Some places are total "closed movie sets"

[SaiGirl]

Louisiana is for MOVIES.
Lots of fantastic "closed sets"!

“Writer-director-actor John Schneider discovered Livingston Parish in 2012 during a reunion of the cast of “The Dukes of Hazzard”. John, known as “Bo Duke” on the 1970’s classic show has now taken over the campus of Camp Singing Waters in Holden, Louisiana, opening an independent studio to produce films. Schneider has held a lifelong passion of writing, music, and film and since 2012 has found himself living naturally from his motor home on a friend’s property in Livingston Parish. He got the idea from a friend (Tyler Perry from Hammond, LA) to start his own studio and chose the perfect spot along the banks of the Tickfaw River at Camp Singing Waters. “Spending every waking moment getting the studio ready and loving it,” Schneider posted recently on his website, thejohnschneider.com. The studio boasts 5,000 square feet of sound stage with 20 ft. ceilings, a variety of interesting locations to shoot, lakes, swamps, and even a “Southeast Asia” style bamboo forest! His new studio is certain to bring a new caliber of film-making to the Livingston Area. The movie “Smothered” has already offered the first testimonial to the facility. “As the first producer to utilize the camp, I have to say it rocked!” wrote Doug Blake. “Plenty of parking, easy access from Baton Rouge, a mess hall and pavilion that was great for cast and crew, and total cooperation from local law enforcement. The total package.” Schneider describes Louisiana as “a filmmaker’s paradise” because of its diverse locations and the growth of the industry attracted by tax and other incentives that have been developed by state government.”

[SaiGirl]

With a cast of thousands ("extras") there is an even greater risk of accidental injury or even death.
These ops must be "insured" somehow.

Check out the 1976 film "The Day of the Locust".
They show an accidental scaffold collapse during the filming of a "Battle of Waterloo" scene.
There are no deaths. Only some broken legs.
But everyone is kept quiet and the insurance company covers the damages and medical costs.

[SaiGirl]

This would be the most spectacular and authentic representation of the Battle of Waterloo (1815) long before Hollywood could fake it with digital graphics.



Rod Steiger's performance is a bit over the top ("rug chewing" as they say), but otherwise all the players are outstanding.

This must have been hugely expensive to produce.
I can't imagine how they would have managed to eke out a profit at the box office back in 1970.

[SaiGirl]

Before digital graphics, they had to “fake it” for REAL.
Meaning, they had to stage a super convincing simulation that closely approximated reality on camera.

The special effects, dangerous stunts and cast of thousands had to be real.



As you watch this, remind yourself how expensive and how technically challenging it was to produce spectacles like this BEFORE the development of digital graphics.

The insurance policies and NDAs must have been incredibly complex and very carefully worded. With an army of lawyers to enforce all contracts.