Transformers 3, Part 3

So today they set a lot of things on fire...like this sign.

It took a week but finally today they got the cars ready for their big scene. Of course why would I have gotten a picture of the cars exploding and getting shoved off the platform? That's just asking for too much! But I did get to see it happen which was really cool, just not enough time to run and get my camera.

But I got the camera in time to show some smoke from the fireworks of the cars being dropped.

One lone cameraman stayed up there. The rest were remote.

Body builder....he was carrying the concrete chucks everywhere! :)

The reason it took a week to happen...you can't interrupt naptime! Seriously, the guys took a nap.

Getting ready for the next scene....swat guys shooting at...well nothing but I'm sure in the movie there will be a transformer getting shot.

Swat guys.

Swat guys firing and smoke starting to come up.

Lots of fireworks, explosions and smoke from the shootout.

Hopefully the good guys won this battle. Please note poor little red car and how it got so beat up from it's drop off the parking garage. It was so new and perfect only hours before....

Well I don't work tomorrow and I think (hope) that life should be returning to normal and they should be done filming so probably no more pics. Guess we'll just have to wait for the movie!

Transformers 3, Part 2

(Bus before)

Due to the Chicago Air Show this weekend the Transformer's shoot got delayed. Bad for them but awesome for me! The pictures aren't the greatest but remember I am on the 6th floor shooting through some really thick glass that reflects!

Destruction and mayhem

The bus getting a little dirty. A lot of the "ash" around the bus is actually just dirt.

Making sure the bus will flip properly.

Shia Labeouf & Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (yes, I totally had to look up who the blonde was.)

I'll give the chick props, they re-shot the scene for over an hour and she always looked the same and only got her makeup/hair touched up once. Safe to say she must be a robot.

Shia kept bouncing before every shot. Hence the blurred photo of him. I think he needs a little less caffeine.

My co-worker Kim was fixing a pair of glasses and said "hey I just heard them say "3...2...1"". Well as she said "1" they exploded/flipped the bus over. It was loud and definitely made my heart race for the rest of the day. But so cool! :)

After they blew up the one bus they switched it out with another "stunt" bus. Not sure what the purpose was but it was entertaining to watch the huge cranes move the buses around.

Well, that's not a local sign unless Chinatown just migrated north to the Loop and I wasn't told. So lookout for it in the movie.

They still haven't crushed/blown-up/driven off the 4 cars on the addition to the parking garage so hopefully that will be done tomorrow while I'm at work. If they do, I'll post some more pics to keep everyone updated!

Transformers 3

So we found out last week that Transformers would be filming some scenes for the movie at the parking garage near my building. I stare at this parking structure everyday. I am always amazed by the valets and how they drive really expensive cars. Since the past couple days the crews have been working on sets on the top level the valets have been practicing donuts with people's cars like a nice BMW. Ferris Bueller was correct at how valet's drive cars in Chicago.

So it took almost two days for the crew to just add a pretend concrete corner.


Things got exciting as it was time to leave work, they finally used one of the big cranes and lifted the little red car up to the platform.


It took forever for that to happen. Seriously how do movie people make any money? I assume since I don't work today that all the good stuff will happen while I'm off and I'll come back in time to watch them take apart the structure it took two days to put up.

oh well that's the movies.

For Meesa: To the Village

I went back home to Bellevue, Michigan last weekend and since Meesa is having a hard time picturing how I'm from a village....this blog is for you!

Normally I would follow I-94 home but I was forwarned about the construction and decided to stay on 80-90. This made for a very boring ride home, thank god I had lots of music to sing a long with.


Just past Valparaiso, IN when I started seeing nasty black smoke. It took a while but I finally got to the scene of the crime. No idea what it used to be but it wasn't healthy to be breathing since it was thick black smoke. Guess it's no worse than breathing while driving through Gary, IN.

Finally in Michigan...this is pretty much what you see the entire way...trees.

Getting closer. To the left....sweet home Chicago....to the right...Eastsiiide (also home of the Wings) and straight ahead Bellevue.


From this sign it looks like a big important place :)

Why yes that is a tractor driving down the road...he actually got over so I could go around. I know I'm close now!
Entering the Village limits.

Notice the stop light and the "blinking light"...we are special because we have both. This is Bellevue's business district. It can be overwhelming how fast paced and full of action Bellevue can be on a Saturday. Also notice that the only vehicles are trucks.

We are very proud that we were the first in Eaton County (obviously since it's on both signs!). Bellevue has a Crane festival and gets invaded by these large birds every year.

Yes this is where all the cool people dine in Bellevue. And don't think because it's in the middle of nowhere that it won't have interesting things to eat...ostrich burger anyone?

My dirt road aka River Road. What you can't see since it's summer, are the pond on either side of the road. I spent many hours swimming, fishing and catching frogs at the pond to the right.

Corn. yup this year it's corn on the side of the road, next it will be soybeans. Gotta rotate the crops so the soil stays healthy.

Home. Woods and the river to the left and gardens, barn and lots of grass to the right.


Dad mowing the lawn. :)

When in Bellevue, you gotta drive a truck, seriously it's like my jeep is unable to handle the roads because Dad insists that if we are going somewhere we have to take one of the trucks. This would be my favorite because it makes me feel like a badass.
Need a pop (not soda, you bake with soda)? On the way home from Battle Creek from dinner. Gotta support local businesses.

Dad found this lil' guy while mowing. He knew I'd want to take a picture. I'd really like to take him home but Paul is pretty strict about bring home animals.
Some of mom's flowers.

Pretty standard sunset in the Midwest, outside of Chicago of course.

On my way home...stuck in traffic near Gary. Joy.

The Skyway. Ahh back to the orange lights of Chicago.

Hope you enjoyed this Meesa! You know I'm not the skilled blogger that you are!