by Katharine Schroeder

Although filming on Rob-B-Hood had officially wrapped earlier in April, a decision was made to add several more scenes and that gave me one more chance to visit the set and report back to you!  The crew would be filming outdoor scenes at the Tai Po Waterfront Park in Hong Kong.  The park is located on a hill overlooking Tolo Harbor and it features a lookout tower where you can enjoy some fantastic views.

My colleague Fibe and I arrived at the park after the production crew had already been there for a while.  It wasn't hard to locate everyone (it never is) because they have a tendency to take over places with all the lights, equipment, and people involved. It was very hot and sunny when we arrived and after looking around a bit, we located Jackie and the other actors in a little lunch restaurant on the ground floor of the lookout tower. They had, of course, commandeered the restaurant and there was stuff all over the place:  clothing, props, food.  To my delight, baby Matthew was there, this time with his entire family in tow.  He was looking his usual adorable self and was of course the center of attention.  No one (especially Jackie) seems to be able to get enough of this baby!  As well as having just about the cutest face you've ever seen, he has a charming personality - a combination that makes him irresistible. 

Jackie was in a great mood, scooting from one person to the other, telling jokes and sharing stories. Gao Yuanyuan was there and she and Fibe were soon off to one side doing an interview. Gao Yuanyuan is a popular Chinese actress and she plays the role of a nurse in Rob-B-Hood.  This was the first time Fibe and I had met her; we had somehow managed to miss seeing her throughout the entire production.  After the interview, she and Jackie posed for some photos just for fun.  Now taking photos of Jackie when he is in the kind of mood he was in is challenging.  No one can keep a straight face with all his teasing and joking. After a bunch of "outtakes" we managed to get a few, however!  

Jackie was in the mood for taking pictures and the entire staff of the restaurant was able to have a photo with him.  They were so excited and everyone was smiling and laughing.  When he was finished with that, Jackie gathered Matthew's entire family together for a group shot, then more photos with just about everyone in the room. I had rarely seen Jackie in this kind of mood while on the set. Although he is generally fun-loving and playful, he tends to be more serious when he's filming. I think that since the bulk of the movie was finished and these were just extra shots that didn't involve a lot of action or dialogue, Jackie could afford to relax a bit. It made for a very lively time.

After all the fun and games with the photos, I was sorry to see that Matthew had gone a little moody. He was tired and needed to sleep, but was as usual resisting the urge. Too bad, I thought.  I was hoping to get a few more shots of Matthew since I knew that I wouldn't be seeing him that much anymore.  I went over to where he was sitting with his father and made nice at him, but he wasn't the least bit interested. However, when he saw my camera, his face changed completely. I couldn't believe it. One second he was a cranky little baby, the next he was a miniature fashion model striking poses and going through his entire repertoire of facial expressions!  It was the funniest thing I'd ever seen him do. Wow, does he love the camera! So I began snapping photo after photo until finally Matthew had enough and remembered that he was supposed to be acting cranky.

Jackie finally settled down and we talked a little about Matthew. He said that he really misses Matthew when he's not around and was sad that the baby would soon return to China. It would be difficult to doubt the sincerity of Jackie's feelings. As Jackie talked, I thought back to the first time I saw the two of them together - Matthew screaming and Jackie feeling frustrated, but staying persistent in his efforts to win Matthew's affection. Well, despite the photos you see of a crying Matthew in Jackie's arms, the two of them have developed a really close bond. As I've said before in these Scrapbooks, Matthew adores Jackie (and vice-versa) but there's this baby-macho need to make believe that he couldn't care less. It's a kind of game that the two of them play - Jackie shouting "Aarghh! I can't stand babies!!" and Matthew yawning and looking extremely disinterested in what the world famous Jackie Chan has to say.

After a while Jackie was notified that the outdoor scenes were ready to be shot and we all left the restaurant. On the way out I reminded Jackie that Willie wanted me to take some photos of him near the waterfront. Jackie nodded and said, "Yeah, we can do it up there! We'll climb up later."  I followed the direction of his pointing finger and was alarmed to see that it was aiming straight up the lookout tower. Flashbacks of scrambling up roller-coaster rails whipped through my mind. "Oh, okay," I agreed hesitantly. "Up there looks nice." I needn't have worried since Jackie had no intention of climbing the tower. We ended up walking up the spiral walkway to a nice spot overlooking the water; no acrobatics necessary.

While Jackie and the crew readied themselves for the outdoor scenes, I wandered around looking at the apparent chaos created by the presence of the production. So many things are necessary to shoot even the simplest of scenes. Lights, cameras, cables, power generators, reflectors, makeup, wardrobe, refreshments. And all the people! Actors, extras, cameramen, lighting crew, prop people, production assistants, still photographer, sound crew, director, makeup!  It's no wonder that the production overwhelms any area where they are filming. Before I spent time on movie sets, I used to watch the credits at the end of films and wonder why they needed so many people to make a simple movie. I've certainly learned that each and every one of the people listed in movie credits is essential to the finished film. Every one. And I guess there's no such thing as a "simple movie." Production is very complex.

The next scene required Gao Yuanyuan to hold a sleeping Matthew. Incredibly, Matthew nodded off just minutes before they were ready to begin filming and the shot went very smoothly. It was a real challenge for the hair and makeup people to keep things under control since the weather was extremely hot and humid, and there was just enough of a breeze to mess up the actors' hairstyles. A couple of the extras in the scene appeared to be having some trouble walking casually by as Jackie's character talked on a phone. Finally, Jackie went over to them and explained what he needed them to do and of course, demonstrated it as well. If anything, Jackie is capable of communicating with just about anyone using facial expressions, hand gestures, and body movements. Although he spoke the same language as the extras, it was obviously easier for him to just show them. After their little meeting, the shot was finished in one take.  

Once they were finished filming in the garden area, the production had to move up to the lookout tower. While they were doing that, Jackie and I went up the spiral walkway to take a look at a spot for some photos. Although it was a really pretty background for photography, the weather was very uncooperative with the sun shining brightly one minute and hiding behind a cloud the next. There was also a lot of wind up on the lookout tower, and it was a struggle to get any photos with hair in place and pleasant lighting. Jackie had some ideas for setting up the shots and of course they were very clever. After a few minutes, Jackie announced that we were done and we went back to the restaurant and its air-conditioning.

Back in the restaurant it was very cool and comfortable. Matthew was awake now and hungry, so Jackie immediately found some noodles and began feeding him. I've probably mentioned it before, but it is really heartwarming to see how nurturing and attentive Jackie is to Matthew. Actually, this kind of behavior seems to come naturally to Jackie, as he is always making sure that everyone around him has whatever they need. As much as Jackie is constantly surrounded by his assistants who take care of him, he is acutely aware of everyone else's comfort and will go out of his way to provide drinks, food, rides, or assistance. Nice to see this quality in such a famous and wealthy man.

After everyone was fed and comfortable and more photos were taken, Jackie settled in to read the newspaper while the rest of us visited. This would be the last time I would spend with Victoria, Matthew's mom. She's a really great person; so relaxed and personable. Thinking about her made me realize how easy it is to form strong bonds in a situation such as filming a movie. It's all very intense - spending months with the same people and having lots of time to talk and become friends. And once the production is over, that's it. Aside from premieres and promotions, a lot of these people will probably never see each other again. It's a very different kind of lifestyle, but it partly explains why Jackie has so many friends all over the world. People become close friends during the filming and it's hard to let go of that when it's all over.

A while later we all headed up to the tower to film the final scene of the day. All the equipment was in place and the actors were led to their spots. A few takes and several minutes later, it was all over. As you can imagine, I had mixed feelings about seeing the final scene shot that day at Tai Po. This would be the last time I would be on the set of Rob-B-Hood, the last time I would work alongside these talented and dedicated people. Of course I felt very fortunate to be allowed access to all of this, but at the same time I felt sad that it was coming to a close. The next time I would encounter most of these people, they would be faces on a movie screen and names on a credit roll. The word that comes to mind is "bittersweet." It's been fun.

Photos © 2006 The JC Group.  All rights reserved.

Back to top