On November 20th, 2009, Summit will release the highly-anticipated "Twilight" sequel, "New Moon". Twilight Source was invited to the Vancouver-based set by Summit so we could give the fans a detailed report. I went on behalf of the site and now present to you my findings!
(Please note that interview transcripts will be released in their entirety over the next few Fridays in association with other fansites who went with me.)
We visited the set in late April 2009, and since the official set visit wasn't until late at night, during the day I tagged along with Laura of Twilight Lexicon and Kallie and Kassie of Twilight Series Theories for a trip to see some of the filming locations for "New Moon." Our stops included Bella's house, Jacob Black's house and Forks High School.
The Black house had to be the set I was most excited to visit because I knew it was the first time fans were getting to see Jacob's home. It didn't disappoint. The house itself fit the Black family perfectly. Its red/bronze exterior gives a very worn look, which makes sense given it's home to only a father and son. The property around the house is very open and surrounded by trees, which is an ideal spot for any newborn werewolf who wants to let out some aggression.
The high school that Summit decided to use as Forks High was David Thompson Secondary, and it doesn't exactly present the same exterior as fans will remember from "Twilight." This will probably be one of the biggest aesthetic changes fans will see from the first film to the second, although Christian Serratos noted in a recent interview with MTV that exterior school scenes (i.e. the parking lot) will be done with green screens.
Finally it was the night of the set visit, and the drive took a solid 45 minutes. Our chauffeur was named Ron - a really nice guy, but very hush-hush. In fact, he wasn't allowed to say anything to us about the shooting. No actor info, no set description, no nothing. The only thing we knew for sure was that we were visiting a New Moon set in Vancouver.
As we finally made it to our destination, it was nightfall and all you could see was whatever the headlights were shining on. For about a mile we drove on a dirt road alongside farms until we suddenly noticed we were approaching several groups of people. We quickly realized that the first group we saw consisted of roughly thirty or forty die hard fans hoping to get a glimpse of the action. Shortly after passing the fans, we turned a dark corner and suddenly - there it was! Bella Swan's house, all lit up.
The film's Site Publicist, Rachael, warmly greeted us as we entered the set. Walking further in, I had a chance to get a closer view of the house. It was remarkable to witness how these people do what they do - the house looked exactly the same from the first film. The design of the house was perfect. The windows, the doors, even the bushes in the front were the same. It looked as though they lifted the original home and delivered it to Vancouver for the shoot. I did notice, however, that the surrounding area differed from that of "Twilight." No longer was it a part of a suburban rural neighborhood. It was now directly in front of a forest and surrounded by more acreage of lawn.
It wasn't long before we spoke with the crew. Rachael introduced us to director Chris Weitz first. Right off the bat I realized how much Summit lucked out with this guy. He is a wonderful director with an intense passion for the series that's somewhat reminiscent of Catherine Hardwicke (the director of "Twilight"). Every question we threw at him was answered with honesty and intelligence. It was immediately evident that he knew the story very well and had an excellent idea of what the fans wanted to see. After about 25 minutes of interviewing (yes, it was a long time!) we said our goodbyes to Chris because he had to start preparing for the shoot.
As we waited for filming to start, Gil Birmingham (the actor who portrays Billy Black) walked up to us. He's always made me laugh in the past and this time was no different. He glanced our way and decided to have a little fun with us. He started to stroll in our direction (looking around the set as he reached our party), leaned over slightly, and joked, "...Who are you guys?" He knew full well why we were there. He has such a great personality and a wonderful sense of humor. He isn't much different than his character in the film, and after a few questions we learned just how happy he was with the filming in Vancouver.
As we waited a little longer, the cast gathered with Chris Weitz to go over the scene scheduled to be film that night. On set was Kristen Stewart (Bella), Billy Burke (Charlie), Taylor Lautner (Jacob), Gil Birmingham (Billy), Graham Greene (Harry Clearwater) and Chaske Spencer (Sam). Our group was given a monitor so that we could get a glimpse of how filming looked through the camera. While the cast and crew went to their marks, we were introduced to Executive Producer Wyck Godfrey. Wyck has been involved with both "Twilight" and "New Moon", and he'll continue his role through "Breaking Dawn." His apparent knowledge of the series was comforting in that we knew he wouldn't let any major plot elements slip away. Every word that came out of his mouth had such enthusiasm and excitement.
Then it was time to start shooting. The set was silent other than muffled directives from Chris Weitz. Then, we heard "Action!" The scene was shot in front of the house with Charlie's police car parked adjacent to it. Next to the car were Charlie, Billy, Harry and Jacob (in his iconic long-haired wig). The four were huddled over the hood of the police car, looking intently at a map. It appeared that there was a small group of people wrapped in blankets behind them looking tired and worried. Charlie cannot stay still - he paced back and forth looking very worried and tired, as if he hadn't slept in days. Suddenly, in the distance behind the house, a figure appears from the trees. And it's holding something. The camera shifted to focus on the figure, and as our eyes adjusted we realize that it's a shirtless Sam Uley holding Bella. Jacob was the first to spot the two. As he turned to them, he says in a quiet, relieved voice, "Charlie." Charlie then turned toward Jacob and saw Bella unconscious in Sam's arms. In a heartbeat, he sprinted toward Sam and pulled Bella into his arms.
During and in between takes Wyck would comment in a whisper about the scene and other tidbits he wanted to share. Most were about "New Moon," the director, and "Breaking Dawn." He seemed very pleased with the choice of Chris Weitz, applauding his professionalism and disarming sense of humor. At one point, for example, Weitz yelled, "Cut! No, why did I say cut? BAD DIRECTOR, BAD."
After several takes, everyone took a break, which introduced an opportunity to speak to more of the actors. We first talked to Chaske Spencer, who plays Sam Uley. He told us how he got picked for the role and he detailed his workout regime, which included working with a trainer on set to stay buff.
Next, Taylor Lautner paid us a visit. Taylor is always thrilled to meet fans of the series and never disappoints. He was all smiles and was more than happy to answer anything we asked him. His wig looked so much better this time around. It flowed a lot more freely and suited his face really well. Right after Taylor left, we got a surprise visit from Kristen Stewart. She didn't have much time before she was called on set, but she wanted to make it apparent that she was very glad that she could meet us and have us on set with her that night. She also apologized for the somber mood she was in to keep with the scene they were filming. She told us that the happier scenes were ones that they referred to as "Jacob Days."
Not too long after Kristen's departure, it was our time to leave the set. As we got inside the van, we passed the same group of fans we had seen camped out when we first entered the site.
With everything said and done, this visit has done nothing but increase my excitement for the film. The amount of dedication from Summit, the cast, and crew shows me that they really want to please the fans, which pleases me. Look for interview transcripts over the next few Fridays to hear exactly what each cast member had to say on set!
