NEW REBOOT, NEW LOCATION
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| Image via Sony Pictures |
HOW THE FILMING OF SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING IN ATLANTA SET A DIFFERENT AESTHETIC THAN PREVIOUS VERSIONS
*(minor spoilers ahead)*
In a time where superhero blockbusters are on the big screen many times year, it's uncommon that a film delivers a new taste in its production value based on it's filming locations. That film is Spider-Man: Homecoming the new Spider-Man reboot from Sony Pictures & Marvel Studios. In this new version, Peter Parker aka Spider-Man struggles with his high school life and proving to be a worthy hero while battling the Vulture. As this film is set in the high school days of Parker, his youth, a different version of the character had to be presented on screen. Along with this different version came different and distinctive locations for the story to unfold.
The film takes place in Queens, New York for most of it. If you were hoping for Spidey to web swing across huge buildings like in the Sam Raimi films, you'll be disappointed to find out that it doesn't happen. And that is because Spider-Man never goes to Manhattan. But this change comes with a opportunity to try something new. That's my movie effect of Spider-Man: Homecoming, because as the film takes place for the majority in Queens, this setting had to be well represented on screen, but also different to what came before since this is a new reboot/version of the character. The filmmakers did that not by filming in the actual Queens in New York, but in Atlanta, Georgia. A decision sustained by the fact that Atlanta along with it's Pinewood Studios has become a center for film and television in the last 6 to 7 years due to the state's income tax credit of 20% for productions that invest 50k in the state. Although the production filmed in New York for almost two weeks.
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| Image via Just Jared |
Since this story of Spider-Man is in a small scale sort of speak, in the first sequence of Spidey being a hero he helps local people on the street. One scene that stands out for me is when Spider-Man stops a man from robbing a bicycle. That's because the metropolitan area of Atlanta (Downtown) matches with the metro area of Queens. A lot of different restaurants and shops are on every corner. This is proved by the fact that Atlanta is the ninth largest metropolitan area in the United States. When Spider-Man battles the thieves at the ATM station, this element is also present. Worth mentioning is the fact that the skyline of the skyscrapers in Atlanta is tall enough for it to be second in the Southeastern United States. Maybe in the sequel Spidey will web swing from some of them, but obviously doubling for New York.
A few months ago I visited Atlanta and went to Fayetteville where Pinewood Studios is located. It is a very rural area with lots of forests, fields and swamps. Even though Fayetteville is far from the Downtown area (at least 35 minutes) it does have several buildings, neighborhoods, establishments, etc. When the Vulture tries to rob a truck from Damage Control, he does it at an isolated rural highway on Maryland. Close to where the Vulture and his crew have their evil lair located. Fayetteville benefited the production by matching perfectly with the roads of Maryland because it doesn't have that many city elements. The film crew used Downtown Atlanta, Pinewood Studios, and surrounding areas of the studio for the story. In conclusion, Atlanta provided the production of Spider-Man: Homecoming with the best of both worlds in terms of interior and exterior shots.
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Image via Tom Holland
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