EPK

Photos and Videos

Cast and Credits

Synopsis

The Production

The Actors

The Filmmakers

Production Facts

William Hurt Interview

Molly Parker Interview

Andy Jones Interview

Interesting Facts

Studio submarine scenes were actually shot at the National Research Council of Canada's Institute For Marine Dynamics water tank used for testing the rig designs for the offshore oil industry. The tank is roughly the size of a football field and the team was able to "dial up" the exact size of waves necessary, their distance apart from one another, as well as the cross current, according to director Sturla Gunnarsson. The depth of the tank is about 15 feet.

At one point the production had more submarines than the Canadian Navy - one "diver," one interior and two full-sized exteriors.

A working kitchen had to be created for the set of Rare Birds. Consultation was done with several restaurateurs and food stylists on how a kitchen runs and how to capture certain aspects of the cooking process.

Every plate of food presented on camera had to be OK'd by a food stylist brought in specially for the filming of Rare Birds.

Actor William Hurt spent several nights, unbeknownst to customers, at a St. John's eatery called The Cellar working in the kitchen just to prepare for his role as a chef and restaurateur.

The cast and crew survived a full-blown hurricane, three weeks of thick fog, and a blizzard leading to the worst winter in Newfoundland in 100 years during principal photography. The amount of snow received in Newfoundland that winter was the greatest ever recorded.

The "Auk," the restaurant featured in the film, was set in the bush according to the book but in order to feature the dynamic landscape of Newfoundland, the producers elected to bring it out onto a cliff overlooking the ocean. Cape Spear National Park - the most eastern point of North America - became the location of the destitute establishment. Geographically speaking there is nothing but water between it and its closest point Iceland.

While shooting one of the final scenes, the rain and wind was so intense that the production was forced to change locations at the last minute. Access to the bay, which provided milder waters but no shelter from the cold downpour, was at the base of a steep cliff requiring cast, crew and equipment to descend a rope tethered at the top of the sharp rock.