In 2007, the AMC Film Critic compiled a list of the Ten Best Upstate New York Movies. The list includes Buffalo 66, Ironweed and X-Men. I have a feeling that the revised list will include the upcoming Angelina Jolie movie Salt and Ang Lee’s Taking Woodstock.
While Angelina Jolie was filming scenes for Salt in Albany over the weekend, Brad Pitt took their sons, Pax and Maddox, to Niagara Falls for some good old fashion sight-seeing. Pitt, along with his parents, brought the boys for a ride on the Maid of the Mist where the family took pictures of each other in front of the falls and even wore the goofy blue ponchos just like everyone else!
Today, we checked out the set of Salt, starring Angelina Jolie, in Albany, NY.
According to IMDb,the movie is about Evelyn Salt (Jolie), a CIA officer who swore an oath to duty, honor, and country. When she is accused by a defector of being a Russian sleeper spy, Salt goes on the run to clear her name and ultimately prove she is a patriot. Using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative, she must elude capture and protect her husband or the world’s most powerful forces will erase any trace of her existence.
They are shooting scenes just off of I-787, Exit 3B in downtown Albany (the exit and surrounding exits are closed). You can see the whole production (including Angie) from the highway. We got a few shots of her as we drove by and then pulled off and parked about a block from the set. We were lucky we came across a PA who pretty lax about the whole thing and let us stand just a few feet away from where they were shooting. Because we were in a parking structure on a roof and she was filming on a truck we were eye level with all the action.
The scene involved Angie hanging onto the roof of a 40 foot shipping container speeding down the highway. Her body double was there too but it looked like she was doing most of today’s stunts herself. We watched them film the scene three times and got some great shots of Angelina in between takes. She looked relaxed and seemed to be having a good time.
For more pictures and info, check out our sister site, onlocationvacations.com.
Update:
It looks like Albany isn’t the only upstate location that will be featured in Salt. Tug Hill may also appear in the movie. Location Scouts looking for a snowy location are interested in using a farm in the Tug Hill region for an exterior shot. There is no word on when the shoot will take place or if it already has. What we know for sure is that Ang won’t be there.
More information has been made available about the Salt shoot happening in Albany this week. According to the Daily Gazette, sections of Interstate-787, Route 20 and downtown Albany will be closed for two weeks starting Thursday as Columbia Pictures films scenes the movie, starring Angelina Jolie. There is no official word from the city or the production regarding who exactly will be in Albany filming but it is safe to bet Jolie will show up at some point since the filming is taking place over so many days.
Street closures will begin at 6 a.m. or 9 a.m. and will last until 4 p.m. or 8 p.m., depending on the location. It was also announced they are planning on doing as much filming as possible on the weekend to minimize impact on weekday taffic.
Columbia Pictures filed a permit with the city of Albany and the State of New York to film a car chase scene on April 24th-26th and May 1st-4th. The scenes will be for the movie Salt, starring Angelina Jolie. Salt is currently filming on a sound stage in Long Island and on location throughout New York City. There is no official word on where the chase scene will take place but it will most likely be filmed on I-787.
