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Question:
When it comes to demolition projects, what could be more demanding
than asking a blasting firm to fell a stubby, heavily-reinforced
concrete structure in the heart of a third-world country?
Answer:
Asking them to fell only half.
Such
was the charge recently put forth to Controlled Demolition Group
(CDG), Yorkshire, UK when they were called to Casablanca, Morocco
to provide a stunning demolition effect for the upcoming Universal
Pictures film Spy Game, starring Robert Redford and Brad
Pitt.
Director
Tony Scott (True Romance, Enemy of the State) and his
team contacted the renowned demolition firm after seeing their
work on television and receiving recommendations from explosives
manufacturers. Controlled Demolition Group Managing Director
Charles Moran explains: "They asked us to blow down the
front of the building but leave the back half standing for maximum
effect. I was shown a model of what they wanted us to achieve,
and calculating the right balance was technically demanding
to say the least."
Filming
was originally intended to take place in Israel, but the production
and demolition teams were forced to pull out of the region mid-way
through preparatory work when conflicts flared between Palestinians
and Israelis. CDG engineers then set their sights on a new location
in Casablanca, Morocco where a 5-story apartment block located
in an industrial complex was purchased direct from the ruler
of Morocco and dressed to simulate downtown Beirut.
The close
proximity of an oil refinery and local housing posed considerable
concern to community officials, and several meetings using interpreters
were required before permission was granted. To further allay
the fears of local authorities, Controlled Demolition Group
brought in one of the explosive industry's leading structural
documentation firms, Protec Documentation Services Inc., Mt.
Laurel, NJ, USA to inspect the condition of adjacent buildings
and utilities prior to the event. Protec inspectors brought
extensive special-effects related experience to the project,
having previously worked on building-blast projects appearing
in the films Enemy of the State, Roger & Me: The Return
to Flint, CBQ Ascentia and Lethal Weapon-3.
The task
of pre-weakening and preparing the structure was daunting, explains
Moran: "The building's reinforced concrete floors and masonry
walls were a half-meter thick, which required the drilling of
many more holes than usual to ensure the front walls would fall
away as planned. On top of that, special effects coordinator
Trevor Wood wanted flames to shoot out of the front of the building
moments before it came down, so we had to design a way to propel
flames out past the explosives without disrupting the circuits
and charges."
Controlled
Demolition Group engineers then loaded the building using 15
kilograms of explosives, 331 non-electric detonating charges
and 300 meters of 40-grain detonating cord.
On demolition
day, a 130-meter exclusion zone was drawn up and a nearby refugee
camp was evacuated for the afternoon while directors waited
for the sun to hit the required height in the sky for continuity
of filming. During the delay, and despite the fact that a stunt
double was being used for the scene, Brad Pitt appeared on the
set and requested guidance to a safe location to photograph
the blast with his personal camera. CDG representatives granted
access to a nearby rooftop and remained with Mr. Pitt to help
insure his safety.
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