7 Things You Didn't Know About 'Detroit'

Director Katherine Bigelow’s latest film, “Detroit," is based on the true Algiers Motel incident that transpired during the Detroit riots in the summer of 1967. Written by Bigelow’s frequent collaborator Mark Boal, the gripping story focuses on one fateful night when a report of gunshots prompted the city and state police to search and seize the nearby local inn. By the end of the night, three unarmed young men had been gunned down point blank.

Before "Detroit" hits theaters on Friday, July 28, get a behind-the-scenes peek in the video below. Here are seven things you probably didn’t know about the film — based on information Patch received via e-mail:

#1. The Film's Origins Happened by Complete Chance

In 2014, Mark Boal and his team of six full-time researchers (led by Pulitzer Prize-winning Detroit reporter, David Zeman) unearthed a valuable collection of newspapers, radio and TV reports, court records and sociological research that had never before been made available to the public.

One story that caught Boal’s attention was the historical record of Larry Reed, the lead singer of The Dramatics, an up-and-coming singing group who were popular during the Motown era. He and his friend Fred Temple sought refuge for the night at the Algiers motel during curfew hours.

“Larry had been pulled into this true crime story,” said Boal. “And it altered the course of the rest of his life; and that, in my mind, would form the film’s spine.”

Boal, who first brought the idea to Bigelow, located Reed’s whereabouts. As it turned out, Reed was initially hesitant to share his heart-wrenching experiences that night at the Algiers motel. However, after some soul-searching, he finally agreed to tell his story.

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#2. Witnesses and Survivors of the Algiers Motel Shooting Were Consulted

Both Bigelow and Boal were deeply committed to spending time with the survivors and witnesses. For them, it was the only way to tell the story as authentically as possible and without judgment — to relate an up-close-and-personal account of that one life-altering summer night in 1967.

Bigelow explained, “When you’re making a story about a real-life event and you meet the witnesses to that event, you want to ensure that those experiences did not happen in vain; that you can convey the resonance of their story and impart it to the audience.”

“While we were making a fictional entertainment and not a documentary, we were freighted with the responsibility of honoring the past in a way that is thoughtful and respectful,” added Boal. “Only when you meet the people involved do you begin to appreciate that history is really the story of the individuals. And that became the focus of my script.”

Apart from Reed, the “Detroit” filmmakers worked with two other witnesses and survivors, both of whom had been involved in the Algiers Motel incident: Julie Hysell and Melvin Dismukes.

A self-described “party girl” in her teens, Hysell (played by Hannah Murray) and her school friend went to Detroit to hear an r&b group. As the night progressed, they decided to stay at the Algiers Motel for the night.

As a private security guard, Dismukes was guarding a grocery store that evening. Subsequently, gunshots he heard led him to the Algiers Motel.

#3. Bigelow Had a Unique, "Powerful" Way of Casting and Directing the Film

In search for the right cast members, Bigelow resorted to an improvisational approach in role playing.

“I created scenarios that mimicked the script but were situational and was thrilled to find how nimble and imaginative the actors were,” she related, “and how comfortable they were with situations that were always in flux and fluid.”

The Oscar-winning director engaged that same technique during filming, keeping the cast in suspense as to what they'd be shooting on any given day. It was almost as if her goal was to re-create that same sense of chaos that would erupt unexpectedly on that particular evening in 1967.

Her technique is a craft she mastered in her two previous movies, “The Hurt Locker” and “Zero Dark Thirty.”

For the central role of Larry Reed, she selected the 22-year-old Algee Smith from Saginaw, Michigan.

Smith confessed that at first, he had thought Bigelow’s approach to casting and filming was confusing but then later realized that it was a work of “genius.”

“It was a way of keeping you off balance and drawing a spontaneous raw intensity out of you,” explained Smith.

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As for the role of Melvin Dismukes, Bigelow selected British-born actor John Boyega, better known as Finn in the new “Star Wars” trilogy. He, too, saw the power in the director’s immersive approach to filming.

“Every take mattered, from the moment you walked on the set until the very last shot. It even followed you home,” said Boyega.

Another actor who became consumed by Bigelow’s style is Will Poulter, who recently appeared in “The Revenant.” The British-born actor plays bad cop Philip Krauss, who is the epitome of cruelty and disdain in the movie.

"There was a moment on the set when Will broke down crying,” said Smith. “He looked at Kathryn and asked, 'How many more times do we have to do this scene because it’s hurting me.’"

“I thought, if somebody can feel all that pain and emotion just acting, how much more painful must it have been in real life?” Smith continued.

“I was very aware of the emotional state of the cast. The toll on Will was especially great,” explained Bigelow. So, they “wrapped the scene and moved on.”

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#4. The Film Was Not Actually Shot in Detroit

The filmmakers’ original intention was to shoot the movie in Detroit, but it became financially out of reach for Bigelow and her team. As a result, the production was moved to Boston, where they spent 52 days shooting the movie.

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#5. Multiple Cameras Were Constantly in Motion

Bigelow and her director of photography, Barry Ackroyd, used multiple cameras to capture every intense moment in its organic and fluid state. The cameras were in constant motion to provide a fully immersive experience for the actors.

“Since you didn’t know what camera was on you and when, you had to be there a hundred and ten percent all the time,” recalled “Hurt Locker” alum Anthony Mackie, who plays a Vietnam vet looking for work in Detroit’s auto industry.

“It took you out of your comfort zone, which is what every actor needs,” said Mackie.

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#6. There Were an Astounding Number of Costume Fittings and Designs

When it came to costume design, Bigelow turned to Fancine-Jamison Tanchuck who opted for brick reds, mustard yellows, off-whites and teal greens to project a color palette reminiscent of the '60s era.

“The '60s is such a beautiful period,” said Tanchuck. “The ladies were so feminine, and the guys were so stylish. And in Detroit, Motown was in this height. It was so much fun recreating that in the Fox theater musical sequence.”

It’s also overwhelming just to think of the whopping number of people they fitted and dressed during production — approximately between 600 and 800 performers and extras.

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#7. Bigelow and Boal's Film Is a Call for Change

“The events of summer 1967 in Detroit and other major American cities were not a unique moment in time,” Boal explained. “They were part of a continuum. And to the extent that we are made aware of the continuum, maybe we can be more thoughtful about it.”

“If the purpose of art is to agitate for change, if we are truly ready to start addressing the inequity of race in this country, we need to be willing to listen,” said Bigelow. “I hope this film will encourage some small part of that dialogue, and we find a way to heal the wounds that have existed for far too long in this country.”

“Detroit” opens in select theaters on Friday, July 28, and everywhere on Friday, Aug. 4.

Watch "Inside The Making of 'Detroit'"

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Photo credit: John Boyega and Director/Producer Kathryn Bigelow attend the world premiere of "Detroit." (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Annapurna Pictures)