasoning for why the Deacon became a mountain in the comics...
  16. 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯
    Quote from: Stolen on Mar 10, 2016, 07:00:58 PM
    Sorry The Eighth Passenger and Enoch.  I had seen the news on the board, but I didn't know where it was and by whom.

    No need to apologize Stolen. I just jokingly stated that we here at AVPG had already picked up the possibility of a New Zealand, South Island shoot long before Stuff.co.nz, Scified and News Hub New Zealand. I think the Corporal even had it on the news page back in early January as part of a different article.  :)
  17. Stolen
    Sorry The Eighth Passenger and Enoch.  I had seen the news on the board, but I didn't know where it was and by whom.

    @Corporal Hicks Thanks for the article.



    I think this is the perfect place to represent Paradise. And we just talk about the surface of the planet.

    Because I have a theory about the engineers, I think they're troglodytes. This is one reason why there will be big mountains in Covenant. Like Prometheus everything that represents engineers are in caves.

    I hope (and I think) the caves will be original, may be giger-esque and impressive. Obviously everything will be shot in the studio.
  18. Perfect-Organism
    I think that we definitely need to see some Giger-scapes, but we could have a good lead-in to that which basically starts as paradise as WE envision it.  So we start off with beautiful New Zealand-type places which are in truth underpinned by a Gigeresque reality...
  19. atlantis

    I hope so to... we need more Gigerscapes and beings  ..
    Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Mar 10, 2016, 01:03:29 PM
    Quote from: Enoch on Mar 10, 2016, 11:53:10 AM
    I wrote about this one month ago ;D

    I believe you posted the Stuff.co.nz article. The tweet from Corbould is new and substantiates that article.  :)

    Quote
    Sutherland Falls near Milford Sound

    Spoiler

    Milford Sound

    Spoiler

    Those are some gorgeous places! I can't wait to see where they go with this. I still hope we get some truly Giger-esque locales as well. Thanks for the pictures!


  20. Corporal Hicks
    Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Mar 10, 2016, 04:05:43 PM
    I really love the contrast between the sense of wonder, and the sense of terror that the Alien films have an opportunity to explore.  This is really where Prometheus excelled.

    I can't say Prometheus ever put across a sense of terror. It was a gorgeous looking film though. That Orrey scene is still one of my favourite visual scenes from the series.

    I'd love to see Covenant put across both. I really want to have the terror return.
  21. LordCassusSnow
    Aotearoa is practically paradise. So many beautiful landscapes and no spiders or predators that can kill you. One of the least populated places in the world and one of the friendliest. I'm also totally fascinated by the Maori culture and it's my dream to one day live there ;D But that aside, i thought i heard Riddles describe the engineer paradise in the past as dark and terrible to us but paradise-like to them. So im guessin the shots were getting will probably be in some kind of flashback like the opening of Prometheus? I just cant see the engineers living on an earth-like planet like ours. I mean, it could be possible, their DNA matches ours 100% :-X  But maybe im wrong and its possibly a test planet where engineers create and possibly kick out what doesn't work? Like us i suppose? Or maybe its a prize to be won by whatever species is deemed worthy and shaw and david f**k it up by bringing the black goo and exposing all life to it. David, fascinated, takes this opportunity to play god while shaw, wanting to find the engineers creator, leaves leaving David to create a big chap ;) 3rd movie will probably be about discovering shaw and finding out what shes learned and meeting cthulu. Oh yeah, its gonna happen lol. We'll see i suppose.
  22. Perfect-Organism
    That's truly amazing.  There was something similar in an earlier draft of Frank Herbert's Dune.  It totally would be epic if something like this made it into the new film.  I really love the contrast between the sense of wonder, and the sense of terror that the Alien films have an opportunity to explore.  This is really where Prometheus excelled.
  23. Immortan Jonesy
    Such a beautiful place. It is like an exotic Paradise there. Also, there is an alíen-like landscape in New Zealand:

    Waitomo Glowworm Caves


  24. 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯
    Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Mar 10, 2016, 08:56:18 AM
    It really looks beautiful. It'd be a wonderful stand in for paradise.

    Only thing is, Milford Sound in Fjorland Park is a very touristy spot and visually very well known the world over. It's similar in popularity to the Grand Canyon, Yellow Stone Park, Wadi Rum, Ayers Rock in Australia, Serengeti, Maasai Mara etc.

    So I suspect they'll do something similar to how they transformed the Wadi Rum in Jordan into LV-223 in Prometheus and into the Acidalia Planitia in The Martian.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gxg7rUJm8fQ
  25. Corporal Hicks
    Quote from: Enoch on Mar 10, 2016, 11:53:10 AM
    I wrote about this one month ago ;D

    I believe you posted the Stuff.co.nz article. The tweet from Corbould is new and substantiates that article.  :)

    Quote
    Sutherland Falls near Milford Sound

    Spoiler

    Milford Sound

    Spoiler

    Those are some gorgeous places! I can't wait to see where they go with this. I still hope we get some truly Giger-esque locales as well. Thanks for the pictures!
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