Filming for The Golden Compass movie has been continuing (see previous) this week at Greenwich around the area of Crowley Wharf and also in London, at Picadilly Circus.

CBBC have some great shots of both sets. The Greenwich river scene series of photographs shows turbaned Gyptians, fog and street lights as Lyra flees London. The last two photos show Lyra, but CBBC say she is a double for the actress playing her, Dakota Blue Richards. The London photographs meanwhile show green-screen daemons, well-dressed extras and a facial shot of Dakota's double.

The Greenwich scene filmed involved Lyra running towards the river wall, down the steps, onto a pontoon and then getting into a barge. Jonathon, who took several photographs of the goings-on for us, has a very full and evocative report of the main days' action which you can read here. From his report it sounds like the scene where Lyra leaves London after escaping Mrs Coulter's party.

Report

“Filming has just wrapped in Greenwich. Just been watching with a great view
right down by the river.

The bit that I saw consisted of Lyra (definitely…with curly, shoulder
lengthish hair) in a pale blue, quite long, dress running through the gate,
down the pontoon then on and into the boat before being quickly taken below
deck. She kept on turning round looking scared. As she gets on board
Gyptians gather up ropes etc. on the boat (“Keep busy” said the director of
the 2nd unit). A Gyptian lookout stands looking out on the moonlit river.
Lyra was followed by a woman and several Gyptians running down the pontoon with bows and arrows turning round and looking out as if wary of attack.

The pathway (which you see in the far ground of my photos earlier..where cars etc. parked) was lit up with bulbed lamps (as you would imagine from the book) as well as huge arc lights simulating moonlight on the water. Smoke
occasionally billowed across simulating a beautifully foggy scene. The scene
was redone a couple of time before wrapping and they are just starting to
dismantle everything. There may have been bits before but I was in the pub
with a mate! By morning I am sure it will be hard to believe that the Golden
Compass ever came to Greenwich!

The Gyptians are dressed in turbans or woollen hats and colourful, patterned
woollen cloaks. I “nearly” got a photo of some stand ins until they asked
who I was from. If my camera battery hadn't died at the point I was about to
take a photo I might have had an exclusive!!! Although I was clocked as not
being part of the crew at the point I was (nearly) taking the photo.

The barge came in just after dark and, although I got some photos, they are
far too dark to distinguish the barge. It was a 50ft barge with patterning
down the side and which nearly, on approach, was rammed into the river walls about 3 times! There were some stand ins (including one with a beard who was helming the boat).”