JBELL
06-11-2002, 11:18 PM
City shuts for Matrix
11 JUN 2002
By Lillian Saleh , Daily Telegraph
ONE of the world's busiest cities will shut down for two days, all in the name of show business.
But don't look to Los Angeles, New York, Tokyo or London, instead focus your gaze on Sydney.
The producers of The Matrix Reloaded plan to fly a helicopter below roof-tops across the east of the city and over Martin Place for the movie's dramatic final scene.
The Daily Telegraph has learned the helicopter will include a camera mounted in the pilot's seat, giving the moviegoer a bird's-eye-view as the aircraft whizzes across the city.
It will fly west along Bridge St to George St before turning left towards Martin Place, passing the Intercontinental Hotel, the AMP Centre, the Royal Exchange building and Macquarie Place, at times less than 600 feet above the ground.
The movie's producers will meet with officials from the Premier's Department, the Environment Protection Authority and State Transit today to discuss specifics of the filming.
Discussions will include whether office blocks will be evacuated and which streets will be blocked to pedestrians and traffic.
Road closures are expected to effect some of the city's busiest streets including Macquarie, Phillip, Pitt and parts of George St.
The meeting will also discuss the the amount of disruption caused to people visiting the city for the day and public transport in and out of the area including trains, buses and taxis.
Also to be worked out will be how much it will cost the movie's producers to "rent'' the city for the shoot and insurance costs to stage it.
Lord Mayor Frank Sartor yesterday welcomed the stunt but said business owners should not be inconvenienced by its filming.
"It is exciting that the CBD will be used for such an important scene but there must be a balance between the needs of the filmmakers and businesses trading on the weekend.''
He said under the council's Living City policy, the city cannot be empty on weekends, or business owners prevented from trading.
The 14-minute sequence -- which took months to plan -- has been described by producers as "the most complicated sequence ever made''. "The effect is to get the audience in the pilot seat rather than showcase the buildings,'' an insider yesterday told The Daily Telegraph.
It is understood the shooting is scheduled for two weekends in July, to minimise the number of people normally in the city.
Sources working on the movie set yesterday told The Daily Telegraph the set will "definitely be closed to the public''.
11 JUN 2002
By Lillian Saleh , Daily Telegraph
ONE of the world's busiest cities will shut down for two days, all in the name of show business.
But don't look to Los Angeles, New York, Tokyo or London, instead focus your gaze on Sydney.
The producers of The Matrix Reloaded plan to fly a helicopter below roof-tops across the east of the city and over Martin Place for the movie's dramatic final scene.
The Daily Telegraph has learned the helicopter will include a camera mounted in the pilot's seat, giving the moviegoer a bird's-eye-view as the aircraft whizzes across the city.
It will fly west along Bridge St to George St before turning left towards Martin Place, passing the Intercontinental Hotel, the AMP Centre, the Royal Exchange building and Macquarie Place, at times less than 600 feet above the ground.
The movie's producers will meet with officials from the Premier's Department, the Environment Protection Authority and State Transit today to discuss specifics of the filming.
Discussions will include whether office blocks will be evacuated and which streets will be blocked to pedestrians and traffic.
Road closures are expected to effect some of the city's busiest streets including Macquarie, Phillip, Pitt and parts of George St.
The meeting will also discuss the the amount of disruption caused to people visiting the city for the day and public transport in and out of the area including trains, buses and taxis.
Also to be worked out will be how much it will cost the movie's producers to "rent'' the city for the shoot and insurance costs to stage it.
Lord Mayor Frank Sartor yesterday welcomed the stunt but said business owners should not be inconvenienced by its filming.
"It is exciting that the CBD will be used for such an important scene but there must be a balance between the needs of the filmmakers and businesses trading on the weekend.''
He said under the council's Living City policy, the city cannot be empty on weekends, or business owners prevented from trading.
The 14-minute sequence -- which took months to plan -- has been described by producers as "the most complicated sequence ever made''. "The effect is to get the audience in the pilot seat rather than showcase the buildings,'' an insider yesterday told The Daily Telegraph.
It is understood the shooting is scheduled for two weekends in July, to minimise the number of people normally in the city.
Sources working on the movie set yesterday told The Daily Telegraph the set will "definitely be closed to the public''.