Thor
Bud Emerson | Klish Way

Thor crashes through the heavens pulled by the goats
Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr. “Thor” (1901) by Johannes Gehrts.
Wikipedia.

THOR may be coming to our Del Mar beach depending on the outcome of negotiations between City Manager Karen Brust and Paramount Pictures.

THOR, directed by Kenneth Branagh with cinematographer Patrick Doyle, is one of the most anticipated movies for release in 2011, starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, and Renee Russo.

Paramount Pictures has requested a 300+ yard stretch of beach either at the North end of the beach or 15th street to the South for production purposes. The scene calls for six horses and riders running on the sand with an all terrain vehicle driving alongside with a camera mount filming back to the waters edge.

The beach is ideal because it has a gradual slope of sand at the waterline which creates a consistent sheen of water that lingers on the sand. This creates wonderful reflection opportunities on film according to the producer. In addition, the clear horizon line and wide beach create a nice contrast to the sky.

The tentative scheduled date is Thursday, April 29, 2010 totaling four to five days. The scene would require preparation days to clear the beach and grade the sand to a level surface. The film production crew of 100 people would be on the beach for the days of rehearsal and filming. Beach access would be restricted to the production crew only. Most truck and crew parking would be staged at the race track. The horse trailers, five large equipment trucks, and a catering truck would need be set up close to the beach. The details of the production, including proper neighborhood notifications, security, and parking requirements will be negotiated in the final agreement.

Production of this film is expected to have a positive economic impact from the use of city lodging and the purchase of local goods and services. The City will require that all City staff time be reimbursed and a good faith cash contribution towards a City of Del Mar project, such as the 17th Street Beach Safety Center, would be one of the considerations for use of a limited section of the City’s beach.