Two branches, one tree.
Spoilers under for “Karate Kid: Legends.”
The most recent “Karate Kid” movie follows kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) as he strikes from Beijing to New York Metropolis along with his mom, Dr. Fong (Ming-Na Wen).
However whereas “Karate Kid: Legends” is especially set in NYC, it was virtually filmed a hundred percent in Quebec, Canada.
In an unique interview with The Publish, the film’s manufacturing designer, Maya Sigel, revealed how she and her crew recreated Manhattan on a soundstage in Montreal – and the way they have been capable of make it as shut as attainable to the true factor.
“First, I always start with lots of research and reference photos, even when it’s something I’m familiar with, like NYC,” she defined. “I go through lots of old books, the internet, and, in this case, Google Street View.”
“Then, along the way, different crew members will do additional research on certain elements and then bring them to me, and we’ll add some of them to the mix,” Sigel continued. “There were certain buildings that I specifically called out, and the set designers modified them for our space constraints.”
Much more spectacular was the truth that Sigel used a few of her personal experiences residing and dealing in NYC as private references for the newest “Karate Kid” movie’s manufacturing design.
“I have lived in NYC and have made movies and TV shows there, so it’s very much ingrained in my consciousness and design vocabulary,” she advised The Publish. “When designing Li’s Apartment set, for example, I’m thinking about apartments I’ve lived in or friends’ places and location scouting that I’ve done in NYC in the past.”
“It also helped when I was looking for locations in Montreal with the location manager, knowing what looks right and where it might fit geographically in NYC,” Sigel continued. “There are certain locations that I imagined designing and building from the first time I read the script because of either the page count there, the importance of the geography to the story, the fight sequences, or other practical constraints.”
Plus, Sigel and the movie’s director, Jonathan Entwistle, talked about sure NYC places “right away” and finally settled on a couple of particular landmarks that one may simply imagine have been filmed there on location.
“The alley was one of these sets, and it was inspired by Cortlandt Alley in NYC and modified for our story and needs, including the stunts,” she defined. “Another was the rooftop set for the final Five Boroughs Tournament fight.”
The 5 Broughs Match serves because the climax of the movie, when Wang’s character should combat his rival, Connor Day (Aramis Knight), with the assistance of shifu Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) and sensei Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio).
“It was written as the rooftop of a skyscraper in Manhattan, and we – the art department, director, cinematographer, production, VFX and stunts – all worked together for months figuring out what the best way to achieve this would be, and in the end we landed on the Volume,” Sigel mentioned.
“We built the rooftop set on stage, had hundreds of extras, and the Volume work turned out looking good,” she added.
Sigel later described the manufacturing design for “Legends” as a “love letter to New York” and the “old-school kind of New York nostalgia.”
One set that captures these concepts the most effective is Victory Pizza, the pizzeria owned by the household of Li Fong’s love curiosity, Mia Lipani (Sadie Stanley).
“I wanted it to have this old-school New York feeling, a place that is both familiar and charming but also unique,” Sigel defined. “The slice shop on your block that is cozy and family-owned, with the grit and sweat and history that comes along with that.”
“There are family photos on the wall along with NYC memorabilia, Mets gear, and Victor’s old boxing photos and awards,” she continued. “It’s a cozy place that’s welcoming and makes you feel grounded and at home.”
By the top of the movie, and with the assistance of Sigel and her crew’s manufacturing design, the viewers witnesses Li Fong’s true journey from his outdated residence in Beijing to his new one in NYC.
“The Karate Kid is, at its essence, a story of a kid being thrown into a new environment, struggling, and eventually building strong relationships, finding his center, and returning home to himself,” Sigel mentioned.
“I wanted to show New York as it can be at its best,” she concluded, “a beautiful mish-mash of people and cultures, a place of possibility and vibrance, and a wild and warm place to call home.”
As for why the film was filmed in Montreal regardless of being set predominantly in Manhattan, Sigel mentioned that the choice was already made when she joined the mission.
Nonetheless, she advocates for a lift in tax incentives and credit to carry productions again to the US – particularly as extra studios are ditching NYC and Hollywood for different international locations to avoid wasting on manufacturing prices.
