In the script, there was a chase scene where Dom Cobb was pursuing the forger Eames. It was set in Mombasa, Kenya. Although Kenya was one of the safer countries in Africa, its proximity to Somalia posed certain security risks, and the filming conditions weren't ideal. Therefore, Christopher Nolan opted to shoot the scene in Morocco instead.
Morocco had long been Hollywood's largest filming base in Africa. Matthew had been here before for the shooting of Black Hawk Down and The Scorpion King. Other Hollywood films like Star Wars and The Mummy series had also used Morocco as a shooting location.
"Think you can do it?"
On the streets of the small town of Ouarzazate, Christopher Nolan looked at the narrow gap formed by two walls opposite him and asked, "Matthew, do you think you can squeeze through?"
Matthew, standing on the other side of the gap, examined it closely. "I'll give it a shot."
The gap was just wide enough for an average person to squeeze through sideways, but with his muscular build and broad chest, it wasn't a certainty.
He measured the width with his hands, turned sideways, and began to inch his way in. It was very narrow, and he could only move forward a little bit at a time.
The further he went, the narrower the gap became. He held his breath and tried to compress his chest as much as possible. It was a tight fit, but he could still manage to move forward.
"Hey, Matthew," Michael Fassbender's voice came from the other side. "You're going to get stuck!"
Matthew glanced back at him and replied, slightly muffled, "I've trained in the art of contortion."
Michael scratched his head, not understanding what he meant.
Eventually, Matthew squeezed through the tightest part and made it to the other side.
"How was it?" Christopher Nolan asked.
Matthew rubbed his chest and said, "Not too bad."
His chest muscles had felt like they were about to burst, but as long as they filmed quickly, he could manage.
Christopher Nolan shouted, "All departments, get ready for the shoot! Wardrobe and makeup, come touch up Matthew."
Since the weather in Morocco was hot, Matthew had only been wearing a thin, short-sleeved t-shirt. He hadn't yet changed into Dom Cobb's thick suit for the scene.
The makeup trailer was a short distance away, but instead of walking back, Matthew simply took off his t-shirt where he stood, revealing his toned upper body. The wardrobe assistant helped him change into his costume.
The sun shone brightly overhead, casting intense heat. The light brown buildings around them only added to the sweltering atmosphere. After less than 30 seconds in the suit, Matthew felt his shirt beneath it soaked in sweat.
By the time his makeup and costume were complete, the previously empty street was now packed with extras. A large crowd of locals, most of them African, filled the streets, creating a bustling scene.
The town of Ouarzazate was on the edge of the Sahara Desert, home to the Berber people for generations. Once Hollywood directors discovered this picturesque area, its landscapes frequently appeared in major films.
The locals built a film city near the filming sites, known as Atlas Studios, which had grown in size over the years. Now covering over 150 hectares, many movies not only shot their outdoor scenes here but also built indoor sets.
With studios and productions concentrated in the area, a large number of extras earned their living playing background roles.
Compared to Los Angeles extras, those in Ouarzazate were unbelievably cheap.
For example, today's extras, who played street passersby, were paid just three dollars a day, and countless people lined up to apply.
When Matthew had shot Black Hawk Down and The Scorpion King, he had been just an actor and hadn't paid much attention to these details. But now that he was also a producer, he became more involved in the logistics of film production.
Although the crew had to pay a hefty amount for travel expenses to shoot in Morocco, the lower costs of renting locations and hiring extras more than made up for it. There were also generous tax rebates from the Moroccan government. Overall, it was much more cost-effective to film desert scenes here than in North America.
If Fast and Furious ever needed to shoot large desert scenes in the future, Morocco would be a great option to save on costs.
Moreover, the infrastructure around Ouarzazate was so well-developed that it had been nicknamed "Morlywood," akin to China's Hengdian World Studios.
"Matthew..." Christopher Nolan called out from the street, motioning for him to come over. "Let's do a walkthrough."
Matthew followed Nolan to a two-story, restaurant-style building.
In the next chase scene, Nolan had decided to use a long take.
A long take for a scene that involved running down an entire street would be a challenge not just for the actors but also for the cameramen.
Cinematographer Wally Pfister and several assistants joined them.
Once everyone was in position, Nolan pointed to the open second floor of the restaurant and said, "Matthew, when we start filming, you'll jump down from there."
Matthew had already prepared for this. He glanced at the height of the second floor, tested the padding hidden under a shabby mat, and nodded.
Even without the padding, the height wasn't a problem for him.
As the group walked down the street, weaving through the extras, Nolan explained, "You'll face several attackers. At first, they'll try to capture you alive, but when they realize you're too hard to handle, they'll start shooting at you. You need to knock out anyone who gets in your way while escaping."
He gestured to a car parked nearby. "This car will be a turning point. Once you jump over it, that's when they start shooting."
Matthew listened carefully, taking mental notes. Long takes in action scenes were tough, both for actors and cinematographers. Since Nolan preferred practical effects, they hadn't rehearsed this scene extensively—just a couple of quick runs with the actors playing the attackers.
Eventually, they reached the narrow gap between the walls, and Nolan pointed. "You'll escape through here and meet Saito on the other side."
He pointed to the other side. "I'll be waiting for you over there."
Matthew smiled. "I love action scenes."
Nolan nodded, then had a brief conversation with Wally Pfister before heading to another street.
"Ten minutes until we start filming!" Nolan's voice came over the loudspeaker. "All departments, prepare for shooting in ten minutes!"
Just as Matthew was about to return to the starting point of the scene, Michael Fassbender suddenly appeared.
He pointed at the narrow gap and said, "Careful not to get stuck. If you do, don't panic. I'll call a demolition team to rescue you."
Matthew playfully punched him in the arm. "Keep joking, and I'll shove you in there myself."
Michael grinned like a shark. "I'm skinnier than you. I'll slide right out."
After exchanging a few more jokes, Matthew climbed up to the second floor of the restaurant. He sat at an old table, waiting patiently for the cue.
Soon, a crew member came to notify him that filming was about to begin.
When the clapperboard sounded, the shoot officially started.
Matthew turned his head, eyeing the extras on the second floor with suspicion. Without hesitation, he stepped onto the rickety wooden railing and jumped, landing on the padded mat below.
The mat was so soft that he stumbled slightly upon landing, but he quickly steadied himself. Glancing up, he saw a white man looking down from the second floor. Without wasting time, Matthew got up and ran down the street.
Behind him, the man jumped down as well.
Matthew had barely taken a few steps when a man in a suit suddenly lunged at him from the side. Still running, Matthew sidestepped, causing the man to crash into a couple of extras. Together, they knocked over a street vendor's stall, creating chaos.
More pursuers appeared behind him, and another man in a suit emerged from the side. Matthew didn't have time to grapple with him. As the man tried to grab him, Matthew kicked him down, darted between two pedestrians, and continued running.
Above him, two overhead cameras attached to wires followed his every move, capturing each frame.
Matthew moved nimbly. Although a few unexpected events occurred, and he collided with extras a couple of times, he quickly regained his balance, not losing a second.
He took down each pursuer with ease.
This new aspect of Dom Cobb's character—being an adept fighter—was something Nolan had specifically added for Matthew's portrayal.
Cobb wasn't invincible, but when it came to escaping and taking on one or two attackers, he was more than capable.
Another pursuer came after Matthew. Using the man's momentum, Matthew shoved him into a fruit stand, toppling the vendor's tent in the process.
Without stopping, Matthew slid past a nearby car.
"Fire!" an actor yelled behind him. "Kill him!"
Bang! Bang!
Gunfire erupted. Before the shots rang out, Matthew changed his running pattern from a straight line to a zigzag. The walls around him, fitted with soft explosives by the crew, burst into smoke, simulating bullet impacts.
Matthew reached the narrow gap between the walls. Seeing the blockade ahead, he glanced at the gap and squeezed in without hesitation.
But as soon as he passed through the middle, he suddenly found himself stuck.
Matthew quickly realized that the suit jacket the crew had given him was too thick, and the friction was too strong...
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