When set visits go bad
Good things come to those who wait. But a 10-hour wait to talk to Scarlett Johansson on the Ghost in the Shell set tests Hannah McKee.
One Monday in May, myself and about 15 other reporters from all over the world met in the foyer of a central Wellington hotel.
We were off to the set of one of the biggest films to be shot in New Zealand – Paramount Pictures’ Ghost in the Shell, starring Hollywood A-lister Scarlett Johansson.
The American actress had thus far kept a very low-profile in Wellington, but it was clear she had some huge fans among the group of international press.
Some eyes positively lit up at the idea what we would later be graced with her presence, were we worthy?
We piled into the ‘‘print’’ and ‘‘television’’ vans accordingly and began the drive out to Miramar’s Stone Street Studios.
One of our minders politely requested we not ask Scarlett any questions about whitewashing, reminding us that we were guests.
She was referring to the studio having received some backlash for their casting choices in a Japanese franchise.
Security guards were quick to check out our big white vans pulling up to the studio gates.
We were herded into the holding room, a small, windowless, fluorescently-lit conference room with a large oval table. At that point, we didn’t know it would become our home for the better part of about 10 hours.
Concept art and storyboards lined the walls – we were told very quickly not to take photos of anything we saw that day.
A woman welcomed us to the set, intermittently speaking into her walkie-talkie, and addressed the elephant in the room – ‘‘Scarlett will be in later in your day’’.
I thought that might mean by lunchtime or something. I was wrong.
We filed out of the holding room to look at some sets in the huge warehouses. It was cold and smelled like timber.
The sets were impressive, mostly scenes of destruction, with carefully assembled debris and burnt-out cars, and a 10-metre high green screen arena outside.
‘‘Keep up please!’’ we were told ahead.
We were led to the cluttered, colourful costume floors with big dye pots, five washing machines, plastic aprons hung up like a meatworks, and Lord of the Rings memorabilia.
There was a haberdashery dreamland, tables draped with piles of saffron-coloured fabric, surrounded by worker bees sewing, ironing, cutting, making intricate, beaded wire blossoms.
On the way back to the room, a reporter whispered, ‘‘Did you just see who that was? That was Scarlett Johansson!’’ pointing to walkers-by.
He was promptly corrected, ‘‘No, that was one of her four stunt doubles.’’
We interviewed Game of Thrones’ Pilou Asbaek, who has to be one of the nicest actors around.
He took the time to go around the table asking each reporter their name and where they came from, often responding with a greeting in their native tongue.
He spoke about how much he loved New Zealand and that he found a lot in common with Kiwis, including their love of drinking.