The Dark Knight Chicago Filming: Information (Use news/pics thread for discussion)

[sasquatchs]

Please post general speculation/remarks in the "Chicago Filming: news/pics" thread instead of this one, only useful set info/questions about where to go here. Any Chicago pics/video we get from this would be better off posted in news threads

Chicago News/Pics

“The Dark Knight” Street Closures

Wednesday, Aug. 22 (weather permitting)
2 to 4 p.m.
Helicopter hovering at 515 N. McClurg Ct.
Intermittent traffic control of Grand between Peshtigo and Columbus
Intermittent traffic control of Peshtigo between Grand and Illinois

Thursday, Aug. 23
5 a.m. to 8 p.m. (no closures; parking only)
Adams between Wabash and Dearborn
Wabash between Adams and Van Buren
Wabash between Adams and Monroe
Dearborn between Adams and Monroe

Thursday, Aug. 23
8 to 9 p.m.
Helicopter over Chicago River
Traffic control of Lake Shore and Columbus Street bridges
Traffic control of Wacker between Michigan and Columbus

Friday, Aug. 25
5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Full closure of LaSalle Street between Jackson and Adams
Full closure of Quincy between LaSalle and Clark
Parking: Wells between Jackson and Monroe

Friday, Aug. 25 (weather permitting)
9 to 11 p.m.
Helicopter hovering at 515 N. McClurg Ct.
Intermittent traffic control of Grand between Peshtigo and Columbus
Intermittent traffic control of Peshtigo between Grand and Illinois
(Saturday and Sunday as alternate dates)

Saturday, Aug. 25 and Sunday, Aug. 26
5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Full closure of LaSalle between Jackson and Madison
Full closure of Jackson between LaSalle and Clark
Full closure of Adams between LaSalle and Clark
Full closure of Monroe between LaSalle and Clark

When they did a casting call for police officers awhile ago they were asked to work on the 26th to the 28th. The call also asked for bag-pipers and that they "want to make this scene look as real as they could"

The only time that police officers and bag-pipers come into together for something is when it is for a funeral or some kind of celebration.

Filming base on Lower Wacker (Tumblers. Taken from Orleans St). Pic by WadeWils0n:

Another at Old Post Office:

Yet another at Randolph and Wells:

Later Filming:

Rumor: Brach's Candy Factory? 29th according to HC
http://www.mikesrightbrain.com/cgi-bin/mrbfeedback.cgi?entry_id=525

Finished:

Lower Wacker chase
LaSalle truck flip
Columbus Dr 26th
Post Office, Van Buren. (SWAT leaving GCPD, Gordon scenes)
Hotel 71 (Day/Night scenes in the penthouse, Batman on the roof with Gordon)
Sedwick and Eugenie + Hudson 28th (Dent scene, car explosion)
Navy Pier 27th
Wabash Avenue, 27th (evac)
Sears Tower (24th, Christian Bale)
Garage on Randolph + Wells (Signal roof, gang scene)
Lakeshore Athletic (Unknown, cast trailer parking on service level)
Amtrak Train Yard
Cuyler and Clarendon (Gordon's apartment)
Buena (Brief drug arrest scene)
Federal Plaza (Courthouse Exterior)
111 E Wacker (Bruce's Penthouse)
E Wacker (Dent Press Conference on steps by penthouse)
Chicago Theater (Brief Dent/Rachel scene)

 

[gregchick1]

Would anyone be willing to meet up to check out the sets? If one of you know a way in or a way to get a better view it'd make my trip much better. Let me know.


Greg

 

[typeorocks]

The signs near the parking garage say the streets will be closed starting on monday....makes me think filmming there starts monday night. Not wed night.

 

[sasquatchs]

Ok thanks. I'll modify above, better safe than sorry.

 

[riskproductions]

Add the PO and Chicago Theater and Press Conference stairs (which I think was right next to the penthouse, correct?) to finished filming

 

[wooglin12]

So they are filming tomorrow at the garage? Fantastic! Anyone have any idea how much they'll block off? I rather enjoyed sitting at Dunkin and listening to the gunfire.

 

[sasquatchs]

Thanks Risk.

Probably not wooglin, but you never know. There's been rehearsals involving SWAT, dogs and gunfire so obviously something big is going down sometime soon

 

[Mak]

On my way home, I went by the garage and also saw the new no parking signs. The signs on Randolph and Franklin say no parking from 6/18 at 6pm until 6/25. The signs on Wells, under the el and next to the garage, say 6/19 at 11pm until 6/25. I'm going tomorrow night to ask around and see whats up but it may just be setting all the lights up and unloading even more trailers. There are a lot of great locations that are easy to access in order to see the rooftop for anyone in Chicago wanting to check out the action.

 

[riskproductions]

Tips to anyone wanting to spy on the sets:

-There are two other garages on either side of set garage. Theres one right to the northwest, 13 stories. This garage (we'll call it garage A) has the view from where the above pic was taken. The problem is, when filming the scene, they will probably station a PA in the lobby where the elevators are. There was a security guard there Friday night but I dont think she was with the filming, she had a podium in the lobby. Also remember, in case they have a PA on each level, Im pretty sure the stairwells have a glass wall facing the set, so try there.

-The other garage (say garage B) is taller and it is to the northeast of the set garage. If your looking at the pic above, it would be right behind the set garage to the left. It is much taller and probably harder to cover with PA's.

Sasquatch, if anyone else has tips copy and paste this into the bottom of yours and you can add them maybe?

 

[Mak]

The signs near the parking garage say the streets will be closed starting on monday....makes me think filmming there starts monday night. Not wed night.

It could be setting up Monday night and begin filming late Tuesday night. Maybe for the union guys, it's a 1am call on Wednesday morning or something like that. When I spoke to the union guy, he never said night or morning.

 

[Mak]

Tips to anyone wanting to spy on the sets:

-There are two other garages on either side of set garage. Theres one right to the northwest, 13 stories. This garage (we'll call it garage A) has the view from where the above pic was taken. The problem is, when filming the scene, they will probably station a PA in the lobby where the elevators are. There was a security guard there Friday night but I dont think she was with the filming, she had a podium in the lobby. Also remember, in case they have a PA on each level, Im pretty sure the stairwells have a glass wall facing the set, so try there.

-The other garage (say garage B) is taller and it is to the northeast of the set garage. If your looking at the pic above, it would be right behind the set garage to the left. It is much taller and probably harder to cover with PA's.

Sasquatch, if anyone else has tips copy and paste this into the bottom of yours and you can add them maybe?

I saw the security guard in garage A as well and went right by. No questions asked. I think garage B is a much better view and like you said, plenty of floors to choose from.

 

[Mr.Clay]

Its funny though, because not until April was there a security guard in Garage A. I live 3 blocks away from there and I always walk by, and only noticed the guard there recently, like they hired them for this kind of thing. But hell, if they don't care, then who else from here will I see on Wednesday night?

 

[typeorocks]

Also...if you park your car in one of those garage's the P.A.'s can't really do anything. Your a coustomer of the garage!!

 

[riskproductions]

If anything else, pay to park there. Pull up your car to the rooftop edge. Costs money but heck, its worth it. Also, if they complain, stay in ur car and take pics through your windshield. Just lock your doors

 

[riskproductions]

 

[gregchick1]

This is what I'm talking about, thanks for making this, I will use this!


Greg

 

[Spiral]

This is a fantastic resource. I can't wait to make use of it when I start heading downtown to watch again. Thanks a lot for this, Sasquatch

 

[ultimatefan]

Wow, I can almost hear the Mission Impossible theme playing as I read this thread... Cool stuff!

 

[Batmantis]

Between the penthouse,suit and bike pics I can no longer resist....after over a year reading here I'm folding into the group...I can no longer fight the hype

I also live in Chicago with a camera and I swore after missing BB filming I would not make the same mistake twice, any place where I can lend a hand?

let's do this

(also can we maybe get a sticky on the thread so it doesn't get buired with the others?)

 

[sasquatchs]

The more the merrier, you should definitely try and meetup if scheduling allows. They don't allow stickies now, closest we get is the batcave thread

 

[Mak]

I went by the rooftop set on my lunch break and there's quite a bit of activity. When I went by last night at 10:30p there were no trailers, now there are a ton of them in a empty lot on the corner of Washington and Franklin. When I went by one on the street, the stars read "J gang" and "J double." I took a look at the top and a lot of work was going on. Lights were being installed, things were being made and stuff was being moved around. It still looks like there's a lot of equipment that needs to be moved in though. I asked one of the guys that works at the garage when they were filming, but he didn't seem to know. He said, "uh, maybe two days."

 

[sasquatchs]

Any objection to me moving the Penthouse info? Think that's over now

 

[wooglin12]

I went by there today as well... there was a lot of activity. I'm guessing that filming won't start until Wednesday? That seems to be the consensus. Anyone going down there tonight? Looks like it's going to rain...

 

[ihavecomputer]

I asked one of the guys that works at the garage when they were filming, but he didn't seem to know. He said, "uh, maybe two days."

seems like the dude was just being hesitant -- this jives with earlier reports.

 

[thatsabadoutfit]

LMAO. This is awesome. I feel like I'm in some kind of CIA briefing/planning command center. Pictures, maps, etc....

If any of you can get some decent picks and detailed reports, that would be awesome.