The Voyage of the Dawn Treader to film at Cleveland Point in September

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is due to start shooting on the Gold Coast in Australia later this month, and it looks like it will move to Cleveland Point at some point in September. The film is still in pre-production, however, and no real start date has been set, according to our sources. However, it’s looking like they are beginning to solidify details of start dates.

Last I had heard, filming would begin in August, and end in October. However, there is a forum for the Australian Surf Rowers League where someone is “looking for several wooden boats to use in a film we are shooting on the Gold Coast. With view to hire or purchase.” When asked when they would need them, they respond: “At this stage between 20th July to 5th Sept.”

This means that, should this be the same Gold Coast production (but really… they’re on boats in the Gold Coast), it means that filming could be starting as early as the 20th of July. This doesn’t necessarily mean that filming would officially begin, however. Many films begin with the second unit going in and getting the extra shots that don’t require primary actors. This tends to start late in pre-production, and last throughout production and sometimes into post-production. The actual start of production could still be around the first of August, with 11 days of second unit photography. It helps editing and special effects to begin even sooner, as the only footage they would otherwise have is the primary actors, which, while part of it, they need the various shots as well, that will help move the effects along.

Either way, it’s a very important part of the process.

But what about the props? What are they doing with them? “The boats will not be used in the surf just in calm water, most will be back ground props in scenes and ideally a couple of full timbers in the foreground to sell the fact that all are timber. We would also like to dress them up to give them an old world appearance, fix a small mast and furled sail to one or two. So generally to dress a small harbour with a number of boats of same hull design with a few variations.”

What kinds of boats might we be seeing in the Dawn Treader? And who would be in them? These Wooden Surf Boats could be what they use to get ashore, from the Dawn Treader:

Granted, they’re definitely going to be removing the paint job, and some of the newer additions to make them even more old-world style. Bob Booker-Props Department wants them for Dragons Prow Pty Limited which could mean that the production company isn’t Invisible ARMY Ltd. Dragons Prow Properties Limited would make a lot more sense.

As for the Cleveland Point location, it looks like they’re going to be bringing the Dawn Treader there as well:

Cleveland Point will be closed off to the public for close to two months, with most of the filming there to take place on a specially designed 40-metre vessel, attached to a new 60 metre by 50 metre pier with 20mx40m ramp.

Any damage done to the park will be fully repaired as part of the agreement between the production companies and Redland City Council.

The third film, which is set aboard a ship at sea and on exotic islands, will be making the most of both the State’s natural locations and film infrastructure.

Needless to say, things are REALLY ramping up!

Thanks to Michael Thom for e-mailing me about this. He would have written about it, but he’s without solid internet at the moment.

-via Bayside Bulletin, ASRL #1, ASRL #2