Naman Shrestha
Written and directed by Philip Koch, Netflix’s ‘Brick’ is a German mystery thriller movie that centers on Tim and Olivia, a couple who are going through a rough patch. While the latter believes that a change of scenery could help them get through it, Tim is not convinced by the idea. The tension elevates when Olivia decides to leave the house with or without her partner, only to find a black brick wall blocking their apartment door. The couple finds the same brick wall outside their windows, blocking all points of entrance and exit. As Tim and Olivia join forces to break down the brick wall, all their efforts go to waste, as it is made of a mysterious substance that cannot be broken down even with a drill machine.
In order to find out if their neighbors are also facing the same issue, they break through the drywall. It turns out that it is a common problem faced by all the residents in the apartment building. Now, they must all work together to find a way out of the brick wall and get out on the other side alive. The science fiction film is brought to life by the compelling performances from Matthias Schweighöfer, Ruby O. Fee, Frederick Lau, Salber Lee Williams, and Murathan Muslu. Since almost the entire story unfolds inside the apartment building, it serves as an additional character along with the black brick wall that surrounds it, adding more tension and depth to the narrative.
Brick Filming Locations
The shooting of ‘Brick’ took place entirely in the Czech Republic, specifically in Prague. From what we can tell, the principal photography for the German production got underway in late January 2024 and continued for more than 40 shooting days before wrapping up in March of the same year. Apart from making memories on set, the cast and crew members also ensured to explore the streets of the vibrant city in their free time.
Prague, Czech Republic
For the purpose of filming, the cast and crew of ‘Brick’ established the city of Prague in the Czech Republic as the main filming destination. To be specific, the production team set up camp particularly at Barrandov Studios. Located at 322/5 Kříženecký Square in the cadastral district of Hlubočepy in Prague 5, the production complex is one of the most prominent and oldest in all of Europe. With 13 high-ceiling soundstages, the facility provides first-rate assistance in relation to comprehensive services such as SFX, infrastructure, equipment rental, post-production, as well as offices for audio production, costume design, editing, etc. All of these factors make it an ideal shooting site for large-scale blockbusters as well as intimate small-scale titles, such as Netflix production.
According to reports, Tim and Olivia’s apartment building was constructed in a soundstage on the studio premises, especially for the movie. It enabled the filmmaking team of the German thriller to modify the layout and design, implementing atmospheric changes and light fixtures, and utilize extensive visual effects to have full control over the requirements of the setting, with no interference from real-world variables such as weather conditions. Since the events of the film are predominantly set within the confines of an isolated apartment, the decision to film in the studios proved beneficial. After all, it helped enhance the tension and unrelenting claustrophobia to which the characters are exposed in the narrative. The technical crew of the filming facility offered full cooperation to ensure the entire process transpired smoothly with little to no hiccup.
Since 1931, the historic studios have played an integral role in bringing the vision of numerous film crews to the screen. With more than 5000 successful title credits, the Barrandov Studios has been dubbed “the Hollywood of the East/Eastern Europe.” Over the years, it has served as a filming spot for movies and shows of varying genres and scale, such as ‘The Bourne Identity,’ ‘Snowpiercer,’ ‘Kafka,’ ‘Psych:9,’ ‘The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles,’ ‘Crossing Lines,’ ‘The Hypnotist,’ and ‘Sold at Dawn.’ Owing to its top-tier production facilities, varied natural landscape, favorable weather, fascinating historic architecture, and a rich, dynamic artistic and cultural scene, the capital city of the Czech Republic has been attracting filmmakers from around the world, thus cementing its name on the global filmmaking map.
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