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Community Corner

Summer of Superman: Plainfield Man Shot Hundreds of Movie Photos

Gregory Zonsius' curiosity about Plano's transformation into the Smallville set for the Superman reboot "Man of Steel" became much more.

Many fans and local residents have strolled along in recent weeks, snapping a few photographs of the downtown's transformation into Clark Kent's hometown.

Gregory Zonsius, however, has shot more than 500 photographs and videos.

He posted them on SmugMug, a media clearinghouse where viewers can purchase prints in various sizes. He recently shared watermarked version of some of those photographs and talked about his experiences via e-mail with Yorkville Patch Editor Jillian Duchnowski.

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Duchnowski: How did you become interested in photographing "Man of Steel" set locations? Are you a Superman fan?

Zonsius: I've always been interested in the making of movies since I was a child.  When I learned that "Man of Steel" was going to be filmed in the area I thought it would be fun to see the sets before they started filming.  My wife and I went there one night and took some photos which I then posted online for others to see also.  After a lot of people started viewing them I decided to return and take additional photos.  It then became something I wanted to do.  I wanted to document how the sets were made and how Plano was being transformed into Smallville.  I wanted to get EVERY little detail I possibly could.  This was while the sets were still being built so every day I went back I found something new.

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Of all the Superheros, Superman is my favorite.  I am not a fan that attends conventions or collects comic books but I enjoy the Superman movies.

Duchnowski: What is your favorite photograph you've taken in Plano?

Zonsius: I like this photo the best so far. It is of Henry Cavill in between takes of filming "Man of Steel." It shows his smile and how the Superman suit fits him.  It also show some context on how he will appear in the film.

Another favorite of mine was taken at the Kent Family Farmhouse in Yorkville.  I saw that the production company created some damage to the front of the farmhouse and while driving by I snapped a couple of photos.  When I got home to look at them I realized that I had captured the first photo of Henry Cavill as Superman on the set.  This was by pure luck.

Duchnowski: Given that the downtown Plano set is closed, do you feel a little bit like the paparazzi? Has anyone ever indicated that they don't really want you there taking photographs?

Zonsius: I initially intended to photograph only the sets before filming began. When I heard about a shoot at the gas station that the production company built for the film, I decided to go to check it out to see if I could get any photos of the actual filming.  

I was able to get some good photos as well as video which I posted online. It was a scene in which Lois Lane (Amy Adams) pulls up to a gas station and asks for directions.   I didn't expect there to be much demand for it but overnight the video received over 30,000 hits.  I then knew there was a demand for photos and video of the filming also.  

I then decided I was going to try to get photos of the shooting of Main Street in Plano during filming.  This was a much different shoot than the one at the gas station.  The gas station shoot was open just so long as I stayed on the opposite side of the street.  When I went back to shoot Main Street in Plano I was greeted with 10 foot high fences covered with black tarps surrounding the entire downtown area.  I then took it on as a challenge to get photos of filming if I could by being resourceful.

I did feel like a paparazzi at the time, especially when there were other photographers trying to get the same shots as I.  We all worked together to help each other out.  We were all respectful of each other. 
I at no time was going to trespass onto the sets.  I was able to take photos from outside the set by knowing when and where the action was going to happen and a lot of luck.  I was always beyond where the production company specified when they were filming.  I was never told I wasn't able to take a photograph by anyone on the production crew although I have heard others were told that.  I was always visible to the production crew while I was taking photos and videos.  

Even though I have well over 500 hundred photos and videos online I have many more which I haven't put online.  Some I think are too revealing into the film so I try to respect the production companies secrecy to some degree and don't post those event if they are some of the best photos. 

Duchnowski: Tell me about some of the Superman fans and other photographers you've met in recent week.

Zonsius: I've met dozens of fans, journalists, photographers and area residents on the sets as well as during filming.  I got to know a lot of the residents of Plano as well as a lot of other people.  I would be down there so much walking around looking for good shots that I got to know a lot of people by name from seeing them every day.  In addition to residents of Plano I met people from all over the United States who came to see a bit of movie magic.  I met a lot of really great people who I now call friends. 

Duchnowski: Is this the first movie you've tracked this way? Given the number of movies filmed in the Chicagoland area in general, do you see yourself doing this again?

Zonsius: When I was younger I used to go to movie filmings in Chicago where I lived.  I saw many movies being made and was an extra in some of them also.  I always liked the "Behind the Scenes" things.  Seeing those movies being made was more of a passing thing back then.  With "Man of Steel" it is different.  This is going to be a BIG movie.  I thought about this.  If there was one action packed movie I would want to see filmed it would be a Superman movie.  This came true when it was announced that "Man of Steel" would shoot in Chicago and surrounding locations.

I don't know if I will do this again with another movie or not yet.  It takes a lot of time and patience to get the photos and videos.  I may do this again if the conditions are right.  Plano is only about a 20 minute drive from my house so it is pretty easy to get to the set.  For the Chicago filming it will be in the Chicago Loop which will be much more difficult for me to get to and probably more closed than the Plano set.  I really do like taking photos and videos of everything.  It is very exciting. 

Duchnowski: Based on what you've seen in recent weeks, do you think Plano was a good site for downtown Smallville? Why?

Zonsius: I think the location scouts did a great job with Plano.  Plano is a great little Midwestern town.  It has many elements that the production studio was looking for and is geographically close to a lot of locations that will be used in the movie, such as Chicago, Yorkville, Sugar Grove, Aurora, West Chicago, Serena etc... I think it was a perfect fit.

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