There’s another article about the Dawn Treader in the February 2010 edition of Empire Magazine. This time the Australian edition of the magazine. According to the article, the Dawn Treader ship itself cost $2.3 million to build. It also features a quote from director Michael Apted about the substance of the film itself, that should bring a higher level of confidence for fans.
This was sent to us from our friends in Australia:
From Boxing Day, guests to Movie World will have the opportunity to go behind the scenes and visit the set of the Narnia movie series’ latest epic The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Tours of the Narnia studio will run regularly throughout each day. Tours will run for a limited time only and are included as part of everyday Movie World admission.
If you’re planning on watching some of the filming for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader at Cleveland Point, on the Gold Coast of Australia, you’ll have to wait until Thursday to do so. According to the Bayside Bulletin, Narnia spokesperson Ernie Malik has commented on the filming this week, and has confirmed a few things, including the start of filming coming up this week.
According to an article in the Bayside Bulletin, the art director was looking for military vehicles for a Cambridge, England setting, just before World War II – which was filmed in Queensland, on the Gold Coast in Australia. Graham Kircher, the owner of a 1938 Bedford WLG, supplied that vehicle with a fresh coat of paint to match the proper military colors of the era, for the film. According to the article, the scene that it’s in only took about 25 seconds to shoot, and they did this twelve times.
Since last week’s pictures, The Dawn Treader has changed slightly. We now have pictures of the ship with the other mast attached, as well as rope connecting the masts and the prow to the ship. It looks just about ready for the prime time, with the sail to be the next additions, from the looks of things. This boat has turned out to be far better than I had imagined it, and December of 2010 can’t come fast enough for me. It’s looking like The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is going to be an epic adventure to remember. I can’t wait to see the first footage from the film in a teaser. Hopefully we get a good look at the ship as depicted on film.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader started filming at the studios this week across several expensive sets, including a $2.1 million water tank, magicians garden and 30m ship. Director Michael Apted, whose previous films include the James Bond feature The World Is Not Enough and Gorillas in the Mist, made the most of the glorious Gold Coast winter weather by shooting key scenes in the tank during the afternoon. ”We came here for the weather and location and so far its been spectacular,” he said. (Also: new pictures of the back of the Dawn Treader)
On Friday, Premier Anna Bligh welcomed director Michael Apted and two of the young stars of the film, Georgie Henley (Lucy Pevensie) and Will Poulter (Eustace Clarence Scrubb), to the Gold Coast of Australia. The premier commented “This is set to be the largest budget film ever produced in Queensland. It’s a big investment here in the film industry at a time when we need it most. We expect to see the creation of 2,000 jobs because of this production. In December 2010 the filming that’s happening here on the Gold Coast will be on the big screen right around the world – I can’t wait to see it on the big screen and to see the Gold Coast shine.”
Narnia Fan Spy Craig White sent us this video from Channel 9 News in Australia that features a terrific aerial view of the wharf set that we finally had some clarification on yesterday. It will only be used for three days of shooting. One thing that is interesting about the report is that they said filming would begin in three weeks. One question on our minds is what part of the Voyage of the Dawn Treader is this going to be? More, and the video, after the break.
Gold Coast Film Studios will be busy this year, with The Voyage of the Dawn Treader only one of many projects filming there this year. It’s very exciting to see filming ramping up so quickly, with the rumored start in only two days. We will have to see what happens, however, as this article may move the start date closer to the end of the month. We do know that Skandar Keynes is on the set, but he’s the only confirmed actor there, so far.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is due to start shooting on the Gold Coast in Australia later this month, and it looks like it will move to Cleveland Point at some point in September. The film is still in pre-production, however, and no real start date has been set, according to our sources. However, it’s looking like they are beginning to solidify details of start dates.
Last I had heard, filming would begin in August, and end in October. However, there is a forum for the Australian Surf Rowers League where someone is “looking for several wooden boats to use in a film we are shooting on the Gold Coast. With view to hire or purchase.” When asked when they would need them, they respond: “At this stage between 20th July to 5th Sept.”