November 3, 2009

Hollywood crew arrives at Homewood for Facebook movie: Color us crimson

Jesse Eisenberg stars as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Much of that story takes place at Harvard University; Homewood is doubling for Harvard in the scenes being shot this week.

 Johns Hopkins students look on as a scene is blocked outside Ames Hall during the shooting of "The Social Network," Monday, November 2.

Johns Hopkins students look on as a scene is blocked outside Ames Hall during the shooting of 'The Social Network,' Monday, November 2. Photo: homewoodphoto.jhu.edu

(UPDATED with photos, 11/3/2009) The Homewood campus will be a shooting location this week for a major motion picture titled The Social Network. The Columbia Pictures film chronicles the founding of Facebook, the story of which mostly played out at Harvard University. Johns Hopkins will double for Harvard in the two sequences being shot today and Tuesday.

The crew, which arrived on Sunday, will strike the set on Wednesday.

All shooting will be outdoors, and primarily at night to minimize interference with normal activities. Filming near residence halls will take place between 6 and 10 p.m. and in academic areas—primarily the Keyser and Wyman quadrangles—after 10 p.m.

The Social Network is directed by David Fincher, who was nominated for an Academy Award as best director for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Aaron Sorkin, best known as creator of television’s The West Wing, wrote the screenplay, which is based on Reuben Mezrich’s book The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, a Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal.

The film, to be released in 2010, stars Jesse Eisenberg as Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker, an early investor in the social networking site and co-founder of Napster.

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Jesse Eisenberg preps for a scene in "The Social Network." Eisenberg plays Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook.

Jesse Eisenberg preps for a scene in 'The Social Network.' Eisenberg plays Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook. Photo: homewoodphoto.jhu.edu

Stand-ins run through a scene for 'The Social Network" outside of Shaffer Hall.

Stand-ins run through a scene for 'The Social Network' outside of Shaffer Hall. Photo: homewoodphoto.jhu.edu

Jesse Eisenberg, center, stands outside of Ames Hall during the filming of "The Social Network."

Jesse Eisenberg, center, stands outside of Ames Hall during the filming of 'The Social Network.' Photo: homewoodphoto.jhu.edu

A lighted helium balloon hovers outside Gilman Hall. The balloon was used as the moon in the filming of David Fincher's film "The Social Network" starrin Jesse Eisenberg.

A lighted helium balloon hovers outside Gilman Hall during the filming of David Fincher's 'The Social Network' starring Jesse Eisenberg. Photo: homewoodphoto.jhu.edu

The film crew of "The Social Network" sets up outside of Shaffer Hall. The building was used to stand-in for an administration building at Harvard.

The film crew of "The Social Network" sets up outside of Shaffer Hall. The building was used to stand-in for an administration building at Harvard. Photo: homewoodphoto.jhu.edu