2 February 2012

'Gatsby' Pick-Up Shots

As previously reported, pick-up shots for The Great Gatsby were expected to take place early this year. Last week, Leonardo DiCaprio flew back to Sydney to take part in the movie shoot. On 28 January 2012, The New York Post reported: "Leonardo DiCaprio won't be in LA tomorrow ... The J. Edgar star left for Australia yesterday for the set of Baz Luhrmann’s 3-D drama." Gossip Center also posted photos of Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire arriving at Fox Studios in Sydney on 31 January 2012. Click here to check them out.

Pick-up shots have now begun, with The Daily Telegraph today reporting: "Luhrmann, who is understood to have just two weeks left to film final scenes with key cast members Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire and Carey Mulligan, is holed up in the Blue Mountains waiting to shoot a pivotal outdoor scene. But a break in the weather could ease the pressure this weekend, with (some) sunshine forecast for tomorrow and Sunday. A spy on set admits the race is on to bag the scene given DiCaprio, Maguire, Mulligan and Joel Edgerton are all expected overseas for various other projects. DiCaprio will head to the set for Quentin Tarantino's upcoming western Django Unchained while Mulligan is due in New York to begin shooting Joel and Ethan Coen's Inside Llewyn Davis." However, I am sure that everything will work out fine and the pick-up shots will be completed in time. Then, the countdown will begin to the film's anticipated release date on 26 December 2012! :)

On a casting side note, The North Shore Times has reported a story about three young local models who were chosen to appear in The Great Gatsby (presumably as extras) when filming took place late last year:

North Shore Models in The Great Gatsby
North Shore Times, 1 February 2012

Three north shore models are still pinching themselves after being chosen to appear in Australian director Baz Luhrmann’s version of The Great Gatsby alongside Leonardo DiCaprio. Jessica Terry, Mikhaila Smith and Louise Campbell are all graduates of Valerie Edward’s Sydney Model and Etiquette College in North Sydney which put them forward for the film. “It was the best experience, I can’t stress that enough,” Mikhaila, 18, of Frenchs Forest said.

During filming in Sydney at the end of last year they got to meet some of the movie’s stars including Tobey Maguire (SpiderMan) and, of course, DiCaprio himself. While he was in Sydney, the paparazzi seemed to snap DiCaprio with a different model every week but the girls gigglingly said he hadn’t pulled any moves. “You’d think he’d be up in the clouds but he was very respectful and sweet,” Louise said.

For Mikhaila, appearing in Gatsby seemed to be fate as she’d just finished studying F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book for her HSC when she got the job. “I’d studied it until there was no tomorrow, I’d been stressing about the different themes and the messages,” she said. They’re not allowed to reveal any details about the film or even what scenes they were in, but Mikhaila said audiences will be “blown away” by the new Gatsby. “It’s a beautiful movie, it’s a beautiful set, everything about it is beautiful,” she said.

Also, The Penrith City Star has reported a light-hearted story about one of the cars that will feature in The Great Gatsby, called Betty Boop! Fans will no doubt keep a look out for the car when the film is released.

Glenbrook roadster: Our Gatsby star
Penrith Star, 1 February 2012

Glenbrook's John Dikeman was assured his 80-year-old pride and joy Betty Boop would be in safe hands before a stunt driver hopped behind its wheel. "Baz Luhrmann is pretty thorough," he said. Mr Dikeman said he was assured if anything was to happen, it would be covered by insurance. His 1931 Ford Model A Roadster Deluxe was used in filming for Luhrmann's remake of The Great Gatsby. "Where they were using it, it was like a chase scene," he said. While he didn't see the filming of his car, he said "the time we did spend on the film set was really interesting". Betty Boop was recommended for the part through the Model A Ford Club of NSW, of which Mr Dikeman is a member, because it's a left-hand-drive car ... And while he's added a few things to the car, Mr Dikeman has mostly left it the way it was when he bought it from 80-year-old Betty, the car's namesake: "She was a real livewire."

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