Filming on Mt. Etna in Italy?

Heads up from TF.N:

FB alerts us to the following report:

A friend sent this to me today, and it looks like Episode III is already in production.
The article says that an italian cameraman and Ron Fricke (considered an amazing cinematographer) have been on the Etna for a week now, shooting for Episode III. The Italian cameraman explains how he was called for the job: "Lucas figured out it would be cheaper to film a real volcano rather than creating it digitally, and when Etna became "noisy" again a couple of weeks ago, Lucasfilm contacted the italian company Too Motion for which I work" (considered the best company for HD digital video in Italy).

The article says the cameraman was called on the 31st of October and asked to be in Sicily the following day. They should have finished shooting on the 6th, but he says they keep finding amazing new angles and images to capture on video.

Here's the link to the article, which appeared yesterday on an Italian local newspaper

At the end of the article the cameraman also praises Digital Video and says Americans aren't arguing anymore over it, as it's already considered the future of cinema.

You can find some very recent pictures here and here.

Is this the locale for the climactic lightsaber battle? Stay tuned ...

What do you think?

I think it's a load of bull.

They will need to film the characters there as well, yet they aren't ready for that.

Wher's the link?

And I don't agree Lance. They may use the lava shots to be used later on as background when OB1 and Anakin fight in front of blue screens. But still, one would need something like a storyboard at least to get some idea of what kind of background shots you'd need.... So I don't know.

Where's the article link then?

try the volcano 😄

I feel that the old discussion on whether or not there's going to be a volcano scene will be reopened.

Probably...

I can't find the link again. Damned huge history files!

Plus, the volcano is active NOW. It might be inactive again when they start filming Obi-Wan and Anakin dueling or whatever they are using the volcano for.

It's not hard evidence, though.

Technically speaking, no volcano can become inactive AGAIN as inactive is a permanent thing. You mean dormant.

so we do a lot of talking.....is that so wrong?????? talk talk....and debate and discuss and well you get the idea

Err... I can't quite see why you made that comment, Julie!

I can't believe you actually swing the arguement around to whether a volcano is inactive or dormant...who cares? 🙄

It's good planning on LF's part to get him out there and taking advantage of events...hopefully that will make the actual scene that much more specatular.

*I* care, and I do not give a stuff what you think about that. I see no reason not to correct inaccuracy of any sort when I see it.

As long as you don't see yourself as anal I guess 🙄

I looked up some photos of Mt. Etna...they look pretty surreal. all brown and conical.

Actually Mt Etna is an active volcano, dormant periods are very rare.
Just to get the correct aspect on Mt Etna 😉

Ah! Interesting...

I guess he could be doing all the bits he KNOWS will happen out of the way now (like shooting one of the ep. iii scenes in Tunisia during th AOTC shooting).

man and it is still three more years 🙁

Dreadful, eh?

yes it is

It is also worth nothing that this 'filiming' could actually just be so they can get a good idea of what a real volcano looks like, for design purposes.

or just have something to work on

Indeed. Like they took shots of waterfalls to help with making the CG ones at Naboo.