FilmingInspired by its use inChristopher Nolan'sThe Dark Knight, three action sequences inTransformers: Revenge of the Fallenwere shot usingIMAXcameras.[16]Although screenwriter Roberto Orci suggested that the IMAX footage would be3D,[34]Bay later said he found 3D too "gimmicky". Bay added that shooting in IMAX was easier than usingstereoscopiccameras.[35]The majority of interior scenes for the film were shot in the formerHughes Aircraftsoundstages atPlaya Vista.[36]From June24, the production filmed an action sequence at theBethlehem Steelsite inBethlehem, Pennsylvania, which was used to represent a portion ofShanghai.[8][37]Afterwards, they shot at theSteven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.[38]The crew moved toPhiladelphiaon June9, where they shot at a defunctPECORichmond power station, theUniversity of Pennsylvania,Drexel University, theEastern State Penitentiary,Fairmount Park,Philadelphia City Hall,Rittenhouse Square, historic Chancellor Street (which represents a street nearPlace de la ConcordeinParis), andWanamaker's.[39][40][41][42]The production moved toPrinceton Universityon June22.[43]Filming there angered some students at the University of Pennsylvania, believing Bay had chosen to reshoot scenes at Princeton and script Princeton's name in the film. However, neither the University of Pennsylvania nor Princeton gave Bay permission to be named in the film because of a scene that both institutions felt "did not represent the school" in which Sam's mother ingestsmarijuana-laced brownies.[44]Bay scheduled a break for filming beginning on June30, turning his attention to animation andsecond unitscenes because of the potential guild strike.[45]Shooting for the Shanghai battle later continued inLong Beach, California.[46]In September, the crew shot atHolloman Air Force BaseandWhite Sands Missile RangeinNew Mexico. The two locations were used forQatarinTransformersand stood in forEgyptin this film.[47]Ascale modelin Los Angeles was also used for some close-ups of the pyramids.[20]Shooting atTucson International Airportand the309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group'saircraft boneyardtook place in October under thefake working titlePrime Directive(a reference toStar Trek).[48]Filming also took place atCamp PendletonandDavisMonthan Air Force Base.[36]The first unit then shot for three days in Egypt at theGiza pyramid complexandLuxor. The shoot was highly secretive, but according to producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura, a crew of 150Americans and "several dozen local Egyptians" ensured a "remarkably smooth" shoot.[49]Bay earned the Egyptian government's approval to film at the pyramids by contactingZahi Hawass, whom Bay said "put his arm around me and said, 'Don't hurt my pyramids.'"[36]A 50-foot-tall (15m) camera crane was used at the location.[20]Bay stated he found the climax of the first film to be weak, partly because it was shot across five different city blocks, making the action confusing and hard to follow. On this film, the final battle in Egypt was devised to make it easier to follow the action.[50]Four days were then spent inJordan; theRoyal Jordanian Air Forceaided in filming atPetra,Wadi RumandSaltbecauseKing Abdullah IIis a big fan of science fiction movies.[51][52]Filming continued at thePlace de la Concordein Paris with second unit shots of theEiffel Towerand theArc de Triomphe.[53]The cast and crew finished principal photography on the aircraft carrierUSSJohn C. Stennison November2,2008.[54]