STILL WANDERING: MONTEPULCIANO REPORT

Maggie, a blogger and film student who was fortunate enough to get on the set of Twilight last year, is back, and this time she has an exclusive report from Montepulciano, where New Moon will be partially filmed. She’s gotten some amazing pictures and was nice enough to let the world in on her little trip:

On my second day there I was sitting in the way through a film theory book with a glass of red and enjoying the general splendor of the beautiful day and the striking architecture that would soon be turned into a film set. Behind me I noticed a sign in front of the Information Center for the town, and as I approached it I could see it was the call for extras auditions for New Moon. The men one day, and the women and children the following day.

I went into the Info Center and asked one of the employees there a bunch of questions about Montepulciano’s participation in the filming. She hadn’t heard of the books, but she said she did notice that they were going to be particularly busy during that week, despite that usually being a fairly quiet tourism time for them. She said that she had been handling some of their hotel bookings, and that she was also helping out booking accomodation and other odds and ends for the film crew.

It was clear pretty quickly that she didn’t know what the town was in for. I told her I had heard about a gathering of the Italian fans that was going to take place at the end of filming and she just said ‘that’s nice. We’re excited about the tourism.’ It will be neat to talk to her after the filming, and again perhaps a year from now to see how tourism has increased due to the Twilight connection.

Obviously the Piazza Grande will be used. That will be the busy square that Bella runs through just as the clock (conveniently on the tower) strikes noon. There are two alleys on either side of the main building, and both are fairly atmospheric, but I’m not convinced that they’ll be the ones used in the film. Looking at the front of the building, the alley on the left is the town’s public toilets, and the alley on the right is a cash machine… practical, yes, but not very visually dynamic. You can see on the pictures though just how they might be dressed, or how the camera angle could change to include only those elements that the filmmakers want.

Read the full blog and view all the amazing pictures here.

(Thanks Alex)

Montepulciano is beautiful, and while I’m a bit saddened that Volterra won’t actually be used, I’m happy that they’re doing what’s in the best interest of the film. Maggie’s report from Italy is great and makes you truly feel like you’re there. I can’t wait to go through each picture and see what we’re in for with New Moon.

What did you think of this report? Did you enjoy a little more insight into Montepulciano? Are you upset that Volterra won’t be used?