A movie about the life of Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, is scheduled to film at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry next week.
Made by Universal Pictures, the film is called “First Man.” It stars Ryan Gosling and is being directed by Damien Chazelle. The two also teamed up for “La La Land,” which won six Academy Awards.
A production company spokeswoman wouldn’t discuss details of the Perry filming, but a permit that the city issued suggests that the scene is a re-creation of a training crash in which Armstrong was nearly killed.
The permit map of the site includes markings that state “crash,” “burn location” and “Neil dragged.” It also shows that two cranes will be used.
The map is titled “LLTV Sequence.” LLTV stands for lunar landing training vehicle.
In 1968, a year before the moon landing, Armstrong was nearly killed while trying to land a simulator of the lunar module. He ejected just before the module exploded and crashed.
A crew began setting up for the filming Monday, and that work will continue through this week. Filming is expected to begin next week, said Rachael Roth, a publicist for the film.
The movie is being filmed in Georgia. First Man Productions has leased the southeast section of the fairgrounds property through Nov. 23. The scene will be filmed in an area east of the Go Fish Education Center on land between Perry Parkway and the Golden Isles Parkway.
Roth wouldn’t say what cast members — if any — may be there. The set is closed to the public and to media.
In an email, she described the movie this way: “A visceral, first-person account, based on the book by James R. Hansen, the movie will explore the sacrifices and the cost — on Armstrong and on the nation — of one of the most dangerous missions in history.”
The film focuses on Armstrong’s life from 1961 up until the moon landing in 1969.
Wayne Crenshaw: 478-256-9725, @WayneCrenshaw1
This story was originally published November 13, 2017 2:19 PM.