Pinewood Studios - 007 Stage

The 007 Stage at Pinewood was built to house massive Liparus supertanker set for 'The Spy Who Loved Me'.

After a search across Europe, the producers failed to find a stage large enough to house the three submarines the scene required, so they decided to build a new stage and tank specifically for that film. Designed by the Academy Award-winning production designer Ken Adam, the stage enabled massive sets to be constructed under cover and away from prying eyes. For the earlier James Bond adventure 'You Only Live Twice' the scaffolding exterior of the set for Blofeld's volcano base was an eyesore, and resulted in numerous complaints from nearby residents.

The construction cost $1.8million (in 1976).

Timeline

• 1976, December 5th - 007 Stage officially christened and opened with a dedication ceremony attended by then British Prime Minister Sir Harold Wilson. The first 007 Stage measured 102m x 41m (334 ft x 136 ft) and was 12.5m (40 ft 6 ins) high, with maximum floor area of 4220 sq.m (45,424 sq ft.). The tank measured 91m x 22.5m x 2.7m deep (297 ft x 73 ft x 8 ft 10 ins).
• 1984, June 27th - Fire #1 (following production on Legend)
• 1985, January - a rebuilt (and re-christened) Albert R. Broccoli 007 Stage is reopened. A View To A Kill was the first movie to shoot on the new stage.
• 2006, July 30- Fire #2 (during production on Casino Royale)
• 2006, July 31 - Pinewood management issues a statement saying the stage will be demolished and re-built as the fire damage was so extensive.
• 2006, September 13-14- The stage is demolished.
• 2006, September 18 - Construction on the new 007 Stage begins, and is completed within 6 months.
• 2007, April - Enlarged 007 Stage re-opens. 
  The new stage was redesigned and includes a number of new features including an increased working floor space area, enclosed stairwells to the gantry, a vehicle ramp into the tank, aircraft hangar style loading doors, increased electrical power and better insulation. The new stage is 374 feet (114 m) long, 158 feet (48 m) wide and 41 to 50 feet (15 m) high (114 x 48 x 12–15 m). The stage is the 'biggest in Europe' around 59,000 sq ft (5,500 sq.m).

Construction & Filming for Prince of Persia on the 007 Stage:

Prince of Persia Timelapse - Pinewood Studios 007 Stage from Jam96.com on Vimeo.

Fire!

The stage has been destroyed by fire twice.

On 27 June 1984 just after Ridley Scott's 'Legend' had finished shooting, fire broke out (worsened by gasoline canisters on the set), completely destroying the sets and the stage structure. It was rebuilt by January 1985, just in time for shooting to commence on A View to a Kill. The stage was renamed the Albert R. Broccoli 007 Stage in honour of the James Bond producer’s contribution to Pinewood Studios and the British film industry as a whole.

In July 2006, just after 'Casino Royale' had finished shooting the Venice scenes, fire broke out again, this time allegedly caused by an oxyacetalyne torch being used to dismantle the structure supporting the Venice sets.

The newly reopened stage is now 59,000 sq feet in area. 
Article at newsteelconstruction.com has some great photos of the construction

Largest in Europe?

PInewood Studios publicity claims this is the largest stage in Europe, but as this is a silent shooting stage (with no soundproofing), Cardington Shed 2 (used by Christopher Nolan on his recent projects) is considerably larger.

However, even without that exclusion, Stage 15 at Babelsberg Film Studios in Potsdam, Germany is far larger (78,954 sq.ft.) and is fully soundproofed.

Specifications (after re-opening in 2007)

• Length: 374 ft (114.00 m)
• Width: 158 ft (48.16 m)
• Height: 41 ft (12.50 m)
• Area: 59,000 sq ft (5,481 sq m)

Tank Specifications

• Length: 300 ft (91.44 m)
• Width: 72 ft (21.95 m)
• Depth: 8 ft (2.50 m)
• Other: Floor Area: 21,600 ft (2015 m)

Link to the Official 007 Stage website

See also The Richard Attenborough Stage

Seen on Screen: Pinewood Studios [007 Stage]

Title	Released	Director	IMDB
The Spy Who Loved Me [Feature Film]	1977	Lewis Gilbert
The 007 Stage was constructed to house the massive Liparus Tanker set.
Superman [Feature Film]	1978	Richard Donner
007 Stage - Fortress of Solitude and Artic exterior with lake and glaciers (tank holding 800,000 gallons of water).
Soundstage sets: - Daily Planet offices - Lex Luthor underground lair and pool A Stage - Flying Unit
Moonraker [Feature Film]	1979	Lewis Gilbert
007 Stage
Superman II [Feature Film]	1980	Richard Lester, Richard Donner
007 Stage: Fortress of Solitude interiors
Clash of the Titans [Feature Film]	1981	Desmond Davis
007 Stage
For Your Eyes Only [Feature Film]	1981	John Glen
007 Stage: St. George's Vessel - underwater wreck
Krull [Feature Film]	1983	Peter Yates
One of the first (if not the first) to feature CGI morphing effects when the goose transforms.
Twenty-three sets were built for the film, covering ten sound stages at Pinewood Studios, including the 007 Stage (used for the swamp scenes).
Octopussy [Feature Film]	1983	John Glen
007 Stage: Kamal Khan's palace. Black Park was also used.
Duran Duran: Wild Boys [Music Video]	1984	Russell Mulcahy
This ground-breaking music video was shot on the 007 Stage, and cost over $1 million at the time (1984).
Supergirl [Feature Film]	1984	Jeannot Szwarc
The town of Midvale was built from scratch on a back lot at Pinewood Studios. Most of the film was shot on soundstages including the 007 Stage.
A View To A Kill [Feature Film]	1985	John Glen
007 Stage: Max Zorin's silicon mine
Arena [Feature Film]	1985	Russell Mulcahy
This extended music video / concert performance by Duran Duran was shot on the 007 Stage.
Legend [Feature Film]	1985	Ridley Scott
A massive fire during production (on 27th June 1984) destroyed the Legend forest sets, camera equipment and lighting rigs, as well as the 007 Stage at Pinewood.
Santa Claus [Feature Film]	1985	Jeannot Szwarc
007 Stage: Santa Workshop
Aliens [Feature Film]	1986	James Cameron
007 Stage: Sulaco space ship cargo bay
The Little Shop of Horrors [Feature Film]	1986	Frank Oz
007 Stage: Skid Row set A Stage: Interior Mushniks Shop
The Living Daylights [Feature Film]	1987	John Glen
007 Stage
Alien 3 [Feature Film]	1992	David Fincher
007 Stage: Blast Furnace and other interiors
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles [Feature Film]	1994	Neil Jordan
007 Stage - Theatre of the Vampires
Mission: Impossible [Feature Film]	1996	Brian De Palma
007 Stage: Channel Tunnel chase & general interiors
Event Horizon [Feature Film]	1997	Paul W.S. Anderson
The Engine Room was built in the 007 Stage.
The Fifth Element [Feature Film]	1997	Luc Besson
007 Stage - spaceship/shootout/London and Hong Kong hotels
Tomorrow Never Dies [Feature Film]	1997	Roger Spottiswoode
007 Stage: Elliot Carver's stealth boat and HMS Devonshire underwater wreck.
Still Crazy [Feature Film]	1998	Brian Gibson
007 Stage: Rock Concert
The Avengers [Feature Film]	1998	Jeremiah S. Chechik
007 Stage: Sir August Winter weather machine
Entrapment [Feature Film]	1999	Jon Amiel
007 Stage: Petronas Towers skywalk
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat [Feature Film]	1999	David Mallet
007 Stage
The World is Not Enough [Feature Film]	1999	Michael Apted
The Russian nuclear testing facility was built in the 007 Stage.
The Caviar Factory was built on the Paddock Tank at Pinewood.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider [Feature Film]	2001	Simon West
007 Stage: Cambodian Temples
Die Another Day [Feature Film]	2002	Lee Tamahori
The massive Ice Palace interior set was built on the 007 Stage [March 2002]
Moon Compound (pre-title) was shot on the Pinewood backlot (January 2002)
Interiors (including the Q Workshop [Jan 2002] and Gene Therapy Lab [Feb 2002]) were shot at Pinewood
Alexander [Feature Film]	2004	Oliver Stone
007 Stage: The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Indian Palace. Extensive shooting on the backlot.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory [Feature Film]	2005	Tim Burton
007 Stage: Chocolate River Room
Casino Royale [Feature Film]	2006	Martin Campbell
007 Stage - Venetian Piazza D Stage - Miami airport miniatures Paddock Tank - Venetian Sinking house exteriors Ugandan rebel camp scenes were shot in adjacent Black Park.
The Da Vinci Code [Feature Film]	2006	Ron Howard
007 Stage: The Louvre Gallery interior
Mamma Mia [Feature Film]	2008	Phyllida Lloyd
The first film to be shot on the new 007 Stage following the fire after Casino Royale (2006) wrapped. The whole Greek villa and surrounding village was built on the 59,000 sq ft stage, surrounded by a bluescreen which was replaced by sky / sea views in post-production.
Quantum of Solace [Feature Film]	2008	Marc Forster
007 Stage
Ford: Kinetic Design [Commercial]	2009	Nick Lewin
007 Stage
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time [Feature Film]	2010	Mike Newell
007 Stage
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 [Feature Film]	2011	David Yates
Dark Forest and Battlements sets were built on the vast 007 Stage.
Hogwarts Entrance Staircase set and Kings Cross set was built on D Stage.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides [Feature Film]	2011	Rob Marshall
UK base for the production.  B Stage: Captains Quarters set.  E Stage: Captains Daughters pub. H Stage: Exterior of the longboat at Whitecap Bay. R Stage: LPS, the interior of St James' Palace. 007 Stage: The cave for the Fountain of Youth. North Lot: London dockyard street.
Prometheus [Feature Film]	2012	Ridley Scott
007 Stage, C Stage, L Stage, M Stage, R Stage, S Stage, TV One Stage, North Lot
Skyfall [Feature Film]	2012	Sam Mendes
A section of the London Underground (explosion scene) was recreated on the 007 Stage. The construction of the underground Mi6 HQ on the 007 Stage took 9 weeks and 250 crew. The lake approach to the Golden Dragon Casino was filmed on the Pinewood Paddock Tank. Also used A Stage, B Stage, C Stage, D Stage, F Stage, G Stage, L Stage, S Stage, Underwater Tank.
Jack Ryan [Feature Film]	2013	Kenneth Branagh
007 Stage: New York Subway System flood. The Richard Attenborough Stage was also used.
007 Stage: New York Subway System flood
Jack Ryan [Feature Film]	2013	Kenneth Branagh
007 Stage: New York Subway System flood. The Richard Attenborough Stage was also used.
007 Stage: New York Subway System flood
Maleficent [Feature Film]	2014	Robert Stromberg
The movie was shot entirely at Pinewood Studios using various locations including A Stage, B Stage, M Stage, N/P stage, Paddock Lot, North lot, 007 Stage and Black Park.
Cinderella [Feature Film]	2015	Kenneth Branagh
C Stage, E Stage, F Stage, M Stage, 007 Stage, backlot (Castle Exteriors). Adjacent Black Park was also used for forest sequences.
Everest [Feature Film]	2015	Baltasar Kormákur
007 Stage - mountainous crags constructed using styrofoam and chips of soap/potato as snow, backed by huge green screens.

Press Release - April 3, 2007

PINEWOOD MOBILISES NEW SOUND STAGE
 

The Pinewood Studios Group will launch today the official website for the revitalized 007 Stage to mark the practical reopening of Europe's largest sound stage, it was announced by Nick Smith, Sales and Marketing Director.

Said Nick Smith, "It's fantastic news that our largest stage is back up and running. The 007 Stage and Pinewood are such an integral part of the British film industry. This official website gives both professionals and the public alike a chance to discover for themselves the rebuilt stage and its new features. The website not only covers the practical information about the stage but also the rich filmmaking history associated with it."

The stage which has been rebuilt following a fire in July 2006 is currently the largest stage in Europe with an internal area of 59,000 sq ft and an immense tank capable of holding 5.25 million litres. A number of features that have been incorporated to enable filmmakers to get the most out of the stage include a vehicle access ramp directly into the tank, aircraft hangar style loading doors and improved sound proofing.

The stage is perfect for film, TV and events and now has a capacity of 2000 people. At launch, the 007 stage website will feature exclusive content on the stage's state of the art redevelopment, including never before seen images of the fire in July 2006 and custom made video, animation and interactive elements detailing its impressive grand redesign. Professionals and consumers alike will be able to register to receive monthly newsletters containing updates on the studios by email.

The world famous 007 stage at Pinewood was built in 1976 for the Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me and has since housed some of the most spectacular sets in cinema history. Cambodian Temples for Lara Croft Tomb Raider, The Hanging Gardens of Babylon for Alexander, The Louvre Gallery for The Da Vinci Code and The Chocolate River forCharlie and the Chocolate Factory to name but a few. More recently, Pinewood Studios' 007 Stage was home to several spectacular scenes from Casino Royale.