One week to go before we start principle photography. We are not ready. As an actor the final week of rehearsals before a show is always the worst. Back in my pre-theatre school days I was a member of a local theatre group The Trowbridge Players and we always, without fail, stumbled into the final week before a show under rehearsed and desperately lacking time. Such is the status of Elephants now. I am hoping that the magic of theatre that used to miraculously make everything come together on the opening night will reappear in celluloid form for next Monday. I’m still not sure what scenes we are shooting on Day One or where the location is. In need of preparing the role I ask around the office for a copy of the latest shooting schedule so I may get some grasp of what to prepare first, but no-one appears to know if there is one. Paul, Williams, Julia, Sarah. I am assured that a copy will be whisked to me as soon as it arrives.

I sit outside in what passes for a communal garden at the back of my apartment and work my way through the script. I always prepare through music, choosing the character’s favourite band or music style is my way of identifying with them. I have always been obsessed by music since a small child, thanks mainly to my older brother Russell who used to run a mobile disco, and I am still somewhat of a music junkie craving the next great band to listen to. Whenever I visit someone’s house I immediately look through their music collection, it gives me an overview of who they are, such is the way I approach characterisation as an actor. I write to music, I choose several albums before I start writing a particular project and stick within that band or genre, or even year of release, throughout the writing process. With Elephants I listened to French jazz singer Coralie Clément in the mornings and Richard Bacon on XFM in the afternoons. I wanted to get a contrast between French serenity and British immediacy.

When I came to approach the character of Callum as an actor I couldn’t choose either of these as they were too generic, I needed something specific, one band to focus on. When I watched the film of The Marriage of Figaro a couple of days ago I was struck with the idea that as Callum needed to find some stability in his life, some sense of direction, that he would probably like music that was a little chaotic, I tried out Bentley Rhythm Ace, Midfield General and my current favourite band The Kills before finally settling on a more obvious choice for someone in the advertising world. OK Computer was recently voted the best album in a poll on Channel 4 and their demographic audience is close to Callum, so, Radiohead it was. Two years ago whilst preparing for the film Collapsed I spent a week listening to Darklands by The Jesus & Mary Chain only to discover on the first day of filming that it was the same album the writers had listened endlessly whilst writing the script.

So, I sit on the small patch of lawn, green tea in hand, MP3 player on repeat of Kid A and work through the script. It is a magical process, by listening to music whilst working on character I start to associate the scenes with particular albums, songs, refrains, memories which I will use later during the shoot when the ability to concentrate is not at its greatest. I think of the music and effortlessly slip into the character’s frame of mind. Cheating maybe, short cut certainly, but it has worked so far for me and I hope it will again.

Stéphy pops out to say she is going to Covent Garden to meet some friends, she doesn’t look well but assures me she is fine. I am constantly amazed at the amount of hassle she has had to put up with in the last few weeks. If I were her I would have left me a long time ago and gone back to Paris.

Sometime in the getting chilly afternoon I get a call from Rosie Fellner, the actress playing Emma whom Callum knows from his Tai Chi class. I had agreed to show her the Tai Chi short form we will be featuring in the film which, of course, I have completely forgotten about. She is on her way. We spend the next couple of hours going through the 24 moves of the yang style short form. Despite having very little knowledge of Tai Chi she picks it up very well. It is rather ironic as in the script Emma teaches Callum. I reassure Rosie we won’t be filming the whole thing just snippets (something that turns out to be a complete lie when Paul announces he wants to shoot the whole thing on slow motion!) When she leaves I am not sure if she feels better for her lesson or more intimidated by the task ahead.

I head back into the office and try and contact Greg about his stedicam kit and Barry about shooting the Tai Chi class scenes, but both are unavailable. I update the IMDB & facebook pages and website with our expanding cast and crew as well as a video of our investment night. I end the day predictably in going to work having been asked at the last minute to cover for someone. As I need the money I reluctantly agreed.

Crew members. 0 gained. 0 lost.
 

Day 31 Tuesday 20th September

I sleep in as best I can to expunge the memory of a dull night at work dealing with idiotic people on the telephone who think that just because they call a radio station that it automatically gives them the legal and moral right to talk on air with the presenter, however asinine and pointless their comments (and probably lives) are. I have little sympathy when I am tired, particularly towards people who are starting to annoy me. I am forced to trot out the well worn “I know it is a phone-in talk show but being on the radio is a privelidge not a right” line, but this is not enough for some who, through combinations of alcohol and sleep deprivation want to vent spleen on me for all their worldly troubles. One woman from Richmond who claims she works for the BBC threatens to complain to my boss and that she is “going to take my job from me”. I give her the name of my three different bosses she can complain to and suggest she does it quickly before I leave (sackings don’t tend to have much effect after the employee has quit), but preferably after she has sobered up and listened back to the tape she claims she is recording of our numerous conversations. By the time of her fifth call I lose my patience and pretend to be the night watchman.

I work through some more of the script in the afternoon whilst the office buzzes with activity. I try not to get involved but inevitably the moment I appear I am barraged with questions and decisions to make. I only came in for a cup of coffee, now I have to decide which car hire firm we are renting our grip truck from. “The first one” I say having not really paid much attention to the options and picking one 25 miles away in St Albans.
The day is spent much as was yesterday, working the script, avoiding the office and ending with some Tai Chi. As Tuesdays are my regular class days Paul, Roger, Seanne and myself decamp to The Angel for a final location recce. I attend the class with Rosie whilst the others wander round assessing how best to shoot the all white room. Seanne hits on an idea to cover up one plain wall with an oriental picture from her grandmother’s house and we all drink green tea, an essential part of the Tai Chi class which is why it is written into the script. I make an announcement to the class that we will be filming in two weeks time and only one person refuses to be filmed. Thankfully it isn’t Rosie !

I race from the class to work, late again, but make it perfectly clear that I don’t really give a damn about my recent and repetitive tardiness and spend the night doing as little as humanly possible.

Locations gained 1. Locations lost 0

 
Day 32 Wednesday 21st September

Today I get hold of the final shooting schedule and see that we are doing the Hampstead Heath scene first. This was originally going to be at Alexandra Palace but we couldn’t afford the location fees. This hasn’t stopped Paul’s ambitious long tracking shot idea for the whole scene, it just means that it will be a double track back and forth instead of all in one direction. I am a little cautious on the idea of a five minute double track that culminates in a tight two-shot as the first scene to shoot but we have little flexibility in the schedule. Besides Paul assures me it will be fine and I trust his better judgement.

I escape the office refusing to answer questions, make decisions or unload the ever increasing amount of equipment that is seeking sanctuary in what used to be the apartment where I lived. I hide out in the garden and listen to more Radiohead before heading to work overnight again for yet more hassles from irate listeners who have nothing better to do than call and blame me for every little trivial thing in their lives. Though congratulations for the most pointless call of the night must go to the guy who called up to ask if I knew which was wider, the Thames or the Mersey? Frankly I don’t care as long as he throws himself into one or the other. I think the disillusioned Callum is starting to take over my thoughts. My heart has long since evaporated from this job, I need Elephants to be a success so I can actually do something interesting with my life...

End of tethers reached 1.

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