Posted on 09/14/2012 6:02:53 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
The Innocence of Muslims, a movie that has enraged radical Islamists who have rioted and committed murders in the Middle East this week, was partially shot on a set that Paramount's TV unit helped to build for its TV show JAG, and a man with five decades of movie and television experience is helping the FBI figure out who is behind the controversial film.
Portions of the infamous, micro-budget movie were filmed in Saugus, about 30 miles north of Hollywood, on a portion of Blue Cloud Film Ranch called Baghdad Square, which is often used for TV and film productions seeking to replicate Middle Eastern war zones.
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JAG and Paramount and myself, we built this entire set for the JAG TV series, says Blue Cloud owner Rene Veluzat in a YouTube video where he describes his movie ranch. On Thursday, though, that video was made private and protected by a password.
Paramount Television produced JAG, which aired on CBS from 1995-2005.
A Paramount spokesperson said the studio has no way to verify whether it built the set.
The building facades in and around Baghdad Square at Blue Cloud appear in episodes of JAG and The Innocence of Muslims, as well as other TV shows and movies.
The FBI and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department were interviewing Veluzat on Thursday, and Veluzat told The Hollywood Reporter that both law-enforcement agencies instructed him not to speak with the press or other interested parties about what he knows about The Innocence of Muslims.
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Sources close to the investigation say theyre hoping Veluzat can, among other information, provide clarity as to the real names of the filmmakers. The Innocence of Muslims filmed Aug. 18, 2011, at Blue Cloud under the name Desert Warrior. The producer was listed in the film permit as Sam Bossil, though its an alias (reports also have identified him as Sam Bacile).
According to Film L.A., the county is holding the film permit under lock and key for now while it alerts those who are named on it that their identities -- assuming they are real -- are about to made public. Insiders say law-enforcement officials are concerned for the safety of the filmmakers once their true identities are known.
STORY: Sam Bacile, Filmmaker Behind Anti-Islam Movie that Sparked Riots, in Hiding
Other movies and TV shows partially filmed at Blue Cloud include Iron Man, Get Him to the Greek, Serenity, Arrested Development, NCIS Los Angeles, The Closer, Threat Matrix and CSI. The U.S. military has also made training videos at Blue Cloud.
Veluzat, 72, said the 100-acre ranch is for sale for $15 million.
STORY: Who Is Sam Bacile? Mystery of Anti-Islam Filmmaker's Link to Libya Embassy Riots Deepens
Veluzat worked as a stand-in for TV shows in the 1960s. Later, he acted, did stunt work, worked in post production, transportation and in the art department of various productions. In 2003, he produced The Long Ride Home, a film starring Randy Travis, Eric Roberts and Ernest Borgnine that Lions Gate Films distributed.
Perhaps the most successful piece of agitprop video ever devised, in terms of cost to effect.
So, why is the FBI involved; simply because of the threat of danger to the film makers, or is the DOJ orchestrating something against them?
All I hear is the demonization of the producer, but no analysis of the actual film. It may just hold some grain of truth from a non-muslim perspective.
Cue the crickets.
It’s getting “interesting.” It is beginning to appear that more than one side is pushing this toward a perfect storm “Helter Skelter” scenario.
I’m still trying to figure out what law the movie maker and/or distributors supposedly violated?
Next they’ll be rioting over the commentary on blogs regarding islam.
Why is the film being investigated? Why not oh, I don’t know, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE KILLING AMERICANS!? Oh, wait, they were Muslims, a protected pet group of the liberal elite. Hey libtards, you like Muslims so much, go live in a Muslim Country. Oh, you don’t want to do that? The quit {expletive}ing-up our Country and trying to make it look like some weird blend of socialism, secular-fascism, and Islam!
Considering no one had heard about this movie until Tuesday, 9/11, and that news is coming out about the attacks being planned for a while, and the fact that crowds were chanting something along the lines of “Obama Obama, there are a thousand Osamas” after the DNC had speech after speech bragging about getting bin Laden, I’d say the movie is not in the top 10 reasons these attacks occurred, and that it is being made the scapegoat.
and how about Ft Hood.
I'd say the Muslim reputation is pretty much du** and any film is redundant.(sp?)
WTF is the FBI doing? Blocking the 1st amendment is not their job.
Now we see Obama trying to pin it on the free speech rights of a single film maker.
Why the hell is the FBI involved in this ?????????????????
Has the FBI devolved into thought police? They have absolutely no business investigating this man. It is chilling.This mans coreligionists are routinely harassed, raped and killed in Egypt. Making a film whatever the artistic merit is his absolute right. Holder is turning the once proud FBI into a goon squad.
FBI?
Unless they’re there to provide security for the filmmaker and actors, they can GTFO.
Fascinating comments at the site.
While they should be 100% “Why is the FBI investigating free speech” it’s probably 40% “Chickens come home to roost for the producers/serves em right” and 40% “Christians are hypocrites” and 20% pro-Freedom.
The “chickens coming home to roost” sounds like a chicago preacher.
You mean, you think the film maker is a liberal and probably not really anti-Muslim?
That's what I'm starting to think. Sort of a September surprise.
It's all to cover for Hillary's refusal to give the Libyan embassy more protection.
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