Chocolate-dipped Panavision

[Tim Tyler]

The remake of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" experienced a delay on Wednesday when a worker dropped a $540,000 camera lens in a vat of chocolate. The technician had failed to properly secure his wire-held camera, and watched aghast as it plunged into the 3-feet-deep tank.

 

One source on the English set says, "When the camera fell it was like a slap-stick scene straight from the movie.

 

"A team of riggers had come in specially from the States to set it up over the vat of synthetic chocolate. But someone made a mistake and it wasn't secured properly.

 

"The production team didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The camera is probably beyond repair."

 

A film spokesperson adds, "Technical tests were being carried out to see how close the camera could be moved to the chocolate.

 

"A camera did go into the liquid owing to a mechanical fault."

 

The film is being shot by cinematographer Philippe Rousselot ("Big Fish", "Antwone Fisher") . Camera department personel include Rene Adefarasin (2nd AC), and John Conroy (1st AC).