I can literally feel my insides shaking from explosions and gunfire. While I’ve been on the set of dozens of movies while they filmed both big and small action sequences, I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything like what I witnessed on the set ofMichael Bay’sTransformers: The Last Knight. Not only did I stand near massive explosions with over a dozen people firing very large weapons, I watched Bay stand right in the middle of the action, wearing very little protection, Red Epic Dragon camera in hand as he tried to get the right shot. Keep in mind, Bay had a number of other operators using very large cameras so he could have easily stayed in video village (where the director normally sits, watching the action unfold on monitors), but that isn’t where Bay likes to stay. I saw first-hand that Bay always wants to be in the middle of the action, holding a camera, making sure every angle is covered. As a fan of his work for over two decades, finally getting to see him work up close was extremely cool and something I will never forget.
While Paramount has asked us not to reveal some of the specifics ofTransformers: The Last Knight, I can say the action scene I got to watch unfold involved a number of the cast and members of the military – including plenty of retired SEALs - trying to escape a crashed Osprey. As they exited through the back of the downed vehicle, they were immediately under attack, and I got to observe take after take of large, loud explosions and gunfire as they attempted to find cover. And unlike a lot of movies that might film a small sequence of the scene and then call cut, Bay let the scene play out so each take would last twenty and thirty seconds with gunfire ringing out the entire time. It was the first time on a set visit where every single person was either wearing earplugs or covering their ears during filming due to the volume. As you might imagine, it was an awesome day to stop by.
Before going any further, let me back up a second. Back in early August, I joined Bay on the set ofTransformers: The Last Knightwith a few other reporters while the production was filming outside Detroit. While on set, we spoke with the cast and filmmakers and I’ve put together a big list of things to know. Check it out below and when you’re done make sure to check out some of the other links:
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