Airports, Arenas and Ambiance
As the filmmakers searched for the perfect city to serve as a backdrop for She’s Out of My League, they compiled a checklist of attributes: It needed to have luxuriously romantic settings, an NHL hockey team and perhaps most importantly, an airport that was available for extensive filming.
“First we looked for the airport, says Field Smith. “It was one of the most important settings in the story. But finding an airport that you can film in the way we needed to is almost unheard of. It’s easier to build a set.
While scouting locations, the filmmakers visited the Pittsburgh International Airport. After a tour of the facility, it was clear that the restrictions on time and access would make shooting there impossible. “We could film in certain areas between 2 AM and 3 AM, and in another area at 5 AM, but only with one camera, says Field Smith. “As we were getting into the van to leave, someone mentioned there was a concourse that wasn’t being used, and asked if we wanted to see it. We were on our way to make another flight, but we figured why not?
“And then they opened this little door, the director continues. “There was an entire half of the airport-empty. We could see planes through the glass, all the signage was up and all the moving walkways were still working.
“Unfortunately for them, and fortunately for us, fewer flights in and out of Pittsburgh had forced them to shut down an entire wing, adds Field Smith. We were able to film there with unfettered access to the entire concourse. It was literally a case of opening a door, flicking a light switch on and suddenly we had an entire movie set right there. I felt like Alice in Wonderland.
Even with half the airport to themselves, security restrictions for cast and crew were still tight. “Getting in and out of a working airport did present some logistical challenges, says George Gatins. “Every day was as if we were all getting on a flight. We had to go through security, taking off our shoes and removing our belts. There were a lot of dos and don’ts. We were guests at the airport, so we wanted to make sure we didn’t overstay our welcome or cause any unnecessary inconvenience.
The extras were instructed not to bring anything along that couldn’t be taken on a plane, even food or water. “And of course, no guns or knives, please, Field Smith says. “But it was such an incredible find. We felt like we’d stumbled upon a secret. It was definitely the main reason we came to Pittsburgh, and then when we got there, we discovered all this other amazing stuff.
The second key item on the list was getting the cooperation of a professional hockey team. Producer Jimmy Miller, a Pittsburgh native, had worked in the Mellon Arena as an usher when he was a teenager. “Jimmy still has season tickets to the Penguins, says Gatins. “And one of his friends from college is a vice president with the franchise. The Penguins gave us access to everything we could have asked for. They gave us luxury boxes; they gave us seats right on the ice; they allowed us to shoot during a sold out game at the Mellon Arena.
For a born-and-bred Briton like Field Smith, the learning curve on the popular North American sport was steep. “As a guy coming from the UK, I knew nothing about hockey, he admits. “I went to four games during pre-production to get a sense of how to shoot it. Our very first night, we were filming in the front row right next to the ice. It was a baptism by fire, or baptism by ice, I should say.
The first day of production for She’s Out of My League took place at the Mellon Arena during a live game. “We basically had 18,000 unofficial extras, Field Smith remembers. “The Penguin fans were so patient about having a movie crew moving in and around the arena. We had to change the film magazine on the camera every ten minutes or so, and the residents of Pittsburgh were passing them down the row to us like they were hot dogs.
The cast and crew were on hand for team captain Sidney Crosby’s first game back after an injury. “The crowd was incredibly excited, he continues. “Jay got to meet Sidney Crosby, who’s his all-time hero. And we all got to see Jay turn into a blubbering five-year-old, which was hilarious.
Some moviegoers may be surprised by the beauty of the “Steel City. Located at the confluence of the Monongahela and Alleghany Rivers as they meet and form the Ohio, Pittsburgh has multiple bridges and a magnificent skyline that make a dramatic backdrop for the story. The filmmakers scouted the city extensively for the settings seen in the film, including the world-renowned Andy Warhol Museum and Mount Washington, which was named “Best Urban Vista by USA Weekend. “Going in, we were unaware of everything the city had to offer, says Field Smith. “Once we got there, we started tailoring the story around Pittsburgh locations. There’s a scene between Kirk and Molly in Mount Washington with the city in the background that is fantastic.
In the end, the director found everything he needed in Pittsburgh, which was a pretty tall order. “It was a big movie in terms of the number of locations and people. It seemed like every scene involved hundreds of extras, says Field Smith. “We would do a take and then it took ten minutes to reset 300 people in their starting position. I felt like I was given this huge toy to play with and thousands of extras and an air show and planes and stunt vehicles and cars and all kinds of stuff. The only thing we didn’t have was an explosion!
By the end of the shoot, Field Smith was satisfied he had been able to make the movie he had originally envisioned. `When I first read the script, I completely pictured so many scenes in my head. So often you have to compromise on one thing or another, but happily I managed to keep it very close to what I originally visualized.
She’s Out of My League (2010)
Directed by: Jim Field Smith
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Alice Eve, T.J. Miller, Nate Torrence, Krysten Ritter, Geoff Stults, Lindsay Sloane, Kyle Bornheimer, Jessica St. Clair, Krysten Ritter, Debra Jo Rupp, Jasika Nicole
Screenplay by: Sean Anders, John Morris
Production Design by: Clayton Hartley
Cinematography by: Jim Denault
Film Editing by: Dan Schalk
ostume Design by: Molly Maginnis
Set Decoration by: Casey Hallenbeck
Art Direction by: Jim Gloster
Music by: Michael Andrews
MPAA Rating: R for for language and sexual content.
Distributed by: DreamWorks Pictures
Release Date: March 12, 2010
