Exclusive: Photos of Gotham Ships at Navy Pier From ‘The Dark Knight’

I am publishing exclusive “The Dark Knight” photos from a Navy Pier set in Chicago designed to simulate Gotham ships. These were submitted to me anonymously.

Thorough details from the photographer follow. Warning: This can be perceived as spoiler information.

These three photos were taken on June 27, 2007 at the south end of Navy Pier. A set was built to simulate two Gotham ships.

In the center was a large area painted with “digital green” (a matte-backing paint). Above the two ships, billboards were also painted with the same paint for effects in post-production.

The scene was an evacuation scene where pedestrians and prisoners were being evacuated from Gotham City. There were two bridges the pedestrians would be crossing.

The one on the left was for the National Guard and pedestrians. The bridge on the right is where the action took place.

The premise of the scene was for the pedestrians to be crossing when all of a sudden the National Guard and Gotham City Department of Correction officers move in. They create a wall to allow the prisoners to board the boat ahead of the pedestrians.

This caused the pedestrians to scream and go crazy. Why were prisoners being evacuated ahead of them?

There were more than 600 total extras used on this day. There were pedestrians (dressed for a fall day with luggage), prisoners (dressed in orange jumpsuits), Gotham City police, the National Guard and Gotham City Department of Correction officers.

There were two cameras used for the shoot. One camera was on a jib at the end of Navy Pier. Another camera was held by director of photography Wally Pfister at the end of the bridge to shoot back at the prisoners and pedestrians.

As the shot was intendted for dusk, aerial photography was also done. Director Chris Nolan left the set to get in the helicopter for aerial shots. He returned for the end of the shoot at dusk where more takes were done. Shooting completed around 9 p.m.