Hey folks, Harry checking in with our friend Humachs, who has been shadowing LIBERTY HEIGHTS... well... Back last September that is. He pulled down some extra work on this film from the Barry Levinson while he was shooting this... his fourth Baltimore set flick. (The others were DINER, AVALON and TIN MEN) I am a huge fan of this work of Barry's, and whilst hunting around, I found quite a bit of cool info on not only LIBERT HEIGHTS, but also Levinson himself at his own website Levinson.Com. Pretty snazzy. Now, if he did more writing on it in his spare time, we could all get to know a different side of the man.
Hey Harry.....I was reading your page today and it suddenly dawned on me that I have some info on Liberty Heights---the new Barry Levinson film(you knew that already though).
Way back in last September(I think it comes down to the fact that I'm lazy!!) I did three exhausting days of extra work on Liberty Heights. Now I'm just going to tell you what I think will interest you:
1) On the first day of shooting they filmed a gym scene where Ben Foster and company are talking in the gym.....it was damn interesting to sit there and watch Barry Levinson work and how they test the lights and watch some crewman put shades over the gym windows to effect the light. What I was told to do was just have a conversation in the backround. An interesting tid bit is that one of the characters in the film, is a black student(sorry don't know the characters name) who was cast because Barry Levinson liked the way he walked in on one scene he was an xtra in. Before you know it, you get a bigger paycheck.
2) The other scenes we filmed were the graduation scene and some outdoor scenes over the course of the next few days. What I did come to be aware of was that Ben Foster seemed to have a stuck attitude towards the extras and seemed to have somewhat of an ego(imagine that....an actor with an ego).....Also Bebe Neuworth and Joe Mantenga seemed very nice and at one point in the graduation scene Bebe started clapping at the wrong point when the whole auditorium was quiet....was a very funny moment.)
3) What I do know story wise is that there is a scene where Ben and company I believe make fun of a sign that says something along the lines of "No Women, Jews, or dogs" on how the order came about. There also some scenes involving Ben being kidnapped cause his dad owns a sort of shady business(this info that I didn't witness but when I tried out for a speaking role for the film, I was told....) and also revolves around an interaccial relationship(which you can pick up through the trailers----one is online at www.liberty-heights.com).......hmmm I feel like I'm leaving something out and if I think of it I'll let you know......as for now I apologize for that lack of huge spoilers but the film from what I was given of the script is going to be a fine addition to Levinson's Baltimore stories......till a future time
Humachs
