Mise-en-Scene Presentations

Released in 2003, The Italian Job is an American remake of the 1969 British film of the same name, and is about a team of thieves who plan to steal gold from a former associate who double-crossed them.

It had an estimated budget of 60 million dollars.

Most of the film was shot on location in Venice, Italy and Los Angeles. CA, where canals and streets, respectively, were temporarily shut down during principal photography.

Crew Credits:
Director: F. Gary Gray (Group: Brad Collins)
Production Designer: Charles Wood (Amy Cotton)
Cinematography: Wally Pfister (Kelli Cosby)
Art Director: Mark Zuelzke/Doug Meerdink (Travis Terry)




The scene we choose for our Mise-en presentation is "into the Subway"

Visual Communication Objectives:
It is a race against time...are they going to make it?

This scene sets up the physical context by showing the cars racing down the street and then entering the subway station and then the subway tunnel.

The psychological context is all about the race against time, building the viewers anticipation. It begins with actor in the control booth saying "you have 90 seconds" throughout the clip he continues to counts down, "30 sec." "15 sec.", another actor in one of the cars says "go,go,go". Also speed of the cars racing down the stairs, through the crowds with people jumping out of the way and then racing the actual train. The end is classic, not only do they beat the train, but the way the actor in the control booth says STOP, right there (and laughs), the camera shows just him pushing a button on his computer, then the train stops perfectly lined up with the wall, it ends that adrenalin rush and you go - wow, they made it!

Social context - cars do not belong on sidewalks or in subways which is demonstrated by the driver of the train and couple who are passengers on the train looking at the mini coopers racing alongside of them on the platform - plus all the people jumping out of the way.


Production Designer: Charles Wood

It was my task to explore the role of production designer.

What does a production designer do?

A production designer is the person responsible for the overall look of a filmed event. Production designers have one of the key creative roles. They work directly with the director and producer to select the settings and style that will visually tell the story.

Mr Wood was educated at the City & Guilds of London Art School with a Degree with Honors in Fine Art Conservation and Restoration. He is fluent in English and French. He has the opportunity to film in Australia, Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Ghana, Holland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Philippines, Thailand, U.A.E., U.S.A., United Kingdom, Canary Islands.

According to IMBD, Mr. Wood's body of work includes the following:

Visual effects (4 credits)
1996 Downdraft (TV Movie) (visual effects designer)
1993 Fearless (visual effects art department: Introvision)
1993 The Fugitive (art director)
1992 Under Siege (visual effects art director - uncredited)

Art department (3 credits)
1995 Josh Kirby... Time Warrior: Chapter 1, Planet of the Dino-Knights (Video) (art director: additional photography)
1994 New Nightmare (draftsman - as Charles J.H. Wood)
1992 Army of Darkness (assistant art director)

Production Designer (21 credits).
2016 Doctor Strange (announced)
2015 Avengers: Age of Ultron (post-production)
2014 Guardians of the Galaxy
2013 Thor: The Dark World
2012 Wrath of the Titans
2010 The A-Team
2008 The Love Guru
2008/I Fool's Gold
2006 Flyboys
2006 Amazing Grace
2005 The Honeymooners
2004 Laws of Attraction
2004 Mindhunters
2003 The Italian Job
2001 Driven
2000 Get Carter (as Charles J.H. Wood)
2000 Geppetto (TV Movie) (as Charles J.H. Wood)
1998 Legionnaire
1997 Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
1997 DãNA (Video)
1994 Twin Sitters


In the completed film, the Mini Coopers drive down the steps of the Hollywood/Highland Station and into the subway tunnel. The clip is only a few seconds in the movie but involved days of shooting.

Before filming, the stair railings had to be removed to accommodate the cars, plus production crew constructed false steps to protect the real ones from the pounding of the Mini Coopers, even though they are small, they are still cars and are very heavy.

The magic of film...rather than ducking into the Hollywood/Highland subway tunnel as it appeared in the movie, the cars were filmed driving down the platform and onto the tracks at 7th/Metro Station because there was more room to maneuver.

If you want to shoot a film using the subway, it can be done - but filming may not interfere with service. Whether you want the light-rail, on the bus, just a bus in the background or at Metro headquarters. Which is why much of the filming particularly on the rail lines occurs at night, after the last train has delivered the last passenger for the day. However, if shooting does not affect service it can happen during the day.

To give you an idea of how much it costs...

Train Station Platform, Mezzanine and/or Escalators AND Control of a Train (Red, Purple, Gold, Blue or Green Line)
$6,000 for minimum of 6 hours
$1,500 for each additional hour
Plus personnel cost



32 Minis were used throughout the shooting

Three electric-powered Mini Coopers, and one Mini Cooper S had to be specially built for the film, since gasoline-powered vehicles are not allowed to operate in L.A.'s subway system.

The subway tunnel is one of the few sets built for this movie.

Scenes were filmed in a hangar in Downey, California, where the first space shuttle was built.