The idea of a car vending machine may seem like a futuristic daydream. However, Volkswagon has brought this vision to life at the Volkswagen Autostadt in Wolfsburg Germany, and in turn, inspired the set of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL.
In this motion picture, the astounding parking structure is set in India. Behind the scenes, this innovative set was actually constructed at the Canadian Motion Picture Park, in Vancouver. Special effects supervisor, Mike Meinardus and his crew crafted MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL’s 78-foot tall set over a six-month period.
This dramatic backdrop provided the perfect opportunity for capturing cinematic action scenes, including a three-story jump made by actor Tom Cruise onto a car on a moving paddle. Mr. Meinardus explained the complexity of the setting and how safety was a top priority, “Each paddle weighs 6,700 pounds and there’s only about a half-inch clearance between the paddle and the decks, so it’s like a giant sheer. When it was running, we’d have sirens and safety meetings, to make sure that nobody was rappelling between there.”
British Columbia has famously served as the backdrop for films set across the globe with its diverse coastal, arid, and arctic environments, as well as unique cities, towns, and sophisticated studio offerings.
