Atlanta, GA - Tuesday March 16, 2010

Exclusive photos and video on Sam Dobrow's blog.

The Farrelly brothers are shooting their newest comedy film "Hall Pass" starring chic magnet, Owen Wilson, in Atlanta. On Tuesday night traffic in parts of Castleberry Hill, one of Atlanta's hottest art scenes came to a virtual standstill as this production company set up their lights and cameras. At least a dozen eighteen wheeler rigs lined each side of Nelson Street in addition to numerous hot rod cars and several dozen extras. Farrelly brothers rented a vacant warehouse and transformed the front into their nightclub "Enter the Dragon". The movie scenes inside the club were reportedly filmed inside the Gold Room.

Spring is about to happen in Atlanta, but it's not here yet and the temperatures were cold. Production staff and bystanders were bundled up in heavy coats while extras and a giant albino python had to weather the cold. To make the set look like summer, artificial leaves were painstakingly attached to the trees in front of the building.  What is quite amazing is the cost that went into producing this short scene which probably will last less than thirty seconds in the movie. An intricate light box was built and set up in the windows to project silhouettes of dancers against a yellow and orange front window. There were lights all around the building from the roof and across the street. A bold sign for the fictitious club was installed on the front of the building.

So it's time to shoot. The people inside the club start dancing but there is no music. Owen Wilson walks across the street and down the side street. Another cast member skates across the street and a couple cars zip across the front of the club. Thirty seconds later, its over and the crew repositions the lights and camera to shoot the scene from a different angle. An hour later, another thirty second scene is shot and the crew begins to break down the set. How long was the cast on the set, probably five hours.

I tried to speak with a business manager to get a press package and possibly make a few better shots from behind the scenes but was stifled by the production crew. I should add that the production company did not like me making these photos and on several occasions told me I could not make photos because "they owned the street". Some staff aggressively tried to prevent me from making photos by repeatedly jumping in front of my camera when I was ready to take a shot. Really folks, this is a public street. You are guests in our city, here to make big bucks, you bring your own unionized team right down to the snack shack and Owen Wilson's personal chef. You disrupt traffic, pay the extras next to nothing, hardly spend any money in the city except for lodging and real estate rentals. So what's the big deal about a few photos?

As a photographer, I must say the scene was an interesting and fun set to shoot. I'm glad to bring this story and these photos to my readers.

If any business managers for Farrelly brothers would like to meet with me and provide information on how their production is bringing jobs and commerce to Atlanta, nothing could please me more. I'll be glad to write a follow up article showing how the thousands of dollars being spent per minute on this film helps businesses in Atlanta.

Sam Dobrow is a freelance reporter and photographer based in Atlanta, GA. More information about visual-verbal content services from Sam Dobrow is available at www.samdobrowphotography.com