'The Five Year Engagement' filming around Ann Arbor today
"Five Year Engagement" stars Emily Blunt and Jason Segel.
On Wednesday afternoon, if you noticed some equipment and a few men working in Liberty Plaza, at Liberty and Division streets, they were preparing for a night shoot for the Jason Segel/Emily Blunt feature film "The Five Year Engagement."
Joseph Parise, a Detroit-based grip (lighting and rigging technician) working for the "Five Year" team, noted that they'd already covered some street lights in the immediate area.
"You don't want this big, bright, ambient light while they're shooting," he explained. And while the city has agreed to keep those specific lights turned off for the night shoot, Parise and his colleagues weren't taking any chances.
Parise was also digging out some packed snow with a small block of wood, in order to clear the way for a dolly track.
"Although they will mainly film here in June, they needed some snow scenes," said U-M Film Office director Lee Doyle via e-mail, after confirming "Five Years"' filming on Wednesday. "They worked with stand-ins today, doing walk-aways, and extras. They shot in Ingalls Mall."
While some locals speculated that filming was happening at U-M's Rackham Building, it appeared as though the West Conference Room on the fourth floor was merely used as a lunch room and holding area for extras on Wednesday.
As previously reported, the movie focuses on a couple who get engaged in their 20s, but spend five years grappling with break-ups, cross-country moves, and other growing pains.
Jenn McKee is the entertainment digital journalist for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.
Comments
say it plain
Wed, Mar 2, 2011 : 10:23 p.m.
who was filming on Miller west of Seventh this afternoon? Had some trucks parked along the sides of the roads and police cars with flashing lights...same production?
say it plain
Thu, Mar 3, 2011 : 6:04 p.m.
Cool, how nice! The streets around there are some of my favorite in Ann Arbor, happy to hear they might be appearing in a snowy-escapade (so it sounds like lol) scene of a hopefully decent romcom...
Lon Horwedel
Thu, Mar 3, 2011 : 3:33 a.m.
It was the same production. I was taking my daughter to her friend's house and we cut off Miller to avoid the traffic jam and took Pinetree to Newport. Turns out Pinetree was where most of the film crew had their trucks parked and when I pulled up to the stop sign the lead actor, Jason Segal, was sitting in a car parked on the street next to us. He was totally covered in snow, which was pretty odd, and he looked miserable and cold. Still, he chatted with me and my daughter for a bit while we were sitting there next to him before we split. A real nice guy - my daughter was pretty embarrassed by the whole thing, but at least now she has something to talk about at school tomorrow.
David Briegel
Wed, Mar 2, 2011 : 10:18 p.m.
We don't want or need any of these people or their investment in our state. Slick Rick has other plans! Have you heard the Gov talk about jobs? Didn't think so!