Subtitle ‘Above the limits of film making’. Vox pops of production team and production in process, intercut with images from Vertical Limit film. Title ‘Shooting the Limit: The Making of Vertical Limit’. In 1999 Columbia Pictures came to New Zealand to create a Hollywood blockbuster in a harsh mountainous environment. A Maori blessing is held on the mountain, we see Temuera Morrison. The director Martin Campbell talks about the story behind the film, and the challenge of making the film. A voiceover explains that actors used to ‘make believe’ find themselves on a real mountain facing real risks.
Actor Chris O’Donnell talks about his experiences. Martin Campbell talks about the important ‘actor’ in the film, the mountain K2, and the fact that New Zealand duplicates the Himalayas. Mt Cook is the stand in for K2. The Producer Lloyd Phillips talks about his biggest fear being safety. The actors are shown taking part in an intensive training course at an indoor climbing wall facility, then on the mountain. The actors have four weeks to become mountaineers. Actor Robin Tunney talks about her experiences, and not having mountain experience. Scott Glenn talks about ice climbing and how he enjoyed it after thinking he wouldn’t. The Producer talks about how it was necessary for the training period for the actors to feel comfortable in the environment. Footage of the film, depicting the actors on the side of the mountain.
Equipment and crew is ferried into the mountains each day, followed by the actors. The Producer talks about the effect on the film of shooting on a real mountain. A snow machine recreates a snow storm. Robin Tunney talks about the weather effects as being a challenge. Actor Bill Paxton talks about acting at altitude. Guy Cotter of Mountain Safety talks about New Zealand maritime climate conditions. Mountain Safety is responsible for the safety of the production on the mountain, paralleling the story of the film. Bill Paxton talks about the foolhardiness of the production.
Mountaineer Ed Viesturs who plays himself in the movie talks about the rapid climate changes. Life imitates art when the weather becomes unpredictable. Mountain Safety become concerned when the weather takes a turn for the worst, and it is obvious they have a problem. Phil Patterson, 1st Assistant Director, talks about the problem of cloud coming over, and perhaps being stuck on the mountain. The crew packs up as cloud cover closes in. The production people move off in single file through the snow, and the helicopter takes them off in a window of opportunity. The director Martin Campbell talks about filming on Mount Cook.
The weather wrecks havoc with the production schedule, and crucial scenes are filmed at lower locations. Excerpts from the film show these sequences. Steve Kroschel, Avalanche Director, talks about his work filming an avalanche which they create with an explosion. The actor Scott Glenn has asked to film a scene on an ice wall, which wasn’t scheduled. Scott Glenn talks about the filming of the eight takes.
Filming at the make-believe K2 Base Camp is shown. Ellen Hiller, Second Assistant Director talks about production problems. Up to 1000 production and crew are working here for four weeks. Phil Patterson talks to the large crowd of extras about safety issues. Phil Patterson, 1st Assistant Director, talks about his experiences of the vast undertaking. The base camp is as squalid and bleak as the one in the film.
A studio is built to film some scenes including a rescue mission by helicopter on K2. Izabella Scorupco who plays Monique Aubertine talks about her experiences. Footage from the film is juxtaposed with film of the production. Actor Chris O’Donnell talks about the filming. Actor Bill Paxton talks about working with the director. Martin Campbell talks about the experience of directing. The actors talk about the director’s commitment to the film.
The director talks about being exhausted physically. A scene shot in the studio is put in jeopardy when moths take over. The Director talks about the tough time nearing the end of the shoot when one is tired and there is pressure. Queenstown is awash with floods, and this also hampers the filming, and two days of shooting is lost. The Producer talks about being 17 days behind schedule, 13 due to weather. The flooding is the worst on record, and the crew must evacuate the studio.
The cast and crew have a New Year party. The second unit prepare for the ‘King’s Leap’. The action is directed by Simon Crane. Chris O’Donnell the actor is nervous. He is lowered into a steep mountain crevasse. A stuntman takes over to do the leap. Jamie Edgell the Professional Stuntman talks about the stunt. The stuntman takes the leap.
The production team must make decisions about whether they will shoot in Utah or do it in New Zealand. A two hundred foot rock face must be constructed in a few weeks. The pressure is back on Simon Crane and his stunt team. Weeks are spent in rehearsal. Tests are done with sand bags. These scenes are for the opening scene which are depicted. The crew celebrate the end of a difficult shoot.