2.05pm Saturday 30th July 2011

Jonnie and I are driving to Reading. Or rather he is driving and I am sitting in the passenger seat. In the back are a load of costumes and props from a Bollywood film that he is working on. We are talking about the up and coming shoot of “The Power”, my fifth feature film. Yesterday I shot day 0, a second unit day on the streets of London. Tomorrow I start principal photography.

5.52pm

We have just arrived and checked into the hotel. I had hoped to get a glimpse of the shorts programme but unfortunately we have arrived way too late. The audience is just two people. That’s not too good. I am not surprised because outside the hotel where the screening is taking place there is a load of people having a kind of party.

7.24pm

The screening is now taking place. I did my best to drum up support. I even got the organisers to screen my anti-commercial “Career Opportunities” beforehand. I tried to get local film-maker Caleb Lindsay to see the film but after changing seat about 5 times, he then decided he couldn’t really watch the film, he was too nervous. In total we have about eight people in the audience which is piss poor. It seems, from the lofty heights of packed screenings in Los Angeles and Colorado, this will be how the festival journey ends for our film – with a whimper.

Although we are screening in a room in a hotel, the projection is pretty good - especially the sound.

9.46pm

I forced a Q&A after the screening. Steve Norris also came up with Jonnie and I. Despite the audience being quite timid, Steve gave us another perspective and some of his answers (and questions) were thus insightful.

Two of the audience came up to me afterwards to say how much they enjoyed the film. As long as at least one person enjoyed the experience, that makes it worthwhile.

2.14am

After the screening and Q&A I had a drink in the bar with Ian Manson and Paul Hamer, the organisers of the film festival. Steve Norris was there too. Jonnie has left for a while. There was meant to be an awards ceremony but it was cancelled because the short film judges had not had a chance to collate their choices. I am not aware now when the prizes will be announced and thus I am not aware if we will keep our 100% record.
During the session, Steve started insulting Paul saying “you are not an artist” and other such things. Then he turned on others at the table. When he finally came round to me saying stupid things, I replied “You and me outside now, cunt!” and went straight outside to wait for him. It’s been a long time since I have done such a thing but I was as mad as hell. The things he said were ridiculous but I really wasn’t willing to stomach them in the same way that other people were. I saw absolute red.

He didn’t come outside.

11.16am Sunday 31st July 2011

This morning whilst Jonnie and I had breakfast in the hotel, I spotted Steve at the bar. He walked up to me and shook my hand. He seemed to think last night was a joke but I had been deadly serious when I asked him to step outside. Absolutely deadly serious.

4.33pm

I have just been dropped off at the shoot by Jonnie. The First day of principal photography is upon me. The journey of “The Power” begins now straight after the probable end of the journey for “Do Elephants Pray?”

1.11pm Saturday13th August 2011

I have just heard that DEP won “Best Feature Film” at Googleheads. As I am now right in the middle of shooting “The Power” there is no way to celebrate. But at least that keeps our 100% record.

PH