Shooting could start in mid March or beginning of April...
right after Fassbender finish his shooting of Snowman!
I even think that they already shoot some scenes in UK and in New Zealand or New South Wales...
maybe some intro aerial shots with chopper or something without main cast...?
Ridley always referred to April (March) shooting as main shooting with main actors in Australia's Fox Studio
and in locations of NSW, but all the shooting that doesn't require main cast could very well be completed.
On LINKEDIN site I myself found a bunch of crew that isn't credited on IMDB, and the newest add is
Nick Ramsay who was In-House Runner at Ridley Scott Associates/Scott Free Films.
This is what I found on his profile:
It says
Art Department Assistant/Runner to Production Designer Chris Seagers during UK prep for "Alien: CovenantSo they had some preparations in UK from September 2015 till October 2015?? What do you think?
LINK TO LINKEDIN PROFILE:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickramsayfilm?authType=name&authToken=8aEX&trk=prof-sb-browse_map-nameOthers crew members on Covenat that I found on LinkedIn are:
James Farrington – Pre-vis Artist, Shot Creator; ArgonJason McDonald – Visual Effects; Argon EffectsAndrew Chan - Assistant Art Director
Mary Barltrop – Location Manager (from October 2015; for Australia)
Genevieve Blewitt – Soft Furnishing Lead
Belinda Cusmano – Set Designer (Chris Seagers is her Chief)
Francesca Sabeto – Prop maker
Sara Joyce – Props maker
Stuart Brown – Creature & Vehicle modelling, Shot creation and Compositing; Argon
Gloria Bava – Tailor in Fox Studios, Australia
Maria Salcher - Costume Coordinator
Warren Harrington – Second Assistant Accountant
Rebecca Vujanovic - VFX Coordinator
Roger Gillespie - Head Plasterer
Tim Giessauf - Production Runner (SFX Production Assistant)
Damien Drew - Art DirectorChris Seagers - Production Designer
Mark Campbell - Design Manager
Peter Owens - Construction Foreman
Christopher Leech - Fabricator / Effects Technician
Dan Walker - Concept Artist (worked on Martian and Star Wars ep 7)Wayne Haag - Concept Artis
There is even more...