PLACE BEYOND THE PINES, THE | plās biˈyänd ðē; pīns, ðē; | third movie directed by Derek Cianfrance -according to movieweb- co-written with Ben Coccio and Darius Marder, produced by Sidney Kimmel, Lynette Howell, Alex Orlovsky and Kamie Patricof and starred by Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper.

Some production notes: Production Co.: Sierra Affinity // Producers: Sidney Kimmel, Lynette Howell, Alex Orlovsky, Jamie Patricof // Screenwriter: Derek Cianfrance, Ben Coccio, Darius Marder // Director of Photography: Sean Bobbitt // Production Designer: Inbal Weinberg // Costume Designer: Erin Benach // Editors: Jim Helton, Ron Patane // Music Supervisor: Gabe Hilfer

// 2. Derek Cianfrance about The Place Beyond the Pines -according to Derek Cianfrance for indiewire.com May 10 2011-"The next film I'm making is called The Place Beyond the Pines, which we'll shoot this summer. We're just locking up all our financing right now. It's a film about fathers and sons. It deals a lot with ancestry. Ryan Gosling is going to play a motorcycle stunt rider who comes back to the town of Schenectady to find out he has a young son from this one-night stand. He has to choose whether he's going to be a father, or whether he's going to be a motorcycle stunt rider. It's kind of a crime movie and it takes place over a couple of generations, and it's definitely very epic in scope. I'm super pumped about doing it."

-according to The Playlist- "It's a film that I started writing about four years ago. Right before my son Cody was born, this idea came to me about the transformative power of fatherhood and the idea of what happens though generations, the things that get passed down. It's very much inspired by the books of Jack London ... it's kind of a Darwinistic idea of survival through ancestry."

Jack London was best known for his gritty and vivid tales of the outdoors, and the harsh conditions and emotions that faced both man and animal alike whose influence should make an interesting impression on Cianfrance's film. And while the "The Place Beyond The Pines" will boast a large thematic scope, it seems the plot will be just as raw and intimate as "Blue Valentine" coupled with some intriguing genre elements. Comparing the movie with its predecessor Cianfrance states:

Cianfrance: "Blue Valentine is a very emotionally violent movie and so difficult, so I want to put guns in this one and show just the cowardly nature of guns and how chicken-shit they are, basically, and to show the reverberations of guns...The violence is going to hurt. It's not easy violence; it's not violence that's taken lightly. It's violence that's violent."

On the right, Mr Derek Cianfrance: The Mastermind beyond the pines. Courtesy Buenos Aires Festival de Cine Independiente.

// 3. Ryan Gosling in a cage ... a dream come true -according to msnnews May 2011- In the movie Gosling will actually be playing a circus motorcycle rider, like one of those guys in the huge round steel cages.

"He'll take circus motorcycle lessons," Pines producer Jamie Patricoff said while having breakfast at the Sundance Film Festival. "I can guarantee you he'll want to do his own stunts in the cages. I'm waiting for that call from him going, 'I'm going to take my motorcycle lessons now'"

// 4. The Deer Hunter meets The Godfather -according to collider.com- "It's kind of an epic movie. It takes place over a couple of generations and it's kind of a crime story, kind of a mystery. I've had people tell me they feel like its The Deer Hunter meets The Godfather."

// 5. the cast Along with Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes signed on to play Gosling's love interest. The cast is completed with Rose Byrne, Ben Mendelsohn, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, Ray Liotta -who would play the role of a corrupt cop- and Dane DeHaan who will play the role pof Gosling's son.

// 6. scouting locations There were a few reports in late June that pre-production crews for The Place Beyond the Pines were scouting locations around the Schenectady area.

-according to alloveralbany.com- "Jason" tweeted that the film's director, Derek Cianfrance, actually stopped by his house Thursday. And "@BUNKRE" shared the location scouting left on his house in the Old Niskayuna neighborhood"

On the left above, Mr Gosling on wheels. Original picture sent by Hater.

// 7. casting call -according to Fox News- Hundreds of local Hollywood hopefuls attended a casting call in Schenectady on Saturday June 4th 2011. Some people waited in line for 9 hours just for a shot at being on the silver screen. Each man and woman trying for a chance to appear in a movie being filmed in The Electric City alongside Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper. With so many diverse roles to fill, interest was even greater than the talent search crew expected.

Saturday's casting call was scheduled for 10 a.m., but by 9 a.m. more than 500 people were already in line. After all was said and done more than 2 thousand from across the area had tried their odds at landing a role in "The Place Beyond the Pines"

Don Rittne, head of the Schenectady Film Commission, said, "There are at least 50 roles, and there's going to be hundreds of roles for extras. So a lot of the people that are here will probably see themselves in the movies."

Open Casting Call Details: The casting director for "The Place Beyond The Pines" is holding open casting calls for actors and extras in Schenectady, NY in June, 2011. The film needs all types and ages. Some special needs are high school kids, Hispanic mothers, cops, lawyers, politicians, judges, detectives, doctors, nurses, teachers, bank tellers, mechanics, and reporters. There is a lead role available for the character "Jason" - a multiracial
teenage boy. Additional speaking roles, and numerous extras, stand-ins, and photo doubles will be cast.

People of any ethnicity are encouraged to attend the open calls. No previous acting or extra experience is required. These open casting calls are free to attend.

Where:
1473 Erie Boulevard
Schenectady, NY 12305

When:
• Men 21 yrs and older - June 4, 2011 10:00am to 12:00pm
• Women 21 yrs and older - June 4, 2011 1:00pm to 3:00pm

Multi-racial, Hispanic, and African American boys are especially encouraged to attend because the casting director is seeking a 15-20 year old boy for a LEAD ROLE in this film, however people of any ethnicity are welcome:

• Boys 13 to 20 yrs - June 5, 2011 10:00am to 12:00pm
• Girls 13 to 20 yrs - June 5, 2011 1:00pm to 3:00pm

On the right, Mr Gosling ready for some action. Original by TimesUnion. Bigger and even better version just clicking on it! Ladies, don't let your eyes defeat you: those arms come standard with the t-shirt.

If you live near the Schenectady, NY area or will be in the area during filming (July 25, 2011 through late September, 2011) but can't attend the open casting calls, you can email a recent color snapshot, all contact information, clothing sizes, physical stats, and your exact dates of availability to the following: BeyondThePinesCasting@gmail.co

// 8. Schenectady: The Place Beyond the Pines - according to Schenectady official site - It was here, in Schenectady, where Thomas Edison founded what would become the General Electric Company, where George Westinghouse invented the rotary engine and air brakes, where the American Locomotive Works once made virtually every steam and diesel locomotive to pull passengers and move freight across our country, where New York State's first historic district, the Stockade, was named ... and where The Place Beyond The Pines is going to be filmed.

- according to timesunion.com- Pre-production crews for "The Place Beyond the Pines" began moving into Schenectady on Monday June 20th, 2011 setting the scene for some Hollywood action during the summer. The movie will be shot in some local banks as well as sections of the Woodlawn Preserve and Albany Pine Bush Preserve as well as at several Schenectady homes, Schenectady Film Commission head Don Rittner said Monday.

"You have people who are rabid fans and unfortunately they want to hang around, they want to see them, get their autograph, marry them" -said Rittner, who is assisting the producers- "In a small city like this, that could be a real problem in terms of logistics" -Mr Rittner kills us. He sounds like a Simpsons character, doesn't he??-

The production, however, will not require much police involvement because few, if any, streets will be shut down for the cameras. He would not illuminate where the stars might be staying but said most of the crew found places in the city ...

// 9. contest to visit the set Producer Lynette Howell run a charirty auction giving the chance to a couple of fortunate people to visit the Set of The Place Beyond the Pines. The proceeds for this item benefit ACLU of Southern California.

Terms: Shooting begins July 25, 2011 in the area of Schenectady, NY and runs until approximately October 5, 2011. To be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon date and time. Valid for 2 people. Meet & greets with cast members are NOT guaranteed and solely based on availability and day of shooting. Transportation and accommodations are NOT included. Cannot be resold or re-auctioned. Auction starts right here.

// 10. on your marks, get ... set ... go! On Monday July 25th 2011 begins the shoot of The Place Beyond The Pines in Schenectady. There's a big expectation for media to find that place behind the pines where the crew are planning to start filming; some newspapers even make public calls to their readers asking for their help. Despite the secrecy, news on the location are starting to surface though, like the tips announced in The First National Bank of Scotia's website:

"1st National Bank of Scotia will be playing host to part of the production of a new independent film. Due to the filming schedule the lobby of 1st National Bank, at 201 Mohawk Avenue will be closed Wednesday, July 27th, 2011"

According to John Buhrmaster -president of First National Bank- most of the July 27 filming will take place inside the First National main branch, where a robbery scene will be set. Most of the bank employees will also be used as extras in the scene since Derek Cianfrance, the director, wants it to look real. "He doesn't want to train people to act as tellers when he can have real tellers," Buhrmaster said.

-according to Lauren Stanforth, Times Union staff writer- The production team will be filming inside the First National Bank of Scotia in the village Wednesday July 27th and in the area of Route 5 and Johnson Road in Glenville on Thursday. The location is fitting, considering that Gosling's character is reported to be a motorcycle stunt rider who turns to robbing banks to support a son he didn't know he had.

The city school district has also announced that producers are looking for teen extras for several scenes that will be shot at Schenectady High School on Aug. 25 and 26. One can go to the school district's website for more information.

The area has already gotten a taste of star sightings, thanks to Cooper, who shadowed the Schenectady Police Department last week for his role as a rookie cop. He made a low-key appearance at a police swearing-in at City Hall last Monday. A police dispatcher went on Fly 92 FM last week and said that no one from the public recognized Cooper when he went out on police calls with officers.

Other scenes for the movie will be shot at Ellis Hospital , Schenectady High School, the Schenectady Police Station, and some as-yet-unnamed area restaurants.

Above, Ryan Gosling and Peter Dolan at Bombers Burrito Bar in Schenectady. Original image courtesy of Matt Baumgartner. On the right, a detail of Mr Gosling's fake tattoos made for the film.

// 11. first images ... On July 25th 2011 writer Matt Baumgartner uploaded a picture of Ryan Gosling and Peter Dolan at Bombers Burrito Bar in Schenectady where visitor could see Mr Gosling spotting his bleached hair and a collection of prison tattoos where you can see:

i -the classic spider web
ii -a boxer
iii -Frankenstein
ix -and what it looks like an exclamation mark in his left eye.

Please, do a time warp and enjoy the image at its splendour in the author's page.

Updated July 27th 2011 - cbs6albany.com- On July 26th, CBS 6 cameras caught a glimpse of Gosling leaving his trailer at Mary Rose's Hen House Restaurant on Route 5 in Scotia. Police Chief Thomas Rush asked curious to be respectful. Click here to see the video.

"My main concern is the sightseers and paparazzi. Be respectful. These people are out there to do a job, not just the actors but the people making the film"

Updated July 28th 2011 - JustJared.com- On July 28th, a brief collection of pictures of Gosling riding a motorbike appear in the net. Those pictures give the viewer the first hints on Gosling's character, Luke. Taking a close look at the bike's front and side, viewer can see the legend "Handsome Luke and The Heart Throbs" and a caricature of his character with black shades and the exclamation mark tattoo.

Trivia Detail: The left side of the motorbike displays this same caricature with the tattoo on the left side while the front displays an invert image, with the tattoo on the right side.

Updated August 20th 2011 - JustJared.com- In August 20th, a collection of pictures of Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes in the set of The Place Beyond the Pines start some rumours about the possibility of a romance between the co-stars, beyond "The Place Beyond the Pines". The couple can be seen taking a stroll, sharing a cigarrette, and sharing "the look". Only time would proof the old Yiddish proverb, which says that there are only three things that can't be hidden: coughing, poverty, and love ...

[Ryan & Eva #1] [Ryan & Eva #2] [Ryan & Eva #3] [Ryan & Eva #4] [Ryan & Eva #5] [Ryan & Eva #6] [Ryan & Eva #7] [Ryan & Eva #8] [Ryan & Eva #9]

In September 3rd 2011 US Weekly published the first images of the couple spending some time out of the set of the movie . Gosling and Mendes were spotted in Disneyland, riding the Toy Story ride, the California Screamin' rollercoaster, a Little Mermaid adventure and the ferris wheel, snacking on churros, cotton candy and corn on the cob. Life can be good sometimes!

According to a source close to Mendes -awww those close friends anxious to share personal info about others!- "It hasn't been a secret how excited Eva's been to film with him, and she's always joked with us about how gorgeous he is," the source adds. "She's never been shy about having the hots for him!"

// 12. work in progress... to be continued