Scarlett Johansson's 2013 sci-fi horror Under the Skin, which was secretly filmed around Glasgow using hidden cameras and members of the public instead of traditional extras, has resurfaced online after arriving on Channel 4. The film stars Johansson as an extraterrestrial creature who disguises herself as a beautiful human woman, travelling around Scotland in a van to target lonely men and lure them into a sinister trap.
Hidden cameras and real public
Directed by Jonathan Glazer, the film takes viewers through the streets of Glasgow, with Johansson's character seen driving around the city in a van and approaching unsuspecting men. A recent Reddit post drew attention to the film, with the original poster noting it was filmed around Glasgow using hidden cameras and members of the public rather than traditional extras.
The post read: "Currently on Channel 4 catch up. Scarlet Johanson travels around Glasgow in her van picking up unsuspecting guys. Apparently they didn't employ extras, just recorded the public using hidden cameras and stuff. Probably asked permission afterwards or not, it's legal to film in public. Made for some very natural dialogue of you know what I mean."
Director's documentary-style approach
The unusual filming technique was very much intentional, with Glazer confirming he wanted the film to have a documentary-like quality, immersing viewers in the real environments around Glasgow rather than making the city feel like a traditional movie set. Johansson was disguised in a dark wig and would attempt to pick up real men on the streets while the director and crew hid inside the van.
To make the scenes as natural as possible, the production team made tiny cameras around the size of a matchbox. Ten were installed in different locations across Glasgow, including outdoor furniture and behind shop windows, while eight cameras were fitted inside the van. The director and camera crew could film encounters without immediately making people aware they were part of a movie. Once an interaction had been filmed, production assistants would approach those involved and ask for their consent to use the footage.
Speaking to The Up and Coming publication at the time, Glazer explained: "The central idea was about disguising the actress and dropping her in the real world. Everything had to serve that. So we built a bespoke camera system with heads that were small enough to be hidden, and positioned them according to the action we wanted to cover. Then the crew would effectively walk away and Scarlett would step in. This way there was no evidence of a film being shot."
Filming details and viewer reactions
Glazer later explained that this approach was important to creating the sense of invasion running throughout the film, and it helped make viewers feel almost complicit in Johansson's character's disturbing actions. The production reportedly captured around 16 hours of footage every day, with the huge amount of footage eventually taking around two years to edit.
Johansson described the experience of filming on Glasgow's streets as "thrilling", "terrifying" and "delicious". Speaking to the Metro at the time, she said: "If people aren't expecting you to be there, then you're somehow not part of their reality."
The film features a number of recognisable Glasgow locations, with Johansson's character seen shopping in Buchanan Galleries before driving through streets including George Street, Argyle Street, Sauchiehall Street and St Vincent Street. Reddit users have shared their own memories of the production, with one person writing: "That film made me feel ill, it was really effective. Book is excellent." Another user revealed they could have ended up in the film, writing: "They deffos asked for permission afterwards. My claim to fame was they filmed me and asked me later then never used the footage."
Another viewer praised the unusual production, saying: "Excellent movie, but definitely not a chill and cozy watch. The way they filmed it was really pretty wild given she was already a major star by this point." For those wanting to watch Under the Skin, it is available to stream for free on Channel 4.
