After a series of newspaper articles were published claiming that the blood splatter division had been misrepresenting evidence, an investigation was launched by the North Carolina Attorney General. If youre making up scenes that never happened and putting words in the mouths of real-life people, I dont know why there wouldnt be a disclaimer at the beginning of the show saying these are dramatized scenes that never took place, says Luchak. But the 2022 HBO Max series of The Staircase was filmed in Georgia so the original property wasnt used. This suggestion is false and implausible, Rudolf says, explaining, Another condition for filming was that they couldnt air [footage] until all the appeals were exhausted, because I didnt know whether it was going to be helpful to Michael or hurtful to Michael. (The filmmakers edited the documentary under that agreement. The HBO Max series depicts the many ways Kathleen could have died, and the production team built three versions of the stairs: covered in blood, as it appears in crime scene photos; pristine, as it existed before Kathleens death; and covered in padding and green-screen fabric, for VFX and stunts. Meanwhile, harsh truths wait to be revealed at the bottom of the familial crisis. [5] On March 31, 2021, it was announced that HBO Max had given the project a limited series order consisting of 8 episodes, with Campos set as showrunner and director of 6 of the episodes and American Crime Story's Maggie Cohn joining as writer, executive producer, and co-showrunner. In 2001, French filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and producer Denis Poncet began working on their next documentary when they encounter news about Michael's case. In an autopsy reportreleased in 2002, lead pathologist Deborah Radisch concluded Kathleen's cause of death was due to "severe concussive injury of the brain caused by multiple blunt force impacts of the head. What wasnt included in the documentary thats worth checking out?, In the interview, Campos said he was initially interested in pursuing the filmmaker story line after hearing that de Lestrade and Poncet disagreed about Peterson, and that the editor of the documentary fell in love with Michael through the footage from Paris. (De Lestrade admits he thought that Michael could be innocent, and Denis was more inclined to think that Michael was guilty. The official HBO Max podcast hosted by Nancy Miller (HBO's I'll Be Gone in the Dark Podcast).The Staircase Podcast takes an episode-by-episode deep dive into the highly anticipated drama.Miller interviews both cast and crew to unpack how the true story was brought to life on screen, as well as case experts and academics to unpack the science, history, and psychology behind the case. Firefly Lane season 2 part 1 recap: Everything that happened in the Netflix drama, ahead of season 2 part 2 landing on the streamer. For this plea, the judge sentenced Peterson to 86 months in prison time that he had already served. In addition, Ford was no longer attached as executive producer. HBO Max is used under license. In that case, let us indulge further. Meanwhile, a French documentary team takes an interest in the story. A local lighting and sound business provided energy-efficient LED lights. Most of the story seemingly unfolds in a serene upscale neighborhood in Durham, a city in North Carolina, where the actual Kathleen used to live. Learn smart gadget and internet tips and tricks with our entertaining and ingenious how-tos. With resources like the Georgia Film Offices location search database, property owners in Georgia can submit photos of their home to GA Reel Scout and incoming film companies can easily find the perfect location to match their script. Brunet, an acclaimed French filmmaker, says HBO Maxs adaptation doesnt accurately represent her 13-year relationship with accused murderer Michael Peterson. The series premiered on HBO Max on May 5, 2022.[1]. We see the crew start to film Peterson in episode 2. [11][12][13][14][15][16] In July 2021, Tim Guinee and Vincent Vermignon joined the cast of the series. The bizarre case has been the subject of countless true crime podcasts, a Netflix docuseries, and has now been adapted by HBO Max into a new drama miniseries starring Colin Firth and Toni. But to now understand my work was erased so that a totally fictional account of how The Staircase was made could be dramatized is mind-boggling. Want to see for yourself how productions like The Staircase use the states resources to their advantage? (In 2005, The New York Times gave it a rave review: Not only is the editing prize-worthy, but the whole film is also so brilliantly conceived, reported, filmed and paced that you may come to wish it were twice as long.) HBO Maxs dramatized The Staircase undermines the very documentary it purports to pay tribute to, the filmmakers allege, by suggesting that they purposefully tipped the scales to manipulate audiences. Today, the home is thought to still be under the ownership of AZAD III LLC - which bought the property in 2020 for $1.6m, and according to the NC Secretary of State Office the owner is thought to be Ramsey Shehadeh who works for the company listed. The local casting director for The Staircase casted 145 roles in the state. HBO Max's version of Jean Lastrade (Vincent Vermignon) filming The Staircase documentary. Yes No. When he did make it to North Carolina, according to Luchak, he was occasionally undoing her careful work. I dont know how that helps anybody.. Although the story almost exclusively unravels in North Carolina, the crew chose to film the series in Atlanta due to possible logistical reasons. I do not understand the motivation to do that, or legally how you can do that and say this film is based on a true story. I am literally sick thinking that people will believe the dramatized version of the filmmaking scenes are based on the truth. To malign or discredit our filmmaking by making it seem as though we were biased from the beginning is insulting and professionally damaging, says Luchak, reiterating that the point of The Staircase was to immerse audiences in the American criminal justice system rather than prove Petersons guilt or innocence. Published 29 April 23. where was Guilt filmed? As a whole, Shaw said he was inspired by the role of the Dakota apartments in Roman Polanskis 1968 film Rosemarys Baby. From Michaels office, filled with a cacophony of weird stuff he collected, to the dining room which McLoughlin said starts off as a centerpiece of the family before becoming a war room during the legal battle the house functions as its own character in the series. By Ellie Hutchings At the end of episode 3 of HBO Max's The Staircase, we learn a bit more about Elizabeth "Liz" Ratliff's death. All rights reserved. A lifelong fan of memes (and writing), she's currently in her dream gig. But its hard to get lost in those details when the integrity of their prized documentary is seemingly on the line. McLoughlin specifically paid attention to the objects and decorations that would communicate Collettes character, who is both at the center of the original series and completely absent from it. Based on Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's true crime docuseries of the same name that spanned from 2004 to 2018, limited series " The Staircase " is created by Antonio Campos and follows the events of. It was important to create something that wasnt a replica of the doc.. All Rights Reserved. The star-studded movie releases Friday (June 11). We gave her the set, and she closed herself off for about five days and would look at pictures of Kathleen and play whatever music moved her. And I never asked to watch the episodes before they were shown because I was quite confident, explains de Lestrade. While we obviously have to edit material, wade through hundreds of hours of footage, and make choices to tell a compelling storytheres a process of doing it in a way to preserve integrity. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories? There are a lot of characters in this new version of The Staircase. Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. This past December, when Campos and HBO Maxs team flew to Paris to film several scenes for the long-planned adaptation, The Staircases editor, Sophie Brunet, even opened her home to host some of the filmmakers for dinner. While chronicling the defense strategy of Michael Peterson, the novelist who was accused of murdering his wife, Kathleen, in 2001, de Lestrades cameras recorded strategy meetings inside Petersons Durham, North Carolina, homethe same home where Kathleen was found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs. Before you binge this true-crime series about a Durham, North Carolina man accused of murdering his wife, learn how Georgia's small business vendors, stage space, and unique sites all played feature roles. Georgia-lensed miniseries "The Staircase," starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette, started streaming last week on HBO Max. For years, they remained in contact. You see every nook and cranny.. After Elizabeth's death, Michael and Patricia took in Ratliff's two daughters, Martha and Margaret. The home has had several owners over the years and it was given a makeover in 2020 with refinished hardwood floors, an updated kitchen, and a beautiful spiral staircase. Hylton Casting is currently casting extras to work on the HBO Max Limited Series Staircase in scenes filming on Wednesday, 6/9/21 and/or Thursday, 6/10/21, in Atlanta, GA. And thats strange. Apart from being a popular filming destination and home to the production of several MCU projects, Atlanta is also famous for its eclectic taste in food and music. But we dont know what the night after his release was like. The season finale of The Staircase brought a ton of reveals. De Lestrade, an Academy Awardwinning documentarian, had to agree to the terms of Petersons defense attorney, David Rudolfamong them, that footage would be sent to France each night before it could be subpoenaed by prosecution. The Staircase was filmed in its entirety in the US, especially in Georgia. It might look familiar to some film fans as it was the home location for the 1990 movie The Handmades Tale starring Robert Duvall, Faye Dunaway and Natasha Richardson. (Rudolf, who writes about The Staircase in his new book American Injustice: Inside Stories from the Underbelly of the Criminal Justice System, has been pointing those out in a column with The Charlotte Observer.). HBO Max's new drama miniseries The Staircase tells a gripping story about the life of novelist Michael Peterson . The original point of Jean-Xavier de Lestrade was to examine the complexity of the American legal system. 16,072, This story has been shared 3,113 times. Prosecutors maintained Michael beat Kathleen to death, and the defense maintained she accidentally fell to her death down several stairs. But there is a lot of evidence against him, and the HBO Max series in particular has constructed a good story about how Peterson could have killed his wife. I was respecting his liberty as an author, as a creator, as a filmmaker. The real Peterson did give an Alford plea, and he was released for time served in February of 2017. With Catastrophe now available to watch on Netflix, TV writer Emily Stedman gives her reasons as to why viewers - particularly parents - should watch the show. To help aid productions in finding local crew and vendors, the state keeps an updated Georgia production directory. I must say, I didn't really realize there were such beautiful retirement homes," Burstyn told Fox 5. In 2002, Jean-Xavier and his team arrive in Durham to begin filming their documentary. Some scenes were most likely taped at a park, where leading star Toni Collette was spotted with a smile on her face in mid-2021, despite the grave nature of the show. I never, ever cut anything out that would be damaging for him. I asked them, Where do you think I should start? Those two elements symbolize what the whole story is about, Shaw said. Learn more from behind the scenes: Take a Tour of "The Staircase's" Sustainable Sets, Check out this video for more highlights: "The Staircase" Filming in Atlanta, Georgia Department of Economic DevelopmentTechnology Square, 75 5th Street N.W.Suite 1200 Atlanta, GA 30308. HBO Max head of original content Sarah Aubrey said . [19], Principal photography for the series began on June 7, 2021, in Atlanta, Georgia, and was scheduled to conclude in November 2021. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Michael Peterson sold his house in 2004 - some 12 years after he first bought it. Without continued access to the prosecution side, de Lestrade says the crew was very cautious during the entire edit process to be balanced., Says Luchak, Theres a responsibility to fictionalize the truth accurately, because otherwise youre adding another layer of confusion onto the case of the death of a woman. But according to de Lestrade and other members of the original Staircase 's team . Series creator Antonio Campos' 2016 film . It features Ellen Burstyn, Jane Curtin, Loretta Devine, Ann-Margaret, James Caan, Christopher Lloyd and others. But I have to protect my work. With the filming of "The Staircase," services from local small business vendors were used to create a more sustainable production. The Staircase ( French: Soupons, lit. We showed that she traveled to Japan and had those kinds of influences there, but just very lightly.. Watch "The Staircase" Cast Explain How They Found Truth in Their Characters, Watch "The Staircase" Cast Sound Off on the Infamous Owl Theory, Watch The Staircase: Setting The Scene: Peterson Home Set Tour. Watching the HBO Max series has been especially painful for Luchak, who sacrificed months with her infant son in the early aughts to be on the ground in Durham making the documentary. Built in 1940 by John Adams Buchanan, the home was designed by Durham architect George Watts Carr Sr. Michael Peterson is said to have bought the house in 1992, according to OpenDurham but it was put up for sale when Michael Peterson went to prison in 2003. Created and written by Antonio Campos and Maggie Cohn, The Staircase is a crime drama miniseries that is both brooding and damning. 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Speaking with Flaunt magazine about the true-crime aspect of the show, co-star Odessa Young said, Its not weird on the day. The Staircase Podcastis produced by HBO Max in conjunction with Campfire Studios, in association with High Five Content. As the investigation continues, the family is thrown into a tumultuous legal battle. There were things from the house that we incorporated into her office, McLoughlin said. The number, severity, locations and orientation of these injuries are inconsistent with a fall down stairs; instead they are indicative of multiple impacts received as a result of beating.". When she's not interviewing celebrities you can find her exploring new countryside walking routes, catching up with friends over good food, or making memories.