The Rookie: Behind the Scenes

On the website for The Rookie, there are always videos showing how the spin-off series is made.

Part 1: The Beginning
The video shows the cast rehersing for the show for the first time: scripts are read, scenes are practised, and behind the scenes shots are filmed showing the camera crew filming the action. Jeremy Ray Valdez tries on several different outfits to decide which is the best, and director Rodney Charters says that he needs to be able to move around freely. Also shown fitting clothes are the actos behind Angie Lawson, Maude, Jamal bin Muhammed and one of the Russian terrorists from Mistaken Identity.

The film then shows the first day of shooting at the Merchant Security Bank set on December 9th 2006, at 7:00am. Several members of the crew, including Director Rodney Charters plan out the route that the bank robbers will take. It also shows the bank robbers prior to almost running down Maude, who is saved by Jason. Stunt co-ordinator Jeff Cadiente tells the bank robbers what to do whilst in the bank.

Part 2: The 24 Connection
This video focuses on the crew who work behind the scenes of The Rookie. Featured are David Lane and Kevin Townsend, executive producers, who explain that many of the same people work on 24 as do on the Rookie, from the directors to the stund co-ordinators to the cameraman. It then focuses on Rodney Charters, who is the Director of Cinemotography on 24, but Director on The Rookie. Scott Powell, editor, explains that the camera operators make the Rookie look like part of 24. Rodney Charters returns and says that they wanted to give Jason something physical for the bank robbery scene to "define him as a man of action". Stunt co-ordinator Jeff Cadiente explains that he had to teach Jeremy Ray Valdez how to do a shoulder role and how to safely slide across the floor for scenes in the bank robbery.

Talking about using the CTU set, Charters explained that it was strange to use the familar set with different actors, especially when Angie Lawson was working at Chloe O'Brian's station, but they soon got used to it. He said that Oliver Benamou does the graphics for the CTU computers, and that he did an amazing job. The video ends with Scott Powell explaining that he edited the series in a way very similar to 24 to keep up the energy of the show.

Part 3: Tricks of the Trade
This video begins with Rodney Charters talking about Jeremy Ray Valdez, the actor who plays Jason Blaine. He explains that Jeremy was good choice because he had been on 24 during Day 5 working on the submarine which Vladmir Bierko commandeers, and that he did a good job. Also, he says that Jeremy was skilled at holding a weapon, a vital part of the show. Stunt co-ordinator Jeff Cadiente explains that he had to teach Jeremy how to do a shoulder role and how to safely slide across the floor for scenes in the bank robbery, and that he picked up on the action sequences very well. Jeff Henry, who played a bank robber, says that they used real weapons on the set. Charters says that the number of rounds shot is checked precisley and the safety of the weapon is also under much surveillance.

The crew then go on to talk about filming car sequences, and that for some the camera operators are hung on a rig from the side of the vehicle, but often the Poor Man's Process technique is used, where a car is placed in front of a screen where a filmed background is projected. Charters then talks about using a helicopter to film cars moving, which creates a style similar to that of 24. He says that he is pleased to be able to use such expensive "toys".

Part 4: The Grand Finale
The final video begins with exploring the desert location used in Mistaken Identity. Rodney Charters explains that, after scouting for half a day, they found the perfect location to explode the terrorist's van. Exec producer Kevin Townsend explains that they decided that Jason Blaine would cleverly decide to blow the oxygen tanks to take out the terrorists. Special effects supervisor Stan Blackwell explains the mechanics of exploding the van, whilst stunt co-ordinator Jeff Cadiente talks about the positioning of the actors during the scene.

In preparation for the actual explosion, Blackwell explains that for two seconds of film time, there could be fifty or sixty hours of preparation. Charters goes on to say that it was satisfying to have five cameras filming the scene at the same time because they could only get the shot once. The video then shows the explosion from three seperate angles. Charters explains that one camera was very close to the explosion in a protective steel case buried in the sand right next to the vehicle. The video finishes with Blackwell and his team setting out the fire, and looking at the destroyed vehicle after the explosion.

Part 1: The 24 Connection
Shows how the scene is different for the third day of the Rookie, and what is in store for the characters.

Part 2: The Crew
Shows how the stunts are carried out.

Part 3: Gadgets "Over Engineered"
Shows the gadgets used by the characters in Extraction.

Part 4:
Coming soon.