Started by Ingwar, Mar 01, 2017, 07:31:42 PM
QuoteThe film was designed with the idea that eventually you have to arrive at Alien, meaning they can't get too crazy with the technology. Covenant is between Prometheus and Alien and the aesthetic reflects that. (This is also true of the creatures.)The aesthetic choices aren't just superficial, they tie into the larger story. "Technically, we're slightly earlier than the Giger stuff, a little bit," Seagers explained. "We're sort of edging into that. That's part of that whole storyline."Covenant is also a midpoint between the scale of Prometheus and the scares of Alien. "It's got the scale of Prometheus, but also it brings in the suspense [of Alien]. The corridors get smaller, darker, and you're just wondering what's down there," said Huffam. "It kind of takes very much the best of both those worlds and combines them."The production team carried over the engineer alphabet created for Prometheus. All the hieroglyphics actually say something, but it might be rather difficult to decode since not all the translations are in English.The sets were built as a "LEGO kit" by which they could connect hallways to rooms with a "shared language" throughout the film so that the hallways and rooms could be redecorated and repurposed multiple times throughout the shoot. Shaw's cabin, a very small space, was shot for five different sets.It took them 15 days to build the Juggernaut set, but they prepped it for months. Instead of building the set with traditional carpentry, the set was created in pieces by computers through a process called 6-axis milling (or machining).Because they're going for a claustrophobic feel and Scott is shooting on anamorphic lenses, the sets had to be pretty strictly condensed. "If you can't touch the ceiling, you won't see it," said Seagers. On the bridges, the ceilings maxed out at about 2 meters.The Hall of Heads is designed to be a somewhat ambiguous but sacred place for the Engineers. "We wanted to make it monumental. That did have some backstory of worship or a place of where the elders were or whatever so there was some gravity there." said Seagers. It's where the information was stored, and the heads were representing history and the past."The Hall of Heads has a constant rain of showers from a hole in the ceiling that's meant to evoke Harry Dean Stanton's death scene in Alien.Covenant filmed about 60% on sound stages and 40% on location.Covenant is the first film to be shot in the picturesque New Zealand fiord Milford Sound.They filmed a massive explosion there, but because it is such a treasured piece of nature, the production had to take extra precautions to make sure there would be no fallout or debris. Corbould says they used different, rapid-burn fuels than usual with a small amount of petrol to make sure there was no environmental runoff.They were prepped to get the explosion in three takes, but they nailed it in one.
QuoteWHAT I SAW:The first place we were taken to once we arrived on set was...THE WAR ROOM: Think an area filled to the brim with miniture models of some of the sets they built (like the impressive exterior of the Engineers Cathedral) production designs (Daniels futuristic looking apartment that reminded me of Blade Runner), storyboards, pictures to draw from creatively (locations in Jerusalem, Egypt and Mexico) and varied art pieces that were either created for the film or that inspired some of its imagery. The scenic paintings by Giovanni Segantini and Luigi Rossi for example did not go unnoticed. Through my many hours in this room, I quickly realized that A- Most of the sets were actually built (minimum CGI and green screen) and B- They tried to shoot on location as much as possible when it came to their exteriors. That is one thing that I love about a Ridley Scott film – he likes to shoot "in camera" as much as possible. Lots of Old School filmmaking here!COULD BE SPOILER ALERT! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNEDOne piece of art that I kept going back to was a Giger-esque drawing of Shaw's head (Noomi Rapace) surrounded by bio-mechanical tubes, as if she was mutating into something (I thought the first Xenomorph from ALIEN perhaps?). I was surprised they would let such a picture out there for us to see – so keep that in mind, it may be sly misdirection on the Studio's part.END OF COULD BE SPOILERS.THE CREATURE SHOP: After the WAR ROOM we were taken to the Creature Effects shop! What a trip that was! I felt like a kid in a candy store as I witnessed some familiar creatures and new ones! We got to see a Facehugger blasted out of a canon (that's how they execute the leaping effect – old school baby) and a hero Alien with a jaw that springs out.In terms of new breeds: I spied an alien with a face shaped like a butt-hole (looked like a "creation"), an Engineer without his skin (I am assuming this is an Engineer that was dissected for study) and the alien that surfaced at the end of Prometheus (aka The Deacon). I can't wait to see the latter in further action! I get a Raptor from Jurassic Park vibe from it! Again, the intent here is to do everything practically with only SOME CG enhancements! Sold!THE SPACE JOCKEY'S PILOT CHAMBER: This was easily my favorite location to witness in person – and was ALONE worth the long trip! Like many of you, I grew up with ALIEN, and the Space Jockey pilot room (where all the ALIEN eggs were) marked me! I went full fanboy when that location was re-visited in PROMETHEUS, so you can imagine how it felt to actually be there! My visit of said room couldn't have been better staged. I was sent into a smoke filled hallway/big tube. I slowly walked up, the walls were of course "ALIEN-esque" in consistency and I got a serious case of the heebies. It's one thing to see the location on film; it's another thing to actually be IN IT! I kept hearing that tracking signal "BLEEPING" from ALIENS in my head for some reason – the beast is getting closer...lol! At the end of the hallway, I came upon two lines of ENGINEER statues on both sides (a piece of set from Prometheus), I walked between them, the hallway opened up to... THE SPACE JOCKEY pilot chamber.My eyes widened and my jaw dropped.The attention to details in terms of this set was astounding, everything was tangible, from the Pilot's giant seat to the ship's soft bubble button controls. The cherry on top was the atmospheric lighting and rolling smoke they had going which resulted in the sight before me being even more breathtaking. NOTE: I also saw the set in full light – and although not as creepy – it was still mucho impressive. END OF NOTE. I seriously didn't want to leave that set. I kept looking around, taking it all in, wide eyed. It's not everyday one gets to visit a place that was responsible for so many nightmares while growing up. So yeah – the Space Jockey chamber returns here. Yeehaw!THE CATHEDRAL SET: This vast set consisted of a main room with GIANT stairs on the right hand side that led to an upper section. In the MAIN area we had HUGE ENGINEER head statues lined up one next to the other. The top half of their heads were missing (above ridge of the nose) as they will be completed in Post Production (VFX). The way I perceived it, these heads were representations of The Elder Engineers. In front of them rocky melons we had faux rock chairs and what came off as a stone made sacrificial table (with a dagger on it).Not sure if humans sacrificed virgins to the Engineers or not – but they sure had the right set up for that kind of party! Time will tell! Once I took all that in, I leaped onto the giant stairs and ran up (good little work-out there). I then went to the end of the rocky walkway and found a bunch of dead Engineer corpses on the ground. They looked burned up. I heard there's a Pompeii like scene that happens in the film. I am assuming its via flashback, one that will see the Engineers go up in flame. I deduce that what I witnessed was the aftermath. Poor basterds...THE HYPERSLEEP CHAMBER: On my way down the corridor, I fell upon the "HYPERSLEEP CHAMBER" set. The pace was disheveled, trash and clothes were on the ground. I eventually learned that Shaw locked herself in there, she used the area as a refuge. Refuge from whom? Not sure. But my money is on her and David not getting along too well, especially in light of his new "creator" ambitions.THE SCENE THAT WE SAW: At a certain point, they took us in front of a monitor within the warehouse that held the Space Jockey set to have us gawk at a scene being shot. Alas, it wasn't anything too exciting. Basically crew members of the Covenant walk into the Hypersleep chamber that I mentioned above. It's dark and their flash light beams illuminate the area. They stop, one crew member picks up Shaw's helmet, looks at it and then drops it. They walk off. That was that on that!
