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Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How ‘American Primeval,' ‘Daredevil' and ‘The Last of Us' Pulled Off Some of the Year's Biggest Stunt-Filled Action Set Pieces
The year is 1857. A woman is sitting in a meadow in southern Utah Territory, casually explaining her plans to settle in the Salt Lake Valley, when she's cut off mid-sentence by a pointed object that bursts from her forehead with a bone-cracking crunch. She remains upright for a moment — silent, eyes open and blood oozing from her wound — then falls over dead, revealing the long shaft of an arrow lodged in the back of her skull. The next two-plus-minutes of Netflix's 'American Primeval' are a dizzying display of nonstop mayhem. The sky is instantly filled with flying arrows, falling victims right and left, as attackers on horseback and on foot zoom in and out frame, shooting, stabbing, scalping and engaging in hand-to-hand combat. The camera snakes through the action, capturing a succession of brutal deaths (including the shooting of a minor character played by director Peter Berg), always circling back to Sara Rowell (Betty Gilpin) and her pre-teen son Devin's (Preston Mota) desperate efforts to stay alive. More from Variety How Meghann Fahy Created a Rebellious Character Whose 'Disdain' for Flowery Dresses Disrupted the Wealthy World of 'Sirens' Ramy Youssef on Juggling 'Mountainhead,' '#1 Happy Family USA,' 'Mo,' 'The Studio' and Perhaps - Eventually - a Baby 'Bridget Jones' Director Michael Morris on the Emmy Longform Conundrum: What's The Difference Between a Film and a TV Movie? 'The script read for 100 people on each side, and we got 15 [stunt people] on each side,' says second unit director and stunt coordinator J.J. Dashnaw, who worked on the show alongside his father, fellow stunt coordinator Jeff Dashnaw. 'We had guys running around dying, and when the camera tilted one way, [they'd] get up and play other people.' There were several other Dashnaws on the stunt team, including J.J.'s son Jaxon, who plays a boy taken down by a bullet to the head, causing his guilt-wracked killer to vomit. 'I actually walked away, because I got emotional as a proud father,' says J.J. 'It was a cool moment for me.' 'American Primeval' is one of many examples of Emmy-eligible shows that have upped TV's action game, from Amazon's 'The Boys' and 'Reacher' to HBO Max's 'House of the Dragon' and 'The Penguin,' putting themselves in contention in the stunt coordination and stunt performer categories. The raid in 'American Primeval,' based on a real-life incident known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre, was done as a 'oner,' a term used to describe a scene shot — or seemingly shot — in a single take. In recent years, it has become an increasingly common attention-grabbing aesthetic device employed across genres. The raid scene was filmed in New Mexico at dusk over the course of three days, then seamlessly stitched together digitally in post. Aside from CG flying arrows and a CG charging bull, everything else was done practically, from the fires burning the wagons to the gunshots, the bullet hits and the fake blood. In the first episode of Disney+'s 'Daredevil: Born Again,' the big 'oner' starts with the stunt doubles for the titular blind superhero (Charlie Cox) and the villain Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) smashing through the front window of Josie's Bar. As patrons scatter, Daredevil and Bullseye trade punches and kicks, eventually moving out of frame. The camera travels outside, where Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) lays on the ground, mortally wounded, then back into the bar, following Daredevil and Bullseye's fight up the back staircase and on to the roof. '[Showrunner] Dario Scardapane really knows how to flesh out and write a sequence that leaves it open for you to creatively jump into it and design characters, but he's also very specific at the same time,' says second unit director and stunt coordinator Philip Silvera. And directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead 'had a very specific camera language to which they wanted to shoot the sequence. So it's my job to kind of figure out how to make that flow within the camera language and the character design.' The 'oner' was assembled from several shots taken over the course of two and a half days. The bar and the staircase were filmed on location at the Capri Social Club in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, while the rooftop portion was done on a soundstage at Silvercup Studios East in Long Island City, N.Y. The shots bookending the sequence are equally spectacular. For the lead-in, which has Daredevil doing a rope swing from a rooftop, Silvera and Daredevil stunt double Jason Mello were raised on a lift three-and-a-half stories in the air outside the bar. Mello was flown down on a winch line using a device called a descender, and Silvera followed on a separate line, holding a camera to capture the shot from a subjective perspective. In the scene's climax, Bullseye stunt double Brian Jansa falls from the rooftop on a descender and is blended into a CG version of the character that hits the concrete below with a wet smack. When they shot the attack of the zombie-like fungus-infected humans on the town of Jackson Hole in the second episode of HBO's 'The Last of Us' Season 2, the stunt falls from rooftops weren't done on wires or into airbags, but on to stacks of cardboard boxes. 'The problem with an air bag, when there's a two-person entry into it, if one hits first, the other one potentially doesn't get any air,' explains stunt coordinator Marny Eng. Cardboard boxes notwithstanding, the sequence was a highly complex, high-tech undertaking. Shot over the course of four weeks on a set built in a gravel pit in Minaty Bay, British Columbia, it mixes practical effects (including fire and snow), makeups and stunts (both human and canine) with an array of CG elements, which, unlike in 'American Primeval,' included digitally animated characters. 'The plan that I had with Marny is that if we have 50 stunt performers that day, where do we put them that is most advantageous for visual effects, understanding that we had to add more to that number?' says visual effects supervisor Alex Wang. 'Fifty had to turn into 200, for example, for some shots.' When the infected horde is running down Main Street to attack the town, the first unit (under the direction of Mark Mylod) and the second unit team worked in tandem, with the former on the rooftops with lead actors and the latter on the ground with the 'infected' stunt performers. 'That really happened in real time with everybody, where you see Maria [Rutina Wesley] up on the roof and Tommy [Gabriel Luna] down below, and the guys with the flamethrowers,' says cinematographer Catherine Goldschmidt. Camera operator Robin A. Smith got into the act as a stunt performer of sorts to capture the subjective perspective of a seven-foot-tall 'bloater' — a human with a late-stage fungal infection that has turned them into a mushroom-scaled monstrosity — in a one-on-one showdown with a flamethrower-wielding Tommy. Wearing the fire suit he uses for his off-hours Formula Vee auto racing hobby, Smith was placed inside an enclosure described as a 'fireproof rickshaw' and pushed into a stream of real fire shot at him by Luna. 'It was extremely, extremely hot,' laughs Smith. 'Luckily, the day outside wasn't so hot,so between setups, I could just peel back the curtain [of the enclosure], take my mask off and get some fresh air.' Best of Variety Emmy Predictions: Documentary Programs — Nonfiction Races Spotlight Pee-wee Herman, Simone Biles and YouTube Creators Emmy Predictions: With One Week Until Voting Opens, Declining Submissions Create Tight Acting and Series Races Emmy Predictions: Animated Program — Can Netflix Score Big With 'Arcane,' 'Devil May Cry' and the Final Season of 'Big Mouth?'
Irish Daily Star
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Star
Netflix streaming 'one of the best films of 2016' but viewers have days left to catch it
Netflix viewers have only a short while remaining to catch a riveting crime drama inspired by The Boston Marathon bombing. The 2016 feature, Patriots Day, offers an intense look at the horrific act of terrorism and its harrowing aftermath. The alarming event unfolded in April 2013, casting a dark shadow over Boston's traditional marathon, celebrated on Patriots' Day, as two siblings executed a bomb attack, which left three dead and well over 500 injured. This traumatic episode prompted various cinematic interpretations, notably Netflix's own lauded 2023 documentary, American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing. But prior to the streaming giant dropping its version, famed filmmaker Peter Berg had already crafted a powerful portrayal with his 2016 movie, reports the Mirror US . Mark Wahlberg stars in the 2016 drama (Image: Publicity Picture) With a robust 80% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Patriots Day is available on Netflix until Tuesday, 29 April. The suspenseful narrative follows Sergeant Tommy Saunders, played by Mark Wahlberg, chasing down the culprits behind the attack. Joining Wahlberg are Emmy-winner John Goodman, The White Lotus actress Michelle Monaghan, and Academy Award-winner J. K Simmons. Though it didn't sweep major film accolades, this piece deeply resonated with audiences. They found the grave subject matter impactful, as evidenced by a heartfelt comment from a Rotten Tomatoes contributor who wrote: "Wow what a movie it had me in tears quite a few times. The strength and courage of the people of Boston was captured in this movie [...]." Viewers claim it is one of the best films of 2016 (Image: FilmMagic) Another reviewer shared their verdict, stating: "Most movies based off of true events drag out. This doesn't relent for a second. It's one of the best films of 2016 [...]" A third viewer simply stated: "One of the best movies I've ever seen in my life." On IMDb, viewers also praised the film, with one person sharing: "I wanna start by saying I didn't know much about the actual events, I just know I was saddened when I heard about it. "I was blown away [by the film]; it was phenomenally filmed and very intriguing. I'm quite surprised it wasn't up for major awards." Patriots Day is streaming now on Netflix.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Judge orders Chicago to install audible crossing signals for the blind and visually impaired
A federal judge has ordered Chicago to install audible crossing signals at intersections with traffic lights to help people who are blind or have problems seeing to cross public streets. The order would require the city to install at least 75 accessible pedestrian signals this year and more than 100 every year until at least 71% of intersections have the devices within 10 years. All city intersections with traffic lights would have the audible crossing signals by the end of 2040. Disability Rights Advocates, the group that helped bring a lawsuit asking for the signals, welcomed the news as long overdue. 'With this proposed order, blind and low-vision pedestrians in Chicago are one step closer to being able to navigate the city's streets safely and independently, something they have been fighting to do for years,' Rachel Weisberg, supervising attorney with Disability Rights Advocates, told the Tribune in an email. Peter Berg, who is blind and uses a guide dog to help commute from Naperville to Chicago, said the devices can be extremely helpful. 'If crossing signals are a good thing for sighted people, why wouldn't they be good for people who are blind or with low vision?' he asked. 'It's a matter of equality. Give me the same choice you're providing sighted people.' The remediation plan the judge proposed last week comes about two years after a judge found that the city was in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act for its lack of audible crossing signals. The city has begun installing such devices but has just 85 at about 2,800 intersections with traffic lights. The devices typically are attached to poles in the sidewalk at street corners and emit a locator tone, with a button to activate them. They then beep or give verbal alerts when it's safe to cross the street, similar to flashing 'walk' and 'don't walk' signs. U.S. District Judge LaShonda Hunt proposed that the city install the devices whenever it installs new or substantially modified traffic lights. She recommended prioritizing intersections where the city receives requests for the devices, as well as dangerous sites such as mid-block crossings and intersections where three streets cross. The judge also called for prioritizing crossings near public transportation, hospitals, parks, schools, libraries, police stations, shopping areas, major cultural venues, organizations serving people with visual disabilities and seniors and government buildings. Hunt recommended that the city use input from a citizen advisory committee and would let the city extend its final deadline or eliminate the final five years of installations if it shows it has provided 'meaningful access.' City officials and the plaintiffs, who include blind and visually impaired people, and the American Council of the Blind of Metropolitan Chicago, are to go to court April 29 to propose any changes to the order and to recommend an independent monitor to oversee its implementation. Until then, the city is to begin implementing the order. The judge wrote that she will enter a final order that 'strikes an appropriate balance between the available reasonable accommodations and the resulting financial and administrative burdens.' The city Department of Transportation (CDOT) told the Tribune in a statement that it 'fully recognizes the importance of Accessible Pedestrian Signals in ensuring an accessible public way.' City officials said they will incorporate the signals into all new traffic signal installations or modernizations and roadway reconstruction, with a citywide retrofit program to come. Last year, the city installed the devices at 36 locations, with 160 more in construction, design or procurement.
Chicago Tribune
18-03-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Judge orders Chicago to install audible crossing signals for the blind and visually impaired
A federal judge has ordered Chicago to install audible crossing signals at intersections with traffic lights to help people who are blind or have problems seeing to cross public streets. The order would require the city to install at least 75 accessible pedestrian signals this year and more than 100 every year until at least 71% of intersections have the devices within 10 years. All city intersections with traffic lights would have the audible crossing signals by the end of 2040. Disability Rights Advocates, the group that helped bring a lawsuit asking for the signals, welcomed the news as long overdue. 'With this proposed order, blind and low-vision pedestrians in Chicago are one step closer to being able to navigate the city's streets safely and independently, something they have been fighting to do for years,' Rachel Weisberg, supervising attorney with Disability Rights Advocates, told the Tribune in an email. Peter Berg, who is blind and uses a guide dog to help commute from Naperville to Chicago, said the devices can be extremely helpful. 'If crossing signals are a good thing for sighted people, why wouldn't they be good for people who are blind or with low vision?' he asked. 'It's a matter of equality. Give me the same choice you're providing sighted people.' The remediation plan the judge proposed last week comes about two years after a judge found that the city was in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act for its lack of audible crossing signals. The city has begun installing such devices but has just 85 at about 2,800 intersections with traffic lights. The devices typically are attached to poles in the sidewalk at street corners and emit a locator tone, with a button to activate them. They then beep or give verbal alerts when it's safe to cross the street, similar to flashing 'walk' and 'don't walk' signs. U.S. District Judge LaShonda Hunt proposed that the city install the devices whenever it installs new or substantially modified traffic lights. She recommended prioritizing intersections where the city receives requests for the devices, as well as dangerous sites such as mid-block crossings and intersections where three streets cross. The judge also called for prioritizing crossings near public transportation, hospitals, parks, schools, libraries, police stations, shopping areas, major cultural venues, organizations serving people with visual disabilities and seniors and government buildings. Hunt recommended that the city use input from a citizen advisory committee and would let the city extend its final deadline or eliminate the final five years of installations if it shows it has provided 'meaningful access.' City officials and the plaintiffs, who include blind and visually impaired people, and the American Council of the Blind of Metropolitan Chicago, are to go to court April 29 to propose any changes to the order and to recommend an independent monitor to oversee its implementation. Until then, the city is to begin implementing the order. The judge wrote that she will enter a final order that 'strikes an appropriate balance between the available reasonable accommodations and the resulting financial and administrative burdens.' The city Department of Transportation (CDOT) told the Tribune in a statement that it 'fully recognizes the importance of Accessible Pedestrian Signals in ensuring an accessible public way.' City officials said they will incorporate the signals into all new traffic signal installations or modernizations and roadway reconstruction, with a citywide retrofit program to come. Last year, the city installed the devices at 36 locations, with 160 more in construction, design or procurement.
Express Tribune
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
LDS Church slams Netflix American Primeval as dangerously misleading in portrayal of Brigham Young
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has criticized a recently released Netflix series, calling it 'dangerously misleading' and claiming it misrepresents LDS prophet Brigham Young. The series *American Primeval*, which premiered on Netflix earlier this month, portrays a group of LDS pioneers struggling to survive on the American frontier during the 1857 Utah War. One of the key events depicted in the show is the 'Mountain Meadows Massacre,' where Latter-day Saint militiamen, along with American Indian allies, killed around 120 emigrants traveling by wagon to California. 'While historical fiction can be illuminating, this drama is dangerously misleading. Brigham Young, a revered prophet and courageous pioneer, is, by any historical standard, egregiously mischaracterized as a villainous, violent fanatic. Other individuals and groups are also depicted in ways that reinforce stereotypes that are both inaccurate and harmful,' a statement from the Church read, in part. The Church emphasized that it has long acknowledged and condemned the massacre, working to promote healing and uncover the truth surrounding the event. They also criticized the use of 'deceptive, graphic and sensationalized' storytelling, which they believe obscures reality and hinders understanding, while potentially fostering hatred and violence. Director Peter Berg responded to criticism in an interview with *The Hollywood Reporter*, clarifying that the show's depiction of the Mountain Meadows Massacre is not a literal one. He explained that while the real-life event occurred over three days, the show condenses it for dramatic purposes. 'I've heard some of the pushback, but I haven't heard anyone from the Mormon side deny that the Meadows Massacre happened and that Mormons did it. I have had them express concerns that we do take other liberties,' he said. ABC4 reached out to the team behind *American Primeval* but has not received a response as of now. This is not the first time the Church has responded to its portrayal in media. Before the release of the A24 film *Heretic*, which depicts two missionaries subjected to trials by the character Mr. Reed, the Church issued a statement addressing its representation. Without naming specific films or shows, the Church has acknowledged that while some portrayals are 'fair and accurate,' others rely on stereotypes or gross misrepresentations that can have real-world consequences. 'We understand the fascination some in the media have with the Church, but regret that portrayals often rely on sensationalism and inaccuracies that do not fairly and fully reflect the lives of our Church members or the sacred beliefs that they hold dear,' the Church said in a statement.
