Film Shoot of TV Pilot 'Trauma' 7

By 11 am friendly police officers were out on the junction at King and Fourth Streets, starting to redirect traffic in early preparation for the explosive fireball that will shoot skywards over Mission Creek. (see previous blogs)

A drama that will send its paramedic stars rushing heroically to the rescue in the ensuing multi-car pileup.

The explosion, said SFPD officer, John, will take place between 1 pm and 4 pm, but signs that the big action is about to happen will be when helicopters hover over the crash site ready for their role.

Rescue helicopters will be landing as part of the NBC TV pilot Trauma, as well as being used to film the scene.

Around the corner on Berry Street, Miguel - 'Mike' - and Angel were preparing lunch for the hungry crews. If you're going to spend the day around an exploding tanker and involved in a major accident as victim or rescuer, you've got to eat!

And the food looked very good, with salads and desserts.

Mike, from LA, and Angel, from San Francisco were working with an LA catering company and Mike had been there since 2.20 am and Angel since 3.20 am! They are catering for 200 people.

'We're the holy catering company!' joked Angel, in reference to his name, pronounced in Spanish without the 'g' sound, and Mike's being the same as the biblical angel, Michael.

pics show: Mike and Angel; SFPD officer, John, blocking off the King Street junction

Film Shoot of TV Pilot 'Trauma' 6

More pics of the scene on King Street at 8.30 am today as crews get ready for today's filming of the TV pilot 'Trauma' (see previous blogs)

Film Shoot of TV Pilot 'Trauma' 5

'Right now it's a schemozzle! It's very dangerous up there!' said Andrea, who with colleague Mick was manning a rail of warm clothes for shivery filmmakers.

She has been part of the

action every day since the making of the NBC TV pilot 'Trauma' took to the streets of San Francisco. Early this morning she was on site on the corner of a side street near the off-ramp of King Street.

'Right now they're going to shoot the aftermath of the accident,' she said, with a taxi being filmed sideways on into the tanker.

But the accident scene itself will be something different!

The 'crash' scene is a multi-car crash with a tanker that is being readied for a

pyro-technic explosion, and safety is the key.

'We have big safety meetings. They keep people who don't have to be there away. There's a lot of broken glass. It's very dangerous,' she stressed. 'That's the nature of things.'

As if to illustrate the point, a private ambulance was parked only yards away, and a row of three red and white San Francisco ambulances were opposite her on King Street.

Andrea and Mick are 'local hires' and represent the union IATSE - the International Association of Theater Stage Emplyees. Most of the clothes for the filming are either purchased or rented, she said.

pics show: Andrea in the orange hat and Mick in a red top; breakfast for the workers in the side street; city ambulances waiting to play their part; private ambulance.

Film Shoot of TV Pilot 'Trauma' 3

'It's pretty crazy out there!' said a young guy who had been out and about today with the filming of NBC's pilot TV show, 'Trauma'.

'It's Hollywood, it's not real, but it definitely makes it feel real!' he said.

Not wishing to give his name, he said the 'accident' bringing emergency responders rushing to the rescue, involved a tanker truck, a BMW and a Lexus.

By early evening, a yellow taxi also involved in the filming - some scenes were shot from it - was parked at the end of the off-ramp on King Street. Other vehicles carrying props were exiting from the scene.

Tomorrow, residents around the creek at Mission Bay are gearing up for a day of drama with a pyro-technic explosion and a whirr of helicopters overhead.

No-one knows exactly what time the explosion will be, said my commentator, 'but there will only be one! You can't put the pieces back together again!'

As dusk fell, a white tanker could be seen in place just overhead from the row of houseboats that rock gently on the creek.

A California Highway Patrol officer said this morning that there would be a wide closure of streets around the area while the explosion took place.

Meanwhile this evening residents were strolling around the creek to try and glimpse the action. Dad Brad was out with his six-year-old son, Connor.

'I think it's exciting, but it's causing a lot of traffic holdups,' said Brad, who with Connor is hoping to catch sight of the explosion tomorrow.

'It's great for San Francisco to have a film made in the city.'

pics show: a truck carrying props exiting on King Street; a Universal City Studios truck; the yellow taxi now parked overnight that was used in the filming; Brad and six-year-old Connor checking out the scene on Mission Creek

Film Shoot of TV Pilot 'Trauma' 2

It's been a terrible accident! A BMW, a Lexus and a tanker truck collided on the expressway - and the 'carnage' is being carried away.

Not for real, though.

NBC Universal are filming their pilot action drama, 'Trauma', and tonight on King Street Greg was transporting some of the props to safe overnight storage.

He has spent the day on the expressway above the creek at Mission Bay making sure all the vehicles are pyro-technic proof,

ready for the 'big explosion' that will happen sometime tomorrow afternoon.

For Greg, his responsibility has been to make sure fuel cells don't explode, gas tanks are empty and that there are no injuries arising from explosive accidents with the vehicles.

pics show: Greg and a smashed up BMW; police guarding the off-ramp on King Street at 7.30 pm and co-ordinating between Greg and a police escort to take the damaged BMW to an overnight spot