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| 9-12-2001 Press Conference to Launch the Production of Touchstone Pictures' SIGNS PARTICIPANTS: Stars Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix, Writer and DirectorM. Night Shyamalan, and the Chairman of the Walt DisneyMotion Pictures Group, Richard Cook. WHAT: Start of production press conference for TouchstonePictures' SIGNS'. WHEN: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 200110:00 - 10:30 AM WHERE: RITZ EAST THEATRE 127 Sansom Walkway Philadelphia, PA FILMSYNOPSIS: SIGNS is a thriller focusing on the sudden appearance of mysterious crop circles on a family farm in Bucks County,Pennsylvania. Touchstone Pictures' SIGNS will open nationwide Summer 2002. SOURCE: Touchstone Pictures |
| 10-12-2001 GENERAL INFORMATION: Plot: A town pastor Graham Hess (Gibson) in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, becomes a media sensation when vast complex celestial crop circles start appearing in local corn fields. His faith is tested in his quest to find the truth behind the circles. Genre: Supernatural Thriller Director/Writer: M Night Shyamalan Executive Producer: Kathleen Kennedy Producers: Frank Marshall, Sam Mercer Cast: Mel Gibson (Graham Hess), Joaquin Phoenix (Merrill Hess), Rory Culkin (Morgan Hess), Abby Breslin (Bo Hess), Cherry Jones, Patricia Kalember, Nelson Machado Tag Line: The Signs Of Life Distributor: Touchstone Pictures (Disney) Production Company: Blinding Edge Pictures Project Phase: Currently in production Location: Bucks County, Pennsylvania Release Date: Summer 2002 (estimated August) The production company has now put out a press release which reveals a few more details about the plot and characters. It states that "Signs" is a thriller about crop circles which mysteriously appear on a family farm in Bucks County, and leave townsfolk befuddled. Gibson, whose character name in the movie is Graham Hess, is a family patriarch and town pastor whose faith is tested in his quest to find the truth behind the circles. Joaquin Phoenix, the actor who starred in "Gladiator," plays Merrill Hess, brother to (Gibson character) Graham and a former minor league baseball star. |
| 10-20-2001 Article here : http://www.13thstreet.com/frame.cfm?src=http://www.13thstreet.com/scanner/ contentcomm.cfm?Epitaph=ED89E02F-889F-4997-B1A63D24BBBA77A5 "Signs" Filming Report! By Patrick Sauriol Filming on M. Night Shyamalan's Signs has started in Bucks County, PA. Eyewitnesses have told us that the film's star, Mel Gibson, filmed scenes today on State Street in Newtown, a section of Bucks County. "They were filming a scene in a local pizzeria and tomorrow will film in a bookstore down the road," writes one of our eyewitnesses. Gibson was dressed in flannels and was walking down the town street with Rory Culkin and an unidentified young girl. Culkin and the young girl are playing Gibson's character's children in the film. Gibson took the time to sign autographs for onlookers and even shake hands. All we know about the premise of Signs is that one day a farmer (Gibson) discovers mysterious crop circles in his cornfield. The script is being kept confidential and reportedly is only being copied on red paper, making unauthorized photocopying next to impossible. |
| 10-20-2001 A peek at the farmhouse set. (Farmhouse can be seen here . ) While interior shots are being filmed there, exterior shooting has taken place all over Bucks County and neighboring Chester County. Scenes have been filmed in various Newtown, PA locations including: a bookstore, record store, pizzeria, a hardware store, the local pub, and a billards store. Filming has also taken place in other nearby areas: a covered bridge in the East Fallowfield Township, an intersection in Highland Township, and primarily at the farmhouse set at Doylestown's Delaware Valley College. Word is that the farmhouse set will be dismantled soon. The nearby town of Morrisville also saw some action when the town's pharmacy was used as a location. The business reportedly received between $5,000 and $10,000 for use of their property. Echoing the high level of secrecy surrounding the production Newtown's Mayor Glenn Hains recently said, "No one's going to become an extra in this movie by walking up and down the street, there are times the street's going to be shut down, so the actors can do their things." |
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