Anna Daniels
For those who happened to miss the Matrix mania of the late ’90s and early ’00s, the film is partially set in virtual reality, a digital world into which humans have been plugged while a race of artificially intelligent beings uses their bodies for energy. With that premise, naturally, digital VFX is an expected part of the production process — but practical stunts and action are also deeply embedded in the the DNA of The Matrix and its sequels. In January, around a week and a half before filming began, the San Francisco Film Commission gave fans a pretty clear idea of what to expect when it came to the more practical part of the film’s shoot.
To help prepare those potentially affected by filming (which is slated to end on Sunday, March 1), the commission posted a list of things residents should expect. Hoodline reported that among the noisy and visually disruptive activities would be helicopters flying less than 500 feet from the ground, pyrotechnics, and smoke. The latter two are most likely responsible for the explosions onlookers have caught during night shoots. But the posting also promised simulated gunfire, precision driving, crash stunts, and unmanned aerial cameras that would be flying around to capture it all.
Much of the Matrix 4 shoot took place in the Financial District, and featured street closures scheduled as early as noon on one day until around 5-7 in the morning on the next. That would explain why people were capturing set activity late at night and in broad daylight — and based on what the SF Film Commission revealed about the shoot, it seems fans can expect much of the same type of bone-crunching, destructive action offered by the original trilogy.
Written by: Looper
