As one of the UK's leading specialists in Chinese antique and oriental
furniture,
Shimu are often the natural choice for theatre groups and
production teams to supply furniture or accessories for use as props in plays or
films. Their biggest and most high profile project to date is working with the
production team for the eagerly anticipated
Skyfall movie; the
latest and some are saying greatest Bond film starring
Daniel Craig. Much
of the film is set in Shanghai and on an island off Macao so
Shimu was a ideal choice to supply some of the oriental
furniture and accessories required to turn the set at Pinewood studios into
modern day China.
The buying team first contacted
Shimu around this time last year looking to source several
items to be used in various scenes of the film. Over the following months they
supplied a whole range of pieces, many of which were produced to order through
their workshop in Shanghai or via suppliers in Beijing. Amongst these bespoke
items was a wooden towel rail; based on the robe hangers of ancient China and
was used in a scene set in a Macao hotel, as well as brass hardware to
accessorise window panels and a number of antique stools and reproduction
tables.
The biggest challenge was to provide dozens of lanterns in various shapes and
sizes, based on the large wire and canvas lanterns that they offer as part of
their range of oriental home accessories. The production team needed several of
these lanterns to be made in a larger size than standard, as well as smaller
table lanterns and light shades. These had to be supplied to meet a very tight
filming schedule, the team at
Shimu managed to get the pieces made and shipped, arriving
on set the day before they were required. See above,
Shimu's standard lanterns and the bespoke versions,
created especially for the film.
The production team were delighted with the finished lanterns, which were to be
beautifully lit for a scene set in Macao, overseen by the cinematographer and
nine times Oscar nominee
Roger Deakins. If you've watched the
Skyfall trailer or have already been able to see the film then you
will have spotted the lanterns and the stunning effect they
have.
Following their timely supply of the products used in filming,
Shimu were recently contacted by the event team organising
the UK premiere, which takes place this evening at the Royal Albert Hall
attended by Prince Charles. At short notice they once again met the event teams
requirements and supplied another 30 lanterns for the event, including 5 for the
VIP room; to be seen by both British and Hollywood Royalty.
Skyfall is on general release from Friday the 26th October, look
out for the lanterns!
To 'get the
Skyfall look' please
visit the
Atom Online Image Library where you can download any of
Shimu's high resolution images directly to your desktop.
Other recent product loans include a request from the Royal Shakespeare
Company asking if they could order some of the Wooden Pails and Calligraphy
Brushes, seen below, to be used in a forthcoming production of
The Orphan
of Zhao the classic tale of revenge, occasionally referred to as the
'
Chinese Hamlet'.
Shimu have also supplied big production movies such as
The 47 Ronin due out next year, starring
Keanu Reeves as
one of band of Samurai out to avenge the death of their master, where they
supplied 25 red lacquer folding stools to be used in one of the crucial scenes
of the film; you can find out more on
Shimu's blog.
