locations for ep 404 Aithusa

[merlocmod.livejournal.com]

OMG, insert more superlatives here! It's not meant to work like this, is it? That shows just get better and better...? Not that I'm complaining, mind you!

OK, along with excellent use of the usual, we had another strong Locations episode this week. A couple of these are working theories for now, but I'll research and explore...

♦ We were back at Clearwell Caves for the Druids' cave, maintaining canonical consistency with ep 312 The Coming of Arthur, Part One. I suspect that the bit with Julius Borden shimmying down the rope was done in front of a green screen, but otherwise that's the Caves.

♦ Of course much use was made of the Chateau de Pierrefonds and the studio sets in Cardiff. In fact, I was delighted to see more use made of the Chateau, with a few bits we haven't seen before. Nicely done!

♦ I am guessing that Arthur, Merlin and the Knights rode through some part of the Brecon Beacons, but (like the 'generic forest scenes') these ones are going to be difficult or impossible to pin down.

♦ It was a delightful shock to find ourselves back at the dramatic Porth yr Ogof, which served as Balinor's cave in ep 213 The Last Dragonlord. Beautiful place, and I love it to death - but I am still trying to get my head around that! I mean, was it meant to be Balinor's cave or not...? In an episode about dragons and dragonlords, which is consistent enough to use Clearwell Caves again for the Druids' hangout, it's tempting to conclude it is. Which would mean that Balinor was kind of guarding the way to the egg. But Merlin didn't seem to recognise it or react to it at all, and surely he would have had quite an emotional (if private) reaction. Hhhmmm... {ponders} Anyway!

♦ On the other hand, they reused the waterfall sequence from ep 208 The Sins of the Father, if backwards, without any reason to think it had anything to do with the journey to or from Morgause's castle. The waterfall seemed to be Sgwd yr Eira again, though this time in its natural setting. Still, given the walking distance needed to get there, I assume the actors were filmed against a green screen.

update: OK, I'm rethinking that assumption. Julia commented on the website that they were filming at the actual waterfalls, and there are publicity shots that seem to be taken there. Though it still seems a long way to trek with equipment and so on - especially as I understand there is a steep climb down to the actual falls. But maybe the Brecon Beacons people gave them permission to drive in closer than members of the public can...? Any thoughts here would be appreciated!

♦ The path between the mossy cliffs where they were ambushed by Borden did look very much like Puzzlewood - only I can't recall seeing anything quite like it. Still, I'm sure there's bits of it that aren't open to the public. A working theory for now!

♦ Now, I'm a bit giddy over the stairway where Borden and Merlin are approaching the room with the dragon's egg. I'm pretty sure it's Chepstow Castle. You can see the photos I took here and here on flickr... At the time I thought it looked like a terrific place to film! If you're visiting, it's the stairs down to the wine cellar. LOL! But of course you won't find that impressive hall at the top, as that was filmed in green screen. (I really loved how the stairs emerged into the room.)

♦ And now I'm stretching a bit, but the bit where Merlin runs away from the collapsing tower and then meets Arthur and the Knights - that felt like it was just behind Castell Coch. I could be totally wrong about that, but it was the right kind of trees, with that edge of ground beyond which there's a steep slope, and they might even have used some of the base of the Castell for the tower. Again: a working theory!
update: And my guess was wrong! :-D archaeologist_d was lucky enough to watch them filming this near the Chateau de Pierrefonds.

Phew! :-D

ETA: OK, Alice Troughton was asked on Twitter about Porth yr Ogof, so I followed up with her about whether it was meant to be Balinor's cave or somewhere else. She says it was a reuse of a location, and not meant to be the same place: source. She wasn't the director - Alex Pillai was - so I guess we can feel free to interpret how we like. But given Merlin's lack of reaction, I think I'll go with that... tempting though it is to think of Balinor guarding the way to the egg!

Comments

[nenimefish.livejournal.com]

I saw Balinor's cave and fangirled a lot :'D This was so good for locations! I have GOT to get to Wales next year.

[merlocmod.livejournal.com]

Wasn't it just an awesome Locations ep?! And oh my yes, Balinor's cave. I am still trying to get my head around that. I assumed they'd never use it again, as it's so distinctive! Different camera angles, yes, but no getting away from the fact it's the same place...

Have fun planning your Locations Trip, my love! ♥

[1nagromniloc.livejournal.com]

>>I saw Balinor's cave and fangirled a lot :'D<<

I´m too *bounce* :)

[asifidletyou.livejournal.com]

I squeed when Porth yr Ogof came on \0/ But yeah, was it supposed to be the same place? Loved the location echoes of Sins of the Father too :-)

Pierrefonds from a different angle = ♥

[merlocmod.livejournal.com]

I was squeeing, too! It's so beautiful! I haven't been yet when it's all so green like that... Just magical... ♥ But am still trying to get my head around whether we were meant to recognise it or not. :-)

Such great use made of some of our favourite places... ♥ I am just itching to get back out there again! :-D

[merlocmod.livejournal.com]

Interesting idea! It would have been quite a journey for Merlin to go back, but surely he would have wanted to - perhaps to discover a little more about who Balinor was. A lovely notion... ♥

[merlocmod.livejournal.com]

I hope we get to see the little dragon again, too. Even if Merlin keeps it hidden under the floorboards, surely there could be a contemplative moment where he's holding it, and remembering... Let's hope we'll see that! And if not there's always fic! :-)

[merlocmod.livejournal.com]

Oh dear! I was going to say that's why I shouldn't reply to comments after midnight, but I see I responded late afternoon... :-( I think I was thinking about Balinor's carved wooden dragon being under the floorboards, but who knows? :-D I'll be interested to see what the writers do with both the carved version and the live little Aithusa in the future! ♥

[kathyh]

I spotted it was Balinor's cave, but it would be very interesting if they meant us to recognise it as that rather than some random cave.

[merlocmod.livejournal.com]

It's a very interesting question, isn't it...? It's hard to believe that they could think of presenting it as a generic cave - it's such a very distinctive place! But then they didn't handle it in ways I'd expect if it were the same place. Gosh, my head is hurting - metaphorically at least! :-D I might break, and try an email to Shine.

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

I thought that they were using Balinor's cave because Balinor was protecting the way to the egg. But you are right. Merlin's reaction wasn't one of recognition nor was Arthur's. Since it's such a distinctive cave, you would have thought they'd have tried to hide its distinction with CGI.

[merlocmod.livejournal.com]

On one hand I was delighted to see it again, and shot so beautifully... On the other hand, I am a bit disappointed that they go for the continunity at Clearwell with the Druids (a place much easier to disguise), but then not here... And on the other other hand (I'm sure I have a third one around here somewhere), if I ever feel like writing fic in which in was indeed Balinor's cave, I won't feel like I can't. It's too good a notion! And we'll just have to pretend that Merlin was hiding his feelings a little more than usual... After all, he was on A Mission! :-D

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

Looks like Chepstow to me. Also before AliceMerlin used that name, she was using another name and mentioned Chepstow Castle around the time they'd have filmed there. So I'm pretty sure it's Chepstow.

(http://www.flickr.com/photos/archaeologist_d/5663201818/)

[merlocmod.livejournal.com]

Oh how wonderful, hon! ♥ I am so delighted that you also spotted this as such a superb location. I distinctly remember thinking at the time that this was just too good a place not to use, and obviously you did, too! :-DDD

[altocello.livejournal.com]

Can I just say that I'm loving these summary posts of locations visited in an episode!

Re: Porth yr Ogof, I absolutely sat straight up as soon as I saw them walking down those rocks by the (much smaller this time) stream. I was so tickled to see that it really was the cave I was thinking of! Sadly, I don't think their plan was to tie it into the Balinor storyline at all. I can understand that it would probably not have advanced the plot any though, lol.

Great eye on the staircase to the wine... erm, tomb! It is a beautiful and very distinct piece of architecture, isn't it?

I'll stop rambling now. But thank you again for the excellent summary of a really amazing array of locations in this episode!

[merlocmod.livejournal.com]

Hey there, hon! I'm so very glad you enjoy these posts. :-D I love doing them. Mr L and I rewatch the ep immediately after, FF-ing and pausing, and comparing notes before I write up the post. It's rather unexpected how much notice he's been taking! And there I was thinking he just fancied Katie and Angel! :-)

Alas, you were right about the use of Porth yr Ogof, though I would be happy to see fic exploring the notion that it was Balinor's cave after all! :-D It's such a beautiful place, I was so happy to see it again, even if I was then confused for the rest of the evening. Ah the perils of being a Locations Geek!

That staircase is indeed beautiful and distinct - just gorgeous! When I first saw it, I hoped they might use it some day... It makes me so happy that they did! And they used it well, too. There is a balcony hanging out over the river off the landing halfway up, and that would have been great to see, too, but not really apt for this episode. Well worth a visit, though! :-D

Thank you again for all your kind words and support. ♥

[merlocmod.livejournal.com]

Hee! It was indeed a beautiful locations episode, and I'm delighted to hear that it made you squeal, if only on the inside! :-D

My guess about Castell Coch was wrong, I find, so we will need to keep an eye out for it in future episodes! :-) But I think we have enough yes votes on Chepstow to feel fairly sure of that... Not that I mind an excuse to revisit - that was one awesome place!

Thank you so much for your kind words. I'm really glad you enjoy these posts! ♥

[minuialeth75.livejournal.com]

Can I say that I love your posts about locations after each episode?

Even with my bad memory, I immediately recognised Balinor's cave.
It's a bit of a pity that they simply re-used that location without linking it to the episode's theme. Did they think that the fans weren't going to recognise it?

I had to shake my head in amazement at the bit in the courtyard when Arthur yells "Hurry up!" to Merlin as they leave for the quest and you see Merlin running along the cloister, leaping over the wall and then mounting on his horse. This bit lasts less than 10 seconds in the episode.
I was there: it took them a whole day to film this! Mind boggling.

[merlocmod.livejournal.com]

Hey there, hon! Thank you. I'm so very glad you enjoy these posts. ♥

It is a pity that they didn't tie in the Balinor element of the story with the cave - especially in an episode about dragons and dragonlords! I'm sure it won't be just us die-hard Locations Geeks feeling confused or disappointed right now. But it was so wonderful to see Porth yr Ogof again, and filmed so very beautifully.

Heh! I was there that day in Pierrefonds as well, and I had the same reaction as you! It's astonishing, isn't it, how long it can take to film - no doubt exacerbated by being out on location, with knights and horses and so on... And after all that, we hardly even glimpsed the knights through the archway! :-D Still, I suppose the payoff for their time and effort is that these kinds of shots make the whole thing feel more real. There isn't an 'easy' cut to a forest scene, but an effort made to ground the whole thing in a very real Camelot... It really brings the realities of filming home to you, though, doesn't it...?

Thank you again for being such a keen member of the Locations Team!

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

I just realized that I'd videoed some of the dragon's egg scene where the knights and Arthur are asking if the egg had been destroyed!

It was the same time as the knightly pile of knights when they were fooling around.

[merlocmod.livejournal.com]

Ah! Thank you so much for this! I will edit my post accordingly. It's so great to know for sure! We are so lucky to be able to witness the filming like this... Thank you for sharing! ♥

[minuialeth75.livejournal.com]

*facepalm* (need an Arthur Facepalm icon) You know I didn't recognise this scene at all in the episode, right?
But I did wonder about the bit of riding in the forest we saw filmed just before: wasn't that in that ep too?

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

Yes, the part where Merlin asks Arthur if they'd lost him was the scene we were watching them film in the woods around Pierrefonds. Good call!

[winterstorrm.livejournal.com]

I like the idea that Balinor was guarding the egg, and I think that they missed a trick there by not making that the case as it was clearly the same place, they didn't even make any effort to change it's appearance!

[merlocmod.livejournal.com]

I like that idea, too, to be honest... I think we can run with it if we wish... and we'll just have to pretend that Merlin was being unusually stoical that day in hiding his reactions!