Code Four

End of Watch writer-director David Ayer tells Yahoo that Jake Gyllenhaal prepared so well for his role as an LAPD cop that he fooled real police officers:

He said that the movie's "found footage" shooting style required the camera crew to stay out of sight while Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña, who plays his partner, performed their scenes. Ayer said, "There were times where Jake and Mike are in uniform in a marked police vehicle," and there were no cameras to indicate a movie was being filmed.



Ayer recalled, "Cops in LA will do a hand sign with four fingers to say 'everything's good.' Jake threw a 'Code Four' at some LAPD cops rolling by and they threw a 'Code Four' back. I don't think they had any idea it was Jake Gyllenhaal!"



"Jake put his heart and soul into the training," Ayer said. "There are a thousand subtle things cops do, and I wanted Jake to have the body language and presence of an LAPD officer." Ayer called the training process "months and months of blood, sweat and tears, and it enabled Jake and Mike to be so believable together."



Ayer stated that even the film's shooting style -- where all of the footage comes from sources like cell phone and security cameras -- is inspired by reality. "Everybody films everything in their lives these days," Ayer said, "Even the bad guys!" As a result, Gyllenhaal and Peña were required to not only be convincing cops, but also cameramen. Ayer said, "A couple scenes are entirely Jake's camera work. He got pretty good by the end!"

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Clearly, Jake and Michael spent a lot of time and effort with professionals from the force. But where do you think Jake went to dancing boot camp?


(Dancing gif from Yillenhoolahay. Top photo courtesy of IHJ.)