Narnia Fans » Bovec

Here’s a bit more translated news on Prince Caspian from a press conference in Bovec. The filmmakers are typically excited about the film they’re making and give us hope for the next chapter to be as big as the first, if not better. The original video for this news report is up at 24ur.com.

Excitement in “Narnia”

The atmosphere in Bovec yesterday was something like moments in the center of Hollywood, with a crowd of journalists and photographers wanting to get the clearest shots possible. Andrew Adamson, the New Zealand director, and Mark Johnson, one of the top film producers, were late to the conference (as the stars usually are!).

Nevertheless, they are both thrilled with the Bovec scenery and with the local people.

Mark Johnson: “We have been welcomed not just from an official standpoint, but really from the man on the street.”

Andrew Adamson, who is well known for the Oscar-winning animated film Shrek, is very impressed by the Bovec scenery.

Andrew Adamson: “I would love to come back to shoot another movie. I mean, as I say, I think the country is beautiful, so I can imagine many opportunities to shoot here.”

The Bovec community is also pleased with the possibilities of further co-operation. They are already hosting over one thousand members of the filming team in all the hotels and private houses on more than one hundred different sites.

Andrew Adamson: “So I hope none of you are planning to stay tonight.”

Mark Johnson: “We’ll rent you a room but we’ll charge a lot of money.” (laughter)

Both filmmakers were not so playful about the severe security measures placed on every step of filming.

Mark Johnson: “We have had people all over the world trying to find out not just what the sets look like, what the actors look like … who’s in it, what their costumes look like … we want to preserve the magic of the story and of the film.”

Fans of the Chronicles of Narnia will have to wait until the 16th of May 2008 for their first chance to see Prince Caspian. There’s hope for those who want to know the story beforehand, because they can read the book.

People will be able to see about ten minutes of Bovec scenery (that’s the part of the film that will be shot in Bovec – because they have been filming in five different countries) at the special screening of the movie that will probably take place in Bovec next year.

24ur.com has reported on the filming of Prince Caspian in Bovec, Slovenia. Many thanks to Monika for translating the story from 24ur.com into English for more Narnia fans to enjoy.

Filming on The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian has now begun in Bovec with a team of hundreds.

But this year’s largest Disney film project, Prince Caspian, is wrapped in a shroud of mystery even after the first few days of filming. Only a few things are known – for instance, that they have built a 60 metre long wooden bridge.

However, more information will become available next week when the producers and their assistants arrive in Bovec. Until then, only those who are involved in the filming have permission to enter the location.

Security man: “You must turn off the news camera because they are filming there.”

The filming location is heavily guarded, so we could only see it from a distance. “Narnia” could not even be seen from the air, because the air space above Bovec is closed. It’s also forbidden to reach the area by the river.

Tourist: “We can’t get through because it’s closed. They’re probably filming there.”

Rafting club member: “The filming might have some implications on our current business, but we also think that it’ll bring some benefits in the end.”

This project is also very popular with the Bovec community, which is hoping for the possibility to built a “mini Narnia” attraction.

Mayor of Bovec: “Unfortunately we haven’t had a chance to talk about that yet, because the producers aren’t coming until Friday and Monday.”

That’s when they’ll fill up the last places in the already crammed hotels and private rooms.

Tourist agency: “At the moment, I think all the accommodation is filled to capacity.”

Kanin Hotel: “We’re very pleased with the number of guests and visitors. Now we’re expecting the filming team, who have reserved three quarters of our hotel until the 17th of July.”

In spite of the liveliness that has been brought by the Disney film team, Bovec remains an idyllic and peaceful town. They are expecting some bustle only next week, when the rest of the crew will come. They expect that there will be some traffic problems, and are announcing that there will be 15 minute road blocks between Zaga and Bovec.

Slovenia’s 24ur has posted a video about Prince Caspian in Slovenia.

A Fairy Tale in Bovec

This year’s largest Disney film project, Prince Caspian (to be premiered May 2008), means the biggest publicity ever for Bovec. Millions of filmgoers will see the region’s Soca river and a fairytale bridge.

The busiest time of filming will be during June and July, when there will be at least 1000 people in Bovec.

Local: “This is actually very interesting, you know. As a matter of fact, it’s like we’re moving back in time to the 80s when there was a similar situation, with 2000 to 3000 guests staying in the wintertime. We’ve almost forgotten what it was like, and now we’ll be able to experience it again.”

Many hoteliers are already calculating the profit they will be able to make through letting rooms – which will probably be filled to capacity.

The first crew members are coming to Bovec in May 2007.

Iztok Kenda will be able to watch the filming from the window of his own restaurant.

Kenda: “They’ve moved the locations even closer to us, so I’ll be only about 200 metres away from the main activity. We’ve made an agreement that all the actors and actresses can have meals here, but they’ve arranged accommodation somewhere else.”

The greatest attraction will probably be the wooden bridge, which will be made by the Primorje factory in Ajdovscina. It will be 60 metres long and 7 metres wide.

Builder: “This is the sort of bridge that was in fact designed by Caesar, which means that this will be an example of a truly old bridge, made from pine wood. It’s rather unusual in this day and age, and very different from other sorts of bridges. It’s proof that builders from the past were masters of their craft.”

Reporter: “Here is where the bridge will stand near the end of the film. The cavalry will cross the bridge, which will collapse. Then the soldiers are taken to another land.”

Some people in Bovec are already thinking about saving the props and the collapsed bridge after filming is completed, so that they can be moved to a new location and made into a tourist attraction like those seen in other countries.

Millions of film lovers around the world will get a glimpse of the magic beauty of river Soca, often called the emerald river, as parts of “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” are to be filmed in Slovenia, daily Delo reports on Thursday.

According to the report, director Andrew Adamson chose the confluence of the river Soca and its tributary Gljun in northeastern Slovenia for the setting of the final scenes of the film.

The parts filmed in the Bovec region will feature scenes of 300 soldiers running over a bridge and its spectacular destruction.

According to the daily, the shooting on the emerald river is to take place in the first part June. The crew that is to prepare the setting is to arrive in Slovenia already in April.

Its members will build a wooden beam bridge, resembling the bridges built by Julius Caesar and his legionaries during the Gallic War.

The shooting of the “Prince Caspian” started in New Zealand in February and will continue in the Czech Republic.

The film, a production of the Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media, is to be released in May 2008.

“The Chronicles of Narnia” series, based on Clive Staples’s books, hit the film screens in December 2005 with “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.”

Slovenia’s POP TV channel has recently reported that parts of Prince Caspian will be filmed in the beautiful Soca River region.

Although the filmmakers searched for locations all around Europe, the Soca River and its surroundings proved to be some of the most memorable. They decided to shoot part of the story in Slovenia following successful talks with the Bovec municipal council and officials.

Danijel Krivec, Mayor of Bovec: “They fell in love with the landscape and the views of the river, and especially the colour of the Soca. It was these key points that attracted them.

We’re still coordinating some details, but the procedures are underway so there shouldn’t be any obstacles.”

Filming in the region will begin in May or June next year.