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Shooting Afghanistan terrain in New Jersey


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Hi All,

Wasn't sure where to post this topic but this seemed like a good place. I have a 12 page script set in Afghanistan. The 8 pages of nighttime can easily be cheated, but 4 pages are set during Daytime. Some daytime exterior scenes call for medium to wide shots. I'm based in New Jersey. In your expert opinion, what would be the best way to cheat the daytime exterior shots, so I can somehow get the feeling of being in Afghanistan.

Some suggestions and possible options available to me are:

1. Shoot in a Quarry (how do i get permission?).

2. Shoot out of state (expensive).

3. Shoot low angle, so you mostly see sky (I don't want to lose the feel of the terrain too much)

4. Shoot in a studio and build a set (expensive)

5. Shoot green screen (too much post required, possibly expensive)

5. Stick to close-up (easiest way to go)

 

I know the ultimate solution is to find a good location to double as Afghanistan. But, if you have any suggestions as far as camera/lighting/other tricks that might be useful, please reply.

 

Thank you.

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I would think Arizona or New Mexico would be better than NJ, but if you had to do it in NJ, I would shoot after the leaves fall off the trees to give it a more barren look. But it would be a serious cheat. NJ with leaves looks more lush and not nearly as mountainous as Afghanistan.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

Tim

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A quarry will look like a quarry, not Afghanistan. Are cheap tickets to vegas over the film's budget? A friend of mine in Afghanistan sent some photos and it's alarmingly similar looking to the desert just outside of vegas.

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It's funny, too, cause this student project I worked on with a Director who I like and needs a deal of help; great guy dont' get me wrong, but perhaps not cut out for this industry, wanted me to recreate Iraq in S. Jersey, because the actors complained about traveling 2 hrs out of the city, when we're driving them in a van :/

Needless to say, it didn't work to well being in a heavily wooded area.

Oh well, so it goes :/

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You need a desolate place with scrub-brush and few trees. An old abandoned industrial complex might work it ... but that depends on what type of Afghan terrain you need.

Look into Centralia PA :

 

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7_gMFng3OpY/RfWq..._926ed8280c.jpg

 

Might kinda work?

 

http://www.city-data.com/forum/attachments...centraliapa.jpg

 

http://geology.fullerton.edu/awoods/centralia.jpg

 

best i can think of 'round these parts.

 

Good luck.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I grew up in the pine barrens, im not totally sure of the look you are going for. But i have seen desolate sandy areas throughout this area.

Check out forked river mountain, which also has alot of old desolate clay quarry's in the same area.

 

If i had more time i would try to go out and get some pictures, but the next few weeks are very busy for me.

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I grew up in the pine barrens, im not totally sure of the look you are going for. But i have seen desolate sandy areas throughout this area.

Check out forked river mountain, which also has alot of old desolate clay quarry's in the same area.

 

If i had more time i would try to go out and get some pictures, but the next few weeks are very busy for me.

 

Thank you.

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You need a desolate place with scrub-brush and few trees. An old abandoned industrial complex might work it ... but that depends on what type of Afghan terrain you need.

Look into Centralia PA :

 

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7_gMFng3OpY/RfWq..._926ed8280c.jpg

 

Might kinda work?

 

http://www.city-data.com/forum/attachments...centraliapa.jpg

 

http://geology.fullerton.edu/awoods/centralia.jpg

 

best i can think of 'round these parts.

 

Good luck.

 

Thanks.

The location pictures you sent me might work well with the right camera angles, lenses, and lighting.

Are you a local around that area?

Edited by Hemant Tavathia
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Of course, the other approach you could take is to set everything in the bombed-out parts of Afghanistan, in which case most of Jersey City could pass... :P

 

There's a different kind of desertous terrain in New Jersey, five-lane highways at the end of every street.

 

An exaggeration? Maybe, but not much of one. . . :rolleyes:

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maybe you could film at a desolated airstrip, they look the same worldwide and are free from buildings, powerlines.

I shot myself in afghanistan in may and it wasn't dry at all, it was raining like hell.

landskape near Kaboul is only grey medium mountains, no trees, it's already 6000ft high!!

 

we stayed at KAIA the KAboul International Airport.

 

if you find a military air strip you can cheat afghanistan.

 

saying that i don't know new jersey

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maybe you could film at a desolated airstrip, they look the same worldwide and are free from buildings, powerlines.

I shot myself in afghanistan in may and it wasn't dry at all, it was raining like hell.

landskape near Kaboul is only grey medium mountains, no trees, it's already 6000ft high!!

 

we stayed at KAIA the KAboul International Airport.

 

if you find a military air strip you can cheat afghanistan.

 

saying that i don't know new jersey

 

You know, now that you mention it, during a dry spell Lakehurst Naval Air Station might pass, with some careful framing. It's close enough to the Pine Barrens to give you the option of popping over to some of the various sand pits as well.

Edited by Jim Keller
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  • 2 weeks later...
maybe you could film at a desolated airstrip, they look the same worldwide and are free from buildings, powerlines.

I shot myself in afghanistan in may and it wasn't dry at all, it was raining like hell.

landskape near Kaboul is only grey medium mountains, no trees, it's already 6000ft high!!

 

we stayed at KAIA the KAboul International Airport.

 

if you find a military air strip you can cheat afghanistan.

 

saying that i don't know new jersey

 

Thanks for those descriptions. Airstrip might work. Wanted to check these posts sooner, but was bombarded with work.

Thanks again.

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