Long before morning broke, the Beyond the Mask crew packed up their gear and headed to Independence Hall for the day’s shoot. Independence Hall proved to be much closer than Philadelphia, though, at the Henry Ford museum near downtown Detroit. What a treat to be filming at such a stunning location!
Producer Aaron Burns talks about choosing this Michigan landmark for a shoot: “Originally our team had discussed potentially traveling to Philadelphia for this scene with Independence Hall. How surprising it was to film such an accurate and impressive replica so close to our home base and studio lot.”
Dating back to 1929, Independence Hall at the museum represents one of the most impressive replicas of an historic building. When planning the towering structure, Detroit architect Robert O. Derrick suggested to Henry Ford that they correct the design mistakes from the original when constructing the replica. Ford replied, “Oh, no! Make it exactly the same, put in all the mistakes.” (http://www.thehenryford.org/exhibits/pic/2004/may.asp#more)
Despite the sleet and early hours, working at the museum was truly remarkable for cast and crew alike. The team pulled together to recreate the exciting atmosphere of 1776 Independence Hall.