Edwards 'transforms' into blockbuster movie set

Published March 7, 2007
By 1st Lt. Brad Kimberly
95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- When Dreamworks and Paramount Pictures release the "Transformers" movie July 4, the film will have strong Air Force ties following a visit to Edwards AFB in late February to shoot additional scenes.

Based on the mid-'80s animated television program, the live-action movie follows a race of robots with the capability to morph into vehicles, airplanes and other disguises. One of the characters disguises himself as the F-22A Raptor, another first for the advanced fighter.

"It will be the first time non-computer-generated Air Force F-22s are depicted in film, and it also marks the film debuts for the CV-22 and C-130J," said Capt. Christian Hodge, chief of future operations at the U.S. Air Force Entertainment Liaison Office in Los Angeles.

"This movie has a lot of Air Force in it," he said. The film crew previously shot several scenes at Edwards in September 2006. Scenes also were filmed at Holloman AFB, N.M., and Kirtland AFB, N.M.

Several Edwards Airmen were given the opportunity to appear in the movie as extras, a term describing actors appearing on screen without dialogue.

A few Airmen were selected for speaking roles in the film, but not all of them were ready for the transition from Airman to actor.

The initial reaction to being offered a speaking role was that of horror, said Master Sgt. Michael Brown, the chief air traffic controller with the 412th Operations Support Squadron.

"I wanted to get as many of my people into the movie as possible but had not planned on being in the film at all," he said. "I was asked a few questions by the director, Michael Bay. The next thing I knew, he was giving me a few lines."

One Airman expanded on his opportunity to act in the film.

"I actually wrote my own lines," said Tech. Sgt. Toshiya Jones, also an air traffic controller from the 412th OSS. "I was very surprised that he asked me where the sheet of paper that I wrote my lines on was, and that I was actually going to get to speak the lines I wrote."

"Transformers" is the largest movie project since "Black Hawk Down" to receive Department of Defense approval as selection is based on how accurately forces are portrayed.