DAY 1 Monday September 24th ...

My only anxiety is that as luck would have it, the first shot of the first day is probably the most difficult shot of the entire shoot. It is a 3 minute sequence shot up and down a hundred foot of track on Hampstead Heath. The crew will still be fitting together and it will be crucial for focus and grip to be on their best game. I don’t say that about camera, as Roger Bonnici, my most trusted companion in this shoot is also operating as well as lighting on this film – his decision. Roger’s always on his best game!

If we can get that right hope it will be a big lift for cast and crew alike. Currently it is raining. The news last night said it will clear at 11am. I hope so!
4.30pm

Just wrapping from first location of the day. Two hours late but we got the scene. The 3 minute sequence shot came good about take 7 and I did 9 in total. Main problems were of first day production teething type. Pieces of equipment arriving late or not arriving in correct form. Sound had a nightmare. Hugh Griffiths, our Sound Recordist, was really under pressure. No working DAT machine at the start then no tapes arriving on time. Luckily I had one in my pocket!

At the start, though, while we were setting up, the rain was torrential. There were hailstones at one point. Most of the crew turned up looking like drowned rats.
One memorial one was my Makeup Designer, Cristina Corazza “ I’m a drenched!”
 in her mellifluous Italian accent.

The big problem in the middle of scene was poor Jonnie, playing Callum, who hasn’t smoked for years started feeling dizzy during take 4. His character has to smoke for most of film. He dropped down out of shot. Julie, playing Malika, tried to keep it going by incorporating it in shot. Soon it became apparent he was out of it. We had to rest him for 20 minutes before we could continue just at the time the Park Ranger came over and told me we were running out of time!

Jonnie was very apologetic but not to worry. He’ll have another month and half’s shooting to make it up to us!!

Katherine Higgs did a wonderful job today on focus. Although quiet and unassuming she was quick with marks and on the ball no matter where the actors moved in frame. With a long shot like this I like to keep it as fluid and as natural as possible and not lock them in too much. At the end of the scene I cut in as the characters fell to the ground for some lovely footage of Callum looking up at Malika and vice versa. Julie was wonderful.

The great thing I have on this film is that I have two actors in leading parts who just are the parts. They live them, breathe them, know them personally. It was the same when I shot Boston Kickout in 1994-5. All the young boys just were the parts. As a director you have a choice of casting an actor who is good enough at his craft that he can become the part or one that just is. Both choices can work. Maybe because of my neo-realist leanings and cinematic historiography I tend mostly for the latter. Although I didn’t do this for the part of Andrei in The Poet, for the leads on Elephants I think I have this.

When Julie came into the casting some 4 weeks ago it was just obvious she was Malika. She was the only one who really expressed and understood the emotional range of the character. After we shot the scene today she thanked me for choosing her but it is me who should be thankful that she came through the door! In preparation it was the thing I was most worried about, finding the right actress for Malika. I found the right one.

In a month's time I start shooting with my old friend Marc Warren who is playing Marrlen the real antagonist character in the piece. Instead of being the part, he will be playing against type, bringing out a darker side of his psyche. That is one of the two things I am looking forward to most on this shoot. The other being once we actually get to Brittany and start shooting in the wood that will so much be a character in the film.

Now on to location two! Just two short scenes in an Islington Street. One in the evening as the light is dying then one at night. Should be simple or should I say much simpler than what we’ve just done!

8.27pm

We have finished shooting finally. God! What a total nightmare.

We shot a great first scene with Callum on his own walking home but then it took ages for Malika to arrive because of delays in costumes arriving at the second green room. By the time that they she arrived quite a crowd of rowdy teenagers had appeared. They started shouting “action” and “cut” etc. Then one stepped in front of camera. I grabbed him. He pushed me so I threw him out of shot. Another rushed in and punched me in the shoulder. I wheeled round to land a punch on him. Luckily, Rhys Dyer, the 1st AD managed to lead them off and suggest they become extras in the background.

Julie did a lovely Matador style improvisation on the roundabout where she revolved around Callum. It worked out perfectly even though it was quite fraught at the start.

Laying the track...

Rhys Dyer, 1st AD on
Hampstead Heath