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I visit the BT Tower for the riveting Fear The Walking Dead Season 3 pre-premiere launch - EVENT REPORT

Thursday, June 15, 2017 Craig Grobler 0 Comments

The Establishing Shot visits the BT Tower for the riveting Fear The Walking Dead Season 3 pre-premiere launch - EVENT REPORT Last week I went out for an absolutely ace evening, but first some preamble - sometime last year we were fortunate to crack an invite and go along to the Fear the Walking Dead Season 2 Premiere hosted by AMC and BT at Millbank Tower and I have to say it was an absolutely stunning night and evening to remember, certainly one of our best industry nights out for that year - but that is a story for another time.

     In anticipation of the evenings events we caught up with Season 1 of Fear the Walking Dead, as well as the Walking Dead: Flight 462 mini web series - which leads into and crosses over with Season 2  and we were hooked.

Fear The Walking Dead Season 3 Poster Artwork
Fear The Walking Dead Season 3 Poster Artwork [+]

     In case you are not familiar with Fear the Walking Dead yet #FTWD is a spin off show off AMC's wildly successful and incredibly engaging The Walking Dead, it is set in the same - post walker universe, but takes place slightly earlier as events start just before and during the zombie or rather walker apocalypse.

     Fear the Walking Dead centres on the Clark/Manawa family played by Kim Dickens (Madison Clark), Cliff Curtis (Travis Manawa), Frank Dillane (Nick Clark), Alycia Debnam-Carey (Alicia Clark) and Lorenzo James Henrie (Chris Manawa) as well as the people they band together with throughout the show including: Ruben Blades as Daniel, Mercedes Mason as Ofelia, Lorenzo James Henrie as Chris and Colman Domingo as the mysterious Victor Strand.

Fear the Walking Dead Kim Dickens, Cliff Curtis, Frank Dillane, Alycia Debnam-Carey
Fear the Walking Dead Kim Dickens, Cliff Curtis, Frank Dillane, Alycia Debnam-Carey [+]

     Each member of the family is fighting their own demons of modern life and are struggling to form a cohesive front either intentionally or through circumstance.

Filming Fear the Walking Dead Kim Dickens as Madison Clark
BTS, Frank Dillane as Nick Clark, Kim Dickens as Madison Clark - Fear the Walking Dead _ Season 3, Episode 1 - Photo Credit: Michael Desmond/AMC [+]
     Kim Dickens plays Madison Clark a school guidance counsellor & Cliff Curtis is Travis Manawa. Madison is mostly in wildcard - take charge - mama bear mode and often forgoes reason to protect her family at all costs, whilst Travis, an English teacher epitomises everything good in the world - kind of like a modern Atticus Finch who is slowly regressing to survive and protect his loved ones in a world full of increasing danger.

Fear the Walking Dead Cliff Curtis as Travis Manawa going gladiator
Fear the Cliff Curtis as Travis Manawa going gladiator - Fear the Walking Dead _ Season 3, Episode 1 - Photo Credit: Michael Desmond/AMC [+]
     The three kids at the heart of the story Alicia Clark (Alycia Debnam-Carey), Chris Manawa (Lorenzo James Henrie) and Nick Clark (Frank Dillane) have their own challenges and obstacles to overcome that they for better or worse bring into the walker apocalypse with them.

     Frank Dillane's portrayal of Nick Clark as a fearless maverick independent spirit, who seems to be redeeming himself from his character's past - has become a fan, as well as my, favourite character.

Frank Dillane as Nick Clark, Danay Garcia as Luciana - Fear the Walking Dead _ Season 3
Frank Dillane as Nick Clark, Danay Garcia as Luciana - Fear the Walking Dead _ Season 3, Episode 1 - Photo Credit: Michael Desmond/AMC [+]
    But the Fear the Walking Dead universe being what it is, we can only hope Nick will be around for awhile.

     Fear the Walking Dead is executive produced by the core producer team of:

- Showrunner Dave Erickson (Low Winter Sun, Sons of Anarchy),
- Walking Dead comic creator and show Producer Robert Kirkman,
- legendary producer Gale Anne Hurd,
- renowned and cult fan favourite Special FX and make-up wizard Greg Nicotero whose career goes back to the father of all Zombies George A. Romero's original zombie trilogy, his 1985 Day of the Dead and includes amongst many other projects work on Evil Dead II, Pulp Fiction, In the Mouth of Madness, Splice, Minority Report, Vanilla Sky, Mulholland Drive, Unbreakable, The Green Mile, The Walking Dead, Kill Bill and the list goes on,
- and the rising star of the collective, producer David Alpert (Witchblade, Outcast, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, The Walking Dead, Powers, American Ultra)

     So you know the pedigree of the people behind the show runs high.

Infected - Fear the Walking Dead Season 3, Episode 1 - Photo Credit: Michael Desmond/AMC
Infected - Fear the Walking Dead Season 3, Episode 1 - Photo Credit: Michael Desmond/AMC [+]
     Ahead of season 3's release Fear the Walking Dead was renewed for a fourth season, and it would appear things are going to be taken up a notch as additional producers are coming on board including Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg (Once Upon a Time) as co-showrunners. As well as Scott M. Gimple, executive producer and showrunner of The Walking Dead will become an executive producer of Fear the Walking Dead.

     In Season 1 we followed the Clark/Manawas as they endure many trials challenging them both physically and morally - pushing, the already deeply dysfunctional family to the limits as they accept and start to learn to live in a world with walkers. They decide to leave Los Angeles and head South where most of Season 2 takes place (and definitively answering any questions about the walkers and water that anyone may have). The season ended on a cliff hanger that may see the survivors returning to the states.

Fear The Walking Dead Season 3 Invite
Fear The Walking Dead Season 3 Invite [+]

    So when a rather eye catching invite to the Season 3 pre-premiere launch for Fear the Walking Dead arrived I was keen to visit the world of Fear the Walking Dead again and get a head start on where Season 3 would be going - also the launch was held at the always amazing BT Tower - as ubiquitous a part of daily London life as it is still an intriguing British and London landmark (since 1981 it has only occasionally open to the general public) - going up the tower is an experience that has been on my bucket list for as long as I have known about it.

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD - BT TOWER '50 YEARS OF INGENIOUS EXHIBITION FOYER @ BT TOWER

     I arrived early for the screening and after a security check in, made my way through the ground floor foyer housing the 2015 exhibition celebrating BT Tower's 50th anniversary.

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH – BT TOWER / POST OFFICE TOWER MODEL BY ENGINEERING APPRENTICES, 1967 @ BT TOWER

     On the walls photographic prints featuring BT Tower taken by social media users, in the centre of the foyer a model of the tower, from 1967 when it was still known as the Post Office Tower by Engineering apprentices, projected onto one side of the rather large lift shaft Toby Triumph and Projection Artwork's eye-catching BT Tower '50 Years of Ingenious' projection mapping multimedia mural.

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH – UNIDENTIFIED MIRROR TILED BT ARTBOX @ BT TOWER

     Next to it, tucked around a corner the famous mirror tile bedazzled BT Call Box. I haven't been able to idetify it but, apparently the call box was part of the 2012 BT Artbox project - to celebrate 25 years of ChildLine BT came up with the ArtBox a public art exhibition in London commissioning artists to use the iconic Gilbert Scott designed K6 red telephone box as their canvases.

World renowned artists and designers will transform replica boxes into stunning artworks that will be placed across the capital this summer. After the public exhibition, the ArtBoxes will be auctioned off to raise funds for BT's long-time partner ChildLine.

     I have been fortunate to visit the BT Tower previously (making it a twice in a lifetime experience) and if memory serves - the previously view-able Gerry Judah's Slip Artbox, Jane Morgan's Money Box and Benjamin Shine's Box Lounger a purple leather sofa box were previously housed on the ground floor but no longer there.

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH – TOWER LOUNGE @ BT TOWER

     All of which brought me to the Tower Lounge suitably welcoming and resplendent in it's Fear the Walking Dead dressing.

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH – TOWER LOUNGE @ BT TOWER

     Soon we made our way into the BT auditorium, introductions were made by Pete Oliver, BT and Kevie Dickie from AMC.

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD - LAUNCH KEVIE DICKIE, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CHANNELS GROUP, AMC INTRODUCES FTWD EPISODE 1 SEASON 3  @ BT TOWER

     Before the main attraction we were treated to a short sizzle reel of current and upcoming BT TV shows including the very engaging looking western The Son starring Pierce Brosnan currently being aired on BT TV. Manhattan, currently being re-run and Vince Gilligan's outstanding Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul with Bob Odenkirk and Jonathan Banks, which starts on 27 June. If I'm correct you should also still be able to also catch up on Weeds and Into The Badlands both outstanding shows shown on BT TV AMC.

     Eye of the Beholder episode 1 of Season 3 of Fear the Walking Dead is a white knuckle ride all the way through. I don't mind telling you I shifted in my seat more than once when the tension ran a little too high.

     Video: Fear the Walking Dead - Reckoning    

     It was absolutely riveting - maybe it was because the show was being screened on a large screen, maybe it was because I chose the right seat for the BT auditorium's sound to work it's magic with the dread filled soundtrack and bone crunching sound effects or maybe Fear the Walking Dead has hit its stride as it lives up to this seasons tagline "Fear what you become".

     Video: Chelsea Wolfe - Carrion Flowers (Official Audio) [Fear The Walking Dead Theme]    

As “Fear the Walking Dead” returns for season three, our families will be brought together in the vibrant and violent ecotone of the US-Mexico border. International lines done away with following the world’s end, our characters must attempt to rebuild not only society, but family as well.

Madison has reconnected with Travis but Alicia has been fractured by her murder of Andres. Mere miles from his mother, Nick’s first action as a leader saw Luciana ambushed by an American militia group – the couple escaped death but Nick no longer feels immortal. Recovering both emotionally and physically, Strand has his sights set on harnessing the new world’s currency, and Ofelia’s captivity will test her ability to survive and see if she can muster the savagery of her father.

     The first couple of seasons have been engaging but if you are an avid fan of The Walking Dead they may be challenging as we were given a set of rules for how The Walking Dead universe works and with Fear the walking Dead the characters are still figuring out those rules and most importantly - one of the best bits of The Walking Dead is the group's unifying loyalty to each other and their cause whereas with FTWD the character's dynamics are all over the place and they still have haven't quite figured out that they are stronger together.

     But with Eye of the Beholder the group are forced to work together and gives us a glimpse of what they could be unified. It had me chomping at the bit for the rest of the Season's offering.

Joining the cast as series regulars for season three are Dayton Callie (“Sons of Anarchy,” “Deadwood”), Daniel Sharman (“The Originals,” “Teen Wolf”) and Sam Underwood (“The Following”), who will play the Otto family, founders of a survivalist organization who prepared for the fall of democracy, but didn’t anticipate the rise of the dead, as well as Lisandra Tena (“Chicago P.D.”) as Lola Guerrero.

     Fear the Walking Dead returns exclusively to BT TV for its third season. The episodes 1 Eye of the Beholder & 2 The New Frontier were simulcast at 2am & 3am on Monday 5th June along with the US' first screening. They were then premiered Monday 5th June at 9pm on BT AMC.

     The eight episodes will run across six weeks with a mid season double bill airing for the finale on July 10th.

     The series will be available free of charge in the UK to BT customers on the AMC channel, number 332 on BT TV, and to BT Sport Pack subscribers on Sky channel 192.

     AMC is also available in HD on both BT TV and Sky with an HD subscription (Customers must opt in to receive the AMC channel).

     The first episode, was also simulcast on Freeview on the BT Showcase channel 115 for those who do not have BT TV.

Teotwawki Episode 3 Season 3 of Fear the Walking Dead airs this Monday, 12th June at 9pm on AMC, exclusive to BT.

     Video: Fear the Walking Dead – Coming Up on Episode 3    

     We made our way out the screening room to be greeted with a scene of destruction as the zombie apocalypse had kicked off while we were ensconced in the auditorium. The Tower Lounge had been destroyed and a growling walker had been left chained to a railing which was a really nice touch. I really appreciated the effort of the team putting together elements of an immersive experience for the evening.

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH - ZOMBIE / WALKER APOCALYPSE  @ BT TOWER

     Next up we hopped on board one of the two BT Tower high speed lifts and sky rocketed upwards, these lifts travel at 7 metres per second (15.7 mph) and can reach the top in less than 30 seconds making them some of the fastest lifts in Europe.

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH IN THE BT TOWER LIFT AT MAX SPEED 1400 FEET PER MINUTE @ BT TOWER

     Bear with me here as my memory of the discussion is a bit sketchy, but if I remember correctly last time we used the lift we travelled at a maximum of 600 feet per minute that's just over 3 metres a second (about an average of 1 building floor per second). I can't remember the exact technical terminology the lift technician used at the time but this was because the weather was very active and the wind speed was high making the tower “sway” slightly, he further explained that there was a pendulum at the bottom of the building that moved in sync with the tower's movement and measured – this sway threshold determined the safe speed that the lift could travel at. That is from memory so may be a bit jumbled.

     However this time I am proud to report we shot up at the full 1400 feet per minute that's just over 7 meters per second, and I believe about 2 and a half average building floors/storeys a second.

     We got to the top and the doors slide open and BAM! A group of walkers jump scare us as they barrage through the doors. Which did nothing for my already uneasy state after watching the first episode of Season 3. Then a slightly amusing and awkward pause as one of the walkers is stuck in the lift with us.

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH – ZOMBIE WALKERS ATTACK @ BT TOWER

     The lift glides up the remaining 2 storeys, the doors slide open and there we were - on top of the world - in the revolving pod, the 34th floor of the BT Tower touching the bottom of the sky.

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH – ZOMBIE WALKERS ATTACK 34th FLOOR OF BT TOWER

The Post Office Tower symbolised 20th - century Britain.
Lean, practical and futuristic, it epitomised the technical and architectural skills of the second industrial revolution.” - Anthony Wedgwood Benn, The Postmaster General

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH – HDR PANORAMIC > 360 DEGREE VIEW OF SUNSET FROM TOP OF BT TOWER

     A Grade II listed symbol of the heights of British technological achievement, the mysterious Location 23, and at 177m the tallest building in both London and the United Kingdom, at least until 1980, currently it is the 10th tallest building in the UK and still a pinnacle of man's ingenuity in reaching up to the stars.


     The panoramic view is breathtaking, the last time I was up here it was night and slightly overcast but this time the conditions were much better and the sun was still high in the Spring sky, so I could really have a proper look over London and further identifying landmarks and even my own neighbourhood of Battersea.

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH – ZOMBIE WALKERS ATTACK BT TOWER

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH – ZOMBIE WALKERS ATTACK BT TOWER

     The lone walker that was trapped in the lift with us ambled off and joined the growing number of walkers and guests. The 34th floor had also been struck by the destruction of the walker apocalypse.

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH – ZOMBIE WALKERS ATTACK 34th FLOOR OF BT TOWER

     Thankfully we were stuck with a catering crew serving up tasty finger food, a fully stocked bar, a team of make-up and prosthetic specialists (@sammmagnew, @shiv.ashman.makeup, @fannymkup, @goshkamuah, @official_elizabethcox) turning guests into walkers.


 I'm giving them a shout out as, well, you can see their work on the evening was top notch and outstandingly scary.





     Newly turned walkers and guests could then get souvenir snaps from a photo both whilst DJs Freight Train made sure the room was filled with the right ambience and even got the walkers to dance.

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH – ZOMBIFIED  ZOMBIE WALKER FREIGHT TRAIN DJS @ TOP OF BT TOWER

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH –  ZOMBIE WALKERS DO THE MONSTER MASH @ TOP OF BT TOWER

     But the real draw for me was the view. Standing in the rotating pod as it made it's 22 minute rotation watching the greatest city in the world. As the sun made it's way down the twilight sky inviting night fall.

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH –  HDR VIEW LOOKING NORTH WEST OVER THE REGENT'S PARK FROM TOP OF BT TOWER

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH - LOOKING NORTH WEST ORANGE DUSK SKIES FROM TOP OF BT TOWER


The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH – EERIE APOCALYPTIC SUNSET VIEW LOOKING NORTH FROM TOP OF BT TOWER

     Just saying.

Fear the Walking Dead Season 2 Artwork No Safe Harbour Poster
Fear the Walking Dead Season 2 Artwork No Safe Harbour Poster [+] 
     I watched through the Blue Hour and soon London's lights started to twinkle to life and the moon arose. It was really quite marvellous and a photographic playground.

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH - LOOKING NORTH WEST OVER THE TRELLICK TOWER FROM TOP OF BT TOWER

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH – CITY VIEW HERON TOWER, TOWER 42, THE GHERKIN, CHEESEGRATER, ONE CANADA SQUARE, 25 CANADA SQUARE, CITIGROUP TOWER,WALKIE TALKIE, ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL FROM TOP OF BT TOWER

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH – HDR VIEW LOOKING SOUTH OVER THE SHARD FROM TOP OF BT TOWER

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH - BLUE HOUR VIEW LOOKING EAST ALONG THE THAMES OVER LONDON BRIDGE, TOWER BRIDGE, SEACONTAINERS HOUSE, OXO TOWER, THE SHARD, ONE BLACKFRIARS, SOUTH BANK TOWER FROM TOP OF BT TOWER

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH – SUNSET VIEW LOOKING WEST OVER THE REGENT PARK FROM TOP OF BT TOWER

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH – BLUE HOUR VIEW LOOKING WEST OVER ALL SOULS LANGHAM PLACE, THE LANGHAM, LONDON FROM TOP OF BT TOWER

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH - NIGHTTIME CITY PANORAMA HERON TOWER, TOWER 42, THE GHERKIN, CHEESEGRATER, ONE CANADA SQUARE, CITIGROUP TOWER, WALKIE TALKIE, ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL, LONDON BRIDGE, TOWER BRIDGE, THE SHARD FROM TOP OF BT T

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH - NIGHTTIME VIEW TOWARDS THE CITY, HERON TOWER, TOWER 42, THE GHERKIN, 30 ST. MARY AXE, CHEESEGRATER, ONE CANADA SQUARE, 25 CANADA SQUARE, CITIGROUP TOWER FROM TOP OF BT TOWER

The Establishing Shot: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD LAUNCH - BLUE HOUR VIEW LOOKING EAST ALONG THE THAMES OVER LONDON BRIDGE & TOWER BRIDGE FROM TOP OF BT TOWER

     You can view the full set of photos from the evening over on my Flickr stream  https://www.flickr.com/photos/entropy1138/albums/72157684967255086

The last time I was up there I wished I had made a video of the view during a full rotation. This time I did.

     The Establishing Shot: TOP OF THE BT TOWER A 22 MINUTE ROTATION AROUND LONDON    


Fear the Walking Dead
A Walking Dead spin-off, set in Los Angeles, following two families who must band together to survive the undead apocalypse.

Fear the Walking Dead is on AMC - BT TV channel 332/381 HD and also available to BT Sport Pack subscribers on Sky Guide channel 192.


The Son
A multi-generational epic telling of the story of America's birth as a superpower through the bloody rise and fall of one Texas oil empire.

     Video: The Son – Their Fortune Trailer    

AMC's The Son, the sweeping epic Western about the rise and fall of one family over 150 years in Texas, is now airing on Tuesdays at 9pm – BT TV channel 332/381 HD and to BT Sport Pack subscribers on Sky Guide channel 192.

Manhattan
In 1943, in Los Alamos, New Mexico, a team of government scientists is working on the top secret Manhattan Project in a race to produce an atomic bomb before the Nazis. Meanwhile, their families adjust to a life on the military base.

The two seasons of Manhattan are currently being re-run on BT TV.

Better Call Saul
The trials and tribulations of criminal lawyer, Jimmy McGill, in the time leading up to establishing his strip-mall law office in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

     Video: Better Call Saul - Showtime    

Better Call Saul starts on which starts on BT TV. 27 June.

For more information about Fear the Walking Dead UK and other shows mentioned above visit:

https://tv.bt.com/
www.AMCtv.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/AMCtvUK/
@AMCtvUK
https://www.instagram.com/amctvuk/

The Establishing Shot: ANOTHER LONDON HIGHLIGHT AS I VISIT THE BT TOWER FOR THE RIVETING FEAR THE WALKING DEAD SEASON 3 PRE-PREMIERE LAUNCH - EVENT REPORT

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