Lights, camera, mayhem! ‘Trauma’ set to shoot
July 21, 2009
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| Cinematic fantasies: Filming of the TV show “Trauma” will include explosions and cars careening into crowds. (Courtesy Photo) |
SAN FRANCISCO — A car careening out of control and plowing into a street fair or an emergency in a downtown skyscraper are just a taste of the high-impact drama facing San Francisco starting Wednesday.
Filmmaking magic comes to The City with NBC Universal beginning production of 12 episodes for the new TV drama “Trauma,” scheduled to premiere in September.
The production will bring its share of disruptions, such as traffic diversions, but also big dollars for the ailing local economy, along with priceless free advertising.
City Film Office head Stefanie Coyote said shooting begins Wednesday in North Beach at various locations with “interiors and exteriors,” capturing local business attractions such as Caffe Trieste.
“The big thing that is happening is the following week, next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday is a big street fair where there is an out-of-control car that goes careening into the street fair on Justin Herman Plaza,” Coyote said.
That’s just Episode 1. Coyote explained that each episode requires about eight days of shooting, with five days on location somewhere in
The City and three days on Treasure Island, where sets have been created.
Each episode will have at least one “high-impact” or “high-drama” three-day shoot in The City — think explosions, car crashes and an emergency in a downtown high-rise.
The City’s local economy will be infused by about $3 million per episode with such production expenses as salaries, hotel stays and catering, Coyote said.
Filming of the 12 episodes will continue until December, and if it’s popular another nine will be shot until April. If the series stays on the air, filming will continue.
“They are committed to basing this series in San Francisco as long as it’s successful and on the air,” Coyote said.
NBC.com describes the series as a one-hour drama “like an adrenaline shot to the heart.” “When emergencies occur, the trauma team from San Francisco General is first on the scene, traveling by land, by sea or by air to reach their victims in time.”
jsabatini@sfexaminer.com
