A lot of times, when we create the past, we make things that are inspired.
On this one, were inventing things.
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What was the biggest challenge?
Maybe there was one set that was really hard, or…
We had to make a genomics lab.
That was a big deal.
It had to have some very specific blocking requirements for the action.
And it was elemental, so [working with] water is really complicated.
Is this in Oscorp?
But theyre also at the fore of energy.
Suitable for an action scene?
Every scene is an action scene!
Because it has to spin.
He doesnt believe in gravity the same way we do.
He doesnt have to adhere to its rules.
So its a rotating set?
A little bit of Fred Astaire in there.
It wasnt on a gimbal.
It was on a rotisserie.
But he can walk on walls.
In fact every set has wires.
Theres a lot of location shooting on this movie…
Well, there is.
When you come for two weeks, you cant just go to any street.
You have to show how big New York is, to get your moneys worth and so on.
But that isnt how New Yorkers experience New York.
We dont go and stand under the Empire State Building its somewhere over the top of the tenement there.
Its not Culver City, its not Toronto, its not a stage.
As a designer, I steal regularly thats what were paid to do.
Marc [Webb] knows a great deal about it.
He had a background in it before he even did the first movie.
Sometimes theyre quotes times on a clock can refer to a number on a comic book.
Specifically, I think our version of the future is a lot different.
I dont think we stole much, but we were always inspired by it.
People who have jobs, people who work every day.
In the last three years, weve moved to [location inaudible] as has everyone else.
What about Electros costume?
Why didnt you choose that classic costume with the yellow mask and stuff?
Well, again, maybe its to my advantage that Im not an expert on all these characters.
But I dont think thats what they wanted.
This is another incarnation of the character.
Excuse me I talk with my hands a lot.
I work in LA, and everybodys like, Why are you so upset?
And I say, What are you talking about?
This is the way I talk?
[Waves arms about]
If you live in New York, you have the space, you know?
Thats why we talk with our hands.
He [Electro] was an interesting character.
We tried to have it have a story as well as look cool and strong.
Well, hes an Oscorp employee.
So yes, absolutely.
But yes, it does impact him.
And Oscorp is ever present.
I think one thing thats to Marcs credit is that nothing is arbitrary.
So yes is the answer to your question.
You said that some of the science is real and some of it is not so real.
Did you talk to real scientists for the film?
Ari Handel, one of the writers who was a collaborator on Darren AronofskysNoah, was a neuro biologist.
That was his career before.
Hes someone who was uniquely helpful to us, because he understood science and drama.
He was helpful because he could say this was believable, that this would make sense.
Biologys a big part of Oscorp.
Which I think thats whats fun about these comics, and why they appeal to young people.
My kids tend to identify with animals.
Im a lion, Im a horse.
Not as far as I was concerned.
But no, it was not an issue.
Because there was talk that the Oscorp building was going to appear inThe Avengersor something.
It was not brought to my attention, so I dont think so.
In the firstAmazing Spider-Man,the Lizard was all CG.
Theres plenty of computer graphics in this, and more, perhaps, than in many, many movies.
I think Marc and his team has decided thats the best, most effective way to work.
Can you tell us anything about The Rhino and his suit?
Rhino is Alexei, a Soviet.
Im not just putting on armour, its part of my body.
Rhino likes to bust through walls thats what he does.
He smashes right through the wall of a bank.
Thats how he robs it.
Hes a little bit weirdly playful in that way.
So yes, hes very different from Oscorp.
How about the evolution of Spider-Mans suit?
For that, Id refer you to Deborah Lynn Scott.
She did the work on the Spider-Man costume.
There was a lot of work done.
It seems to have turned back in time a little bit.
You may have seen him here.
Thats for you to decide.
For specifics, Id refer you to her, because she spent a lot of time working on it.
Ive heard its a little more traditional?
Thats what they say.
Yes, it is.
Its a little more like the ones in the earlier films.
He can do a little bit more.
The funny thing is he always ends up in his garage, tinkering.
Hes a science student.
Is there anything in this movie that youve never done before?
Ive never built so much stuff.
Ive never built sets.
More than I could imagine.
What would be a piece de resistance for a normal movie, were building every week.
So you do end up building a bunch.
And its also an old building with a brand new top on it.
Was there a lot of matching real locations on sound stages?
Oh, a lot.
For example, Times Square.
Theres a very big sequence in Times Square.
You couldnt do what we did in Times Square.
We were there for weeks.
We did a few days down there [on the real location].
But for economics and practical reasons, being on a stage for certain parts of sequences makes more sense.
So there are cases where we go through a door from a location and on to a stage.
Are there any difficult scenes left that you havent shot yet?
I live a month ahead of these guys [motions to the crew].
I have to be ready for them.
And because these are complicated, big sets, it takes time to make them.
[Laughs] But I think we have two more very big sets to go.
On the weekends we go on the streets, basically, because you cant close streets in the week.
Then there are two more stage parts of this to go.
This movie is the biggest movie ever made in the state of New York.
So I would say the studio has been very generous.
And they have high expectations off the back of that.
Mark Friedberg, thank you very much.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2opens on the 14th April in the UK.
You canread our set report here.
