FOURTH TIME'S THE CHARM

FILM COMMISSION HOSTS INDIANA JONES MOVIE

AT LOCATIONS IN FRESNO, FIREBAUGH

It all started with a hangar…….

The Fresno County Film Commission hosted a shoot of the latest Indiana Jones feature film at two locations in Fresno County on Thursday, Oct. 12.  Multiple shots, referred to as a ‘montage,’ were filmed at Chandler Airport in downtown Fresno and at Eagle Field in western Fresno County outside of Firebaugh.  Production officials Stephen Spielberg, George Lucas, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy and others were accompanied by a 150-person cast and crew that featured actors Harrison Ford and Shia LaBeouf.

Mike Fantasia, Supervising Location Manager/Production Supervisor, expressed his enjoyment in working with the Commission and location representatives in the Fresno County region, “We worked closely from the very beginning with Gigi Gibbs and Kristi Johnson of the Fresno County Film Commission.  In March, 2007, we began searching for our airport locations for this film.  While Eagle Field wasn’t able to be used for the initial filming, we were pleased to be able to use this unique location for the montage portion of the movie.  We subsequently added the Chandler location which combined to give us exactly what we needed.”

The Commission began work on this project in early 2007, with an original scout of period wooden aircraft hangers from the 1940’s.  Eagle Field, an original WWII pilot training base that is affiliated with the famous Doolittle Raiders, fit the request perfectly, but production officials opted to film that sequence in New Mexico as the rugged terrain outside the hangar became a more important factor.  Several months later, Paramount Pictures revisited Eagle Field’s potential and requested additional information about airfields throughout California.  The Commission worked closely with the Paramount location team regarding multiple locations throughout the County, and teamed up with the City of Fresno’s new Film and Entertainment Commission to ensure that locations within Fresno, including Chandler Airport, were also submitted for consideration.

The Fresno County Film Commission subsequently hosted a two-day Paramount scout of airfields in Reedley, Selma, Coalinga, Mendota, Firebaugh and at Eagle Field.  Eagle Field was again the preferred location, along with Chandler Airport as perfect locations for the montage.  The Commission hosted a final scout with producer Frank Marshall and key members of the production team in mid-September.  The shoot was subsequently green-lighted and scheduled for mid-October.  What was originally a second unit production quickly evolved into a larger day-long shoot, including not only the first unit production officials but two key cast members who were filmed at both locations, along with 38 local extras – 30 adults and 8 children. Local talent agent Carollyn DeVore was responsible for casting the local extras, and stated that “it was an incredible experience to work on such a great project, the cast and crew couldn’t have been friendlier.”

Joe Davis, owner of Eagle Field and the Central California Historical Military Museum, hosted not only the shoot but the wrap party with the cast and crew, as the Eagle Field shoot represented the final day of major filming for the movie.   Davis was pleased to host the film, stating that “they were good people and the production was top quality.”

The Commission worked jointly with the City of Fresno Film and Entertainment Commission in securing the location at Chandler Airport, which is owned and operated by Fresno.  City officials were very responsive to the needs of the production team.

The Fresno County Film Commission reports that the project used a crew of over 150 with over 60 production vehicles.  The economic impact to the Fresno County region is estimated at over $250,000, including lodging, transportation, equipment rental and vendor services.  This project was the 22nd production filmed at locations throughout Fresno County (including in Fresno and other County cities) in 2007.  Filming in Fresno County continues to grow, with an annual economic impact nearing $2 million.