Netflix’s ‘1899’ Was Filmed in a Historic Soundstage Built in 1910
Netflix’s 1899 involves many mysteries, not the least of which is how the historical sci-fi series was entirely filmed on a soundstage in Germany. Released on November 17, 2022, the series has been a huge win for Netflix, ranking for several weeks on the streaming service’s coveted Top 10 list.
Additionally, it has been a huge win for the series’ creators, Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar, who built the largest virtual production stage in Europe to shoot the series. Here’s how it worked:
The unique filming process behind Netflix’s ‘1899’
After signing an exclusive five-year deal with Netflix in 2018, Friese and bo Odar began building the state-of-the-art virtual production stage called Dark Bay in Babelsberg, Germany. According to Deadline, the facility is called a “Volume” and features 4,500 square feet of shooting space.
The space is entirely surrounded by a LED-lit screen operated by a video game engine that moves with and responds to camera movements “to simulate a realistic background and sky that creates the illusion of shooting outdoors.” Adding to the facilities’ incredibly cool technicalities, the Volume is housed in a historic soundstage built in 1910.
While all of this may sound like a filmmaker’s dream, 1899 creators Friese and bo Odar say they had doubts about the facility, noting before the Volume was built at Dark Bay, they considered themselves “traditional filmmakers” who enjoyed filming in real locations. But when the coronavirus pandemic hit, the Volume’s value became clear.
The plot of ‘1899’ has sent viewers reeling
The mysteries don’t stop behind the camera regarding 1899. After Friese and bo Odar’s first series, Dark, set new records for viewership within the foreign-language category on Netflix, 1899 continues many of the series themes. That is not to say their plots are connected. Many have suspected this, but Friese and bo Odar have been clear there is no overlap. However, like Dark, the 1899 plot has left viewers’ minds in knots.
The series begins in 1899 and follows a group of migrant passengers aboard a steamship, the Kerberos, bound for New York. In the first of 1899’s eight episodes, rumors swirl that a sister ship, the Prometheus, has disappeared. When a strange message arrives revealing coordinates, the Kerberos begins a rescue mission, only to discover nothing is what it seems and no one is who they appear to be.
Reviews for 1899 on Netflix have been good, with the series Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 74%. Viewers nearly universally love the barrage of twists and turns in the 1899 plot. But many complain the ending had too many twists and not enough answers.
But fans take heart, answers are coming. Friese and bo Odar revealed recently to The Hollywood Reporter that, like with Dark, this is because the 1899 plot will take three seasons to resolve.
Will there be a Season 2 of ‘1899’?
Whether fans liked 1899‘s cliffhanger ending, the series is well positioned for a Season 2 and possibly a Season 3. The series collected a significant viewership, and Friese and bo Odar’s deal with Netflix lasts for another year.
This bodes well for those still poised on the edge of their seats, wondering what the heck is going on. However, there has been no word from Netflix on 1899 Season 2.
