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Michael Bay attacked on 'Transformers 4' set in Hong Kong

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kyoya

kyoya

Member
So, this has just gotten more bizarre, Bay's spokesperson released a statement saying that he did not get hurt, but the guy who attacked him was under the influence of drugs and swung an air conditioner unit at him. WTF? HK movie fighting with random objects now? Is this some Hollywood spin or what?

Thursday was a wacky day at work for director Michael Bay, who was reportedly attacked by two men while filming the latest installation of the Transformers movie franchise in Hong Kong.

Local police tell Reuters that two young men -- brothers -- approached Bay and the younger sibling demanded that he hand over nearly $13,000.

According to police, the older brother attacked Bay and then assaulted police who tried to intervene. Both brothers were arrested; the younger on suspicion of blackmail and assault and the elder on suspicion of assault.

A police spokesperson said Bay suffered injuries to the right side of his face, but declined to seek medical treatment.

UPDATE: In a statement obtained by The New York Times, Bay's spokesperson revealed more details about the bizarre incident.

"Contrary to several erroneous news reports made today, Bay did not get hurt in a fight on set. The production company did have a bizarre encounter with a man (allegedly under the influence of a narcotic substance) who was wielding an air conditioning unit as a weapon. The man, who had earlier accosted several other crew members, rushed onto the set in Quarry Bay and swung the air conditioning unit directly at Bay's head.

The director ducked and wrested the air conditioner from his attacker, preventing what could have been a serious accident. The company's security team quickly stepped in and subdued the assault. The police, who also scuffled with the assailant and two of his companions, ultimately arrested the three men. No one on the cast or crew was injured and the production immediately resumed filming without further incident."
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Link: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/...ael-bay-attacked-on-transformers-set/2999699/
 
U

UnluckyKate

Member
Official statement is really different :

Contrary to several erroneous news reports, Bay did not get hurt in a fight on his set. The production company did have a rather bizarre encounter with a man (allegedly under the influence of a narcotic substance) who was wielding an air conditioning unit as his weapon of choice.

The young man, who had earlier accosted several other crew members, barreled onto the set in Quarry Bay and swung the cumbersome appliance directly at Bay’s head. The director ducked and wrested the air conditioner from his attacker, preventing what could have been a serious accident. The company’s security team quickly stepped in and subdued the assault. The police, who also scuffled with the assailant and two of his companions, ultimately arrested the three men. No one on the cast or crew was injured and the production immediately resumed filming without further incident.
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Johnny Cage In The Shower

Johnny Cage In The Shower

Member
Why does this guy's life always sound a lot more interesting than his movies?

They should just make a reality show with him as the focus, have a camera crew on him as he goes around the world and makes his movies and gets into shenanigans, with fans, media, actors, producers, Asian gangs etc.
 
Z

zma1013

Member
I am so sorry.

airconditionerattack.jpg
 
A

AgentOtaku

Member
Busty said:
The BBC are reporting that Michael Bay took a swing at the men first...., but his punch took thirty seconds to connect as it traveled in slo-mo.

It just hovered in mid air as the early morning light of the Sun danced around his fist.
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I loled
 
C

Cow Mengde

Banned
They probably thought the air conditioner was a Transformer?

BTW, I'm actually willing to believe the latter. I just don't see how some street thugs can walk up to Michael Bay.
 
D

Demoncarnotaur

Member
Here is Michel Bays version of the story which makes the most sense:

Hi, it’s Michael.

Yes, the story is being passed around is not all true! Yes, some drugged up guys were being belligerent asses to my crew for hours in the morning of our first shoot day in Hong Kong. One guy rolled metal carts into some of my actors trying to shake us down for thousands of dollars to not play his loud music or hit us with bricks.

Every vendor where we shot got paid a fair price for our inconvenience, but he wanted four times that amount. I personally told this man and his friends to forget it we were not going to let him extort us. He didn’t like that answer. So an hour later he came by my crew as we were shooting, carrying a long air conditioner unit. He walked right up to me and tried to smack my face, but I ducked threw the air unit on the floor and pushed him away. That’s when the security jumped on him. But it took seven big guys to subdue him. It was like a Zombie in Brad Pitt’s movie World War Z—he lifted seven guys up and tried to bite them. He actually bit into one of the guards Nike shoe, insane. Thank god it was an Air Max, the bubble popped, but the toe was saved.

Then it took fifteen Hong Kong cops in riot gear to deal with these punks. In all, four guys were arrested for assaulting the officers.

After that, we had a great day shooting here in Hong Kong.
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kyoya

kyoya

Member
Read this statement in Eric Cartman's voice and it's a lot funnier.

Hi, it’s Michael.

Yes, the story is being passed around is not all true! Yes, some drugged up guys were being belligerent asses to my crew for hours in the morning of our first shoot day in Hong Kong. One guy rolled metal carts into some of my actors trying to shake us down for thousands of dollars to not play his loud music or hit us with bricks.

Every vendor where we shot got paid a fair price for our inconvenience, but he wanted four times that amount. I personally told this man and his friends to forget it we were not going to let him extort us. He didn’t like that answer. So an hour later he came by my crew as we were shooting, carrying a long air conditioner unit. He walked right up to me and tried to smack my face, but I ducked threw the air unit on the floor and pushed him away. That’s when the security jumped on him. But it took seven big guys to subdue him. It was like a Zombie in Brad Pitt’s movie World War Z—he lifted seven guys up and tried to bite them. He actually bit into one of the guards Nike shoe, insane. Thank god it was an Air Max, the bubble popped, but the toe was saved.

Then it took fifteen Hong Kong cops in riot gear to deal with these punks. In all, four guys were arrested for assaulting the officers.

After that, we had a great day shooting here in Hong Kong.
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S

Sho_Nuff82

Member
Somehow the version where he Matrix-dodges a piece of heavy machinery and one of the attackers brutally resists capture from 7 police officers sounds a little too...Hollywood.
 
D

Dark Octave

Banned
Blackace said:
lost in translation.. you owe HK$100,000 ($12,900) compensation for making crappy movies, and having jive shucking robots...
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Thank you. I will personally claim each punch to his face as a small piece of compensation for destroying my childhood.

I'm half joking by the way
 
A

ArkkAngel007

Member
Burt said:
Jesus Christ, the guy can't even keep product placement out of his blog posts. If I had more faith, I'd say it was him making a meta-wink at everyone, but I don't. And lifting seven guys? Yeah right. Michael Bay's eyeballs are the action version of the TF2 Pyro in his/her "Meet the Pyro" segment.
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You realize that he doesn't mean the dude literally picked up seven guys? They probably tackled the guy, and he struggled up with the seven security officers hanging off of him (disclaimer: not literally hanging). Contrary to what a lot of people believe, there are quite a few pretty big dudes over there.

The Nike thing is weird though. I don't know what an Air Max is, but I've never seen anything with a bubble or would act like an air pocket on the toe end of a shoe.
 
B

Burt

Member
ArkkAngel007 said:
You realize that he doesn't mean the dude literally picked up seven guys? They probably tackled the guy, and he struggled up with the seven security officers hanging off of him (disclaimer: not literally hanging). Contrary to what a lot of people believe, there are quite a few pretty big dudes over there.

The Nike thing is weird though. I don't know what an Air Max is, but I've never seen anything with a bubble or would act like an air pocket on the toe end of a shoe.
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Well I mean, it does literally say "he lifted seven guys up and tried to bite them", and even standing up with seven guys who were trying to subdue you hanging on you seems a little dramatized.

It would totally be cooler if he did literally have seven guys hanging off him though. It's funnier imagining the incredible Hong Kong hulk rampaging through a Bay set than if it were a street vendor or some run of the mill gangster.
 
Z

zulfate

Member
You know, michael bay films are really shot well more so than your typical director. His movies might be soulless but there is a summer feel that he captures so damn well and he is a smart man for doing it. He knows what he is doing...making money. Ill never understand the hate this man gets and i hope him the best. Give me a new showcase film bay. Lets roll.
 
J

J10

Banned
zulfate said:
You know, michael bay films are really shot well more so than your typical director.
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I disagree. He's especially bad at framing action scenes. It was by the grace of god that shooting the last Transformers movie in 3d forced him to pull the cameras back and hold them still for more than 2 seconds at a time. Normally he shoots like a coked up asshole.
 
TUROK

TUROK

Member
J10 said:
I disagree. He's especially bad at framing action scenes. It was by the grace of god that shooting the last Transformers movie in 3d forced him to pull the cameras back and hold them still for more than 2 seconds at a time. Normally he shoots like a coked up asshole.
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I don't think you've ever actually seen any of his films.

Glad he's okay.
 
Z

zulfate

Member
J10 said:
I disagree. He's especially bad at framing action scenes. It was by the grace of god that shooting the last Transformers movie in 3d forced him to pull the cameras back and hold them still for more than 2 seconds at a time. Normally he shoots like a coked up asshole.
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Ill give you that but i meant his earlier films. Even still it was kinda a learning process since he hadnt work with such a scale before. I know that he was really zoomed in, to me thats just an american style of shooting but he has learned to shoot better with each film. I didnt mean just framing, his scene to scene transitions are great and overall imagery is spot on...i cant deny it as much as his films suck. I guess his movies are all guilty pleasures of mine.
 
Z

zma1013

Member
TUROK said:
I don't think you've ever actually seen any of his films.

Glad he's okay.
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The action in his Transformer movies are one big ball of CGI smeared all over the screen. I can't tell what's going on in those scenes. I imagine most people just nod there heads at the screen and go, "Did you see that blue and red blur merge with the black and silver blur and then something bright and yellow happened behind them? That was awesome."
 
I

Iceman

Member
Oh the anonymity-fueled hyperbole of the internet. A guy gets shaken down by the goons (female muscle) of an organized crime syndicate and then physically assaulted and you guys suggest that it is deserved based on your (collective) critique of his work - that doesn't directly pertain to you in any way - and that you can just as easily ignore and avoid.

Anyways, how bold for the triad to think they can go after such a huge production. Haven't they seen Tropic Thunder? I can only imagine the movie studio execs will behave like Les Grossman when it comes to anyone threatening them in even the most indirect/tangential way.
 
TUROK

TUROK

Member
zma1013 said:
The action in his Transformer movies are one big ball of CGI smeared all over the screen. I can't tell what's going on in those scenes. I imagine most people just nod there heads at the screen and go, "Did you see that blue and red blur merge with the black and silver blur and then something bright and yellow happened behind them? That was awesome."
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QYQS9SYa6A

I must have some bionic vision if I'm able to see what's going on here perfectly.
 
Z

zulfate

Member
zma1013 said:
The action in his Transformer movies are one big ball of CGI smeared all over the screen. I can't tell what's going on in those scenes. I imagine most people just nod there heads at the screen and go, "Did you see that blue and red blur merge with the black and silver blur and then something bright and yellow happened behind them? That was awesome."
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Man i never had a hard time with that. When i hear people say this (only online) i dont understand it but i guess i kinda do? Lol bay has said he tries to make them look less metal and add more color to distinguished them. I feel people exaggerate a bit but i dont have your eyes to see so ill never know.
 
Z

zulfate

Member
Hahaha....ok bro whats to blame here? 24fps? Big fast moving robots? Shitty quick view from a perspective of a car to add scale? You also had to get screen grabs of a scene in motion to prove your point.
 
P

Pyramid head

Banned
zulfate said:
Hahaha....ok bro whats to blame here? 24fps? Big fast moving robots? Shitty quick view from a perspective of a car to add scale? You also had to get screen grabs of a scene in motion to prove your point.
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Messy looking robot designs and badly composed shots of said designs. Cleaner designs would look better if shot the same and conversely, the existing designs would look better if the scenes were better choreographed and shot.

As it is, the existing films are the perfect storm of shit.
 
K

~Kinggi~

Banned
zulfate said:
You know, michael bay films are really shot well more so than your typical director. His movies might be soulless but there is a summer feel that he captures so damn well and he is a smart man for doing it. He knows what he is doing...making money. Ill never understand the hate this man gets and i hope him the best. Give me a new showcase film bay. Lets roll.
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Michael Bay is the best. I love him so.
 
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