When we started this film I half joked that we were making DIE HARD on a budget! The classic Bruce Willis film has similarities to TAKE COVER including a high-rise building, bad guys galore, a feast of ac@on and humour and an evil Bri@sh antagonist. That reference would at least inform the cast and crew from the get go about what type of movie we were making so we were all on the same page. It’s a fun, 80’s style ac@on movie and a genre that I enjoy to this day and one I think is sadly missing in today’s movie market.
Of course, the structure of TAKE COVER is different as is the overall scale but I believe we pulled off something unique and entertaining that harks back to a more fun moviemaking experience.
With my background in stunts and action, it was important that the action elements were visually exciting but also fed into the storyline. One thing I cannot endure is ac@on for the sake of it. Action should be fun and stylish but it should not be there just for the sake of creating action set pieces. Each fight, fall, bullet hit or explosion is in TAKE COVER for a reason.
For example, the tracer fire was added in VFX for each of the sniper bullets coming from the tower opposite. These tracers were not random. Each one was discussed at length and changed according to their visual and emotional impact within the scene. Without the tracer, you have a very different look to the ac@on in our film.
The same goes for sound design. Each bullet hit was enhanced with sound FX and this included whether or not you would hear the ‘crack’ of the bullet from the building opposite or not. Each whizz, crack, bang was added specifically to heighten moments where it was required.
Perhaps our two biggest set pieces and the trickiest to bring together in the final mix were the drone sequence and the parachute escape.
The drone was a complete CGI build and that also included building the outside of the hotel. We went through a ton of design ideas for the drone but I’m glad we eventually went with a concept that I’d been wanting to implement. I’d always loved the robots in THE BLACK HOLE and Maximillian was the most fearsome and scary by far.
We took the basic design, cut off the bottom, added rotor blades, thickened up the body, added a midi gun and hey presto we had MAX 1 (MAXI). Although only seen briefly we love our drone and the part it plays in the film. I even love it when the drone (SPOILER) is finally destroyed and ‘clunks’ comically off the side of the building to its final destination crashing into the ground below.
The parachute sequence was even trickier and to get the right effect we had to use Scott himself rather than a stunt double. Scott is phenomenal at martial arts and physical action but heights are not his favourite thing. However, after much cajoling, Scott did the jumps on the green screen himself and I’m sure some of that initial scream is real! He did great and it’s his acting and fear that sell this in the final sequence. Even this parachute jump had to have a hint of fun for me so I added something to the parachute the audience will enjoy and remember as well as the Beirut joke finally paying off.
