Swedish helmer produced 'Safe' haven

Denzel Washington and director Daniel Espinosa around the group of Safe House. If director Daniel Espinosa had his way, Hollywood's studio culture would embrace a kinder, gentler method of filmmaking. Universal's "Safe House," the Swedish helmer's first American feature, which required in $40 million locally over the past weekend, had its share of bumps and snags throughout production, but Espinosa opposed pressure to deal with the issues by eliminating people. Reservations & Signings "I saw that many Americans' first knee-jerk response to conflict would be to fire somebody," he stated. "I do not do this. I do not fire people, and that i do not let individuals to get fired on my small sets." Espinosa originates from the ecu school, where most photos burn through much less gold coin compared to reported $80 million allocated to "Safe House," using its roster of title stars, brought by Denzel Washington. "In Sweden, when we fired somebody we wouldn't have the cash to employ anybody else," states the Chilean-born director. "Whenever you focus on more compact budgets, you need to get on. I attempt to produce much more of a household structure (around the set). Firing people leads to a very anxious place of work, which is not great for creativeness." By safeguarding his crew, Espinosa stated he could build the type of loyalty that saw "Safe House" through some pretty rough patches. "It's nice when you are shooting and also the producer states we have to shut lower now because we haven't any more income with this day, as well as your d.p. as well as your crew say, 'We'll get it done free of charge.A You already know you've won on them.Inch "Safe House" went through drastic changes before shooting. The film, where the capture of the rogue agent (Washington) sparks a series of internecine destruction inside the CIA, is placed and was shot in Cape Town -- but was initially scripted for Rio p Janeiro. "Four several weeks before we would start shooting in Rio, they'd uprisings and riots within the favelas," stated Espinosa. It had been nov 2010 and "we did not understand how much security we'd need therefore we could not visit.Inch The helmer and the team scouted other locations, including Hong Kong and Australia. They needed a location "with similar socioeconomic structure as Rio, with inadequate towns living across the street from the center and upper classes, a town that is one character within the movie." Shooting on the soundstage or using greenscreen wasn't a choice, Espinosa stated. "I said excitedly when we aren't able to find (shantytowns such as the) favelas, I'd rather not shoot there. I needed the town to affect my figures, which can't happen if you are inside a studio." Cape Town, using its teeming townships, demonstrated the perfect location. They used 35mm film for that 75-day shoot. Espinosa hopes to create more U.S. studio pictures, but younger crowd expects to carry on safeguarding his deck hands in the vagaries of producers. "I'll get fired before anybody else," he stated. "I actually do this because I really like the job and also the people Sometimes with. Worst-situation scenario: I'll return to Sweden and spend time with my pals." WME signed d.p. Guillaume Schiffman ("The Artist"), co-repping him with Salite Cymbler of France's Cinelite agency. WME also hired agent Carol Jeter, who leads to board d.p. John Bailey ("Large Miracle"), production designer Lilly Kilvert ("Grey Guy") and producer Ginger root Sledge ("Bernie"). Montana Artists signed first AD Serta "Laz" Lazarovits ("The Frozen Ground"), production designer Alan Bainee ("Vicky Cristina Barcelona"), d.p. Cameron Duncan ("Southland") and costume designer Kim Wilcox ("Nobody Walks"). Agency reserved co-producer Darren Demetre on Sofia Coppola's "The Jewelry Ring," UPM Buddy Enright on Mikael Hafstrom's "The Tomb," d.p. John Rutland on Eduardo Sanchez's "Is available," production designer Ough Eyres on Kazuaki Kiriya's "The Final Dark night," and editors Michelle Tesoro on HBO's "Luck" and Jonathan Schwartz on Showtime's "The Large C." Contact Peter Caranicas at peter.caranicas@variety.com