DAY 11 Sunday 7th October ...

10.48am

 
On way to set. Today we shoot in the village the arrival scene. I am a little despondent because of the result of the Chinese GP but will try and block that out. Now we shoot 6 days consecutive and chronological which should be good for preserving the moment and continuity of performance.

Marina has had problems connecting to the internet and thus updating the blog. Passwords, uploading photos etc. It's a by product of being in rural France in the middle of nowhere. People have been texting me asking if I'm dead or not. Bad luck - I'm not, yet. Anyway, I hope it will be better from now.
 
Yesterday after watching F1 qualification and having a good lie in most of us went into Rennes. It was nice to have a total break from shooting or production for a few hours. I even found some nice nicknacks in some antique shops.
 
Williams didn't have so much fun. He was in Paris trying to convince UPS to give us the rucksack that is lost in the courier system. It seems that Seanne didn't send it express as she said she did. It was shipped standard. That's a terrible oversight. Maybe thus I have been a trifle harsh with Iain Dodds!

Although doing great work creatively, I think the organisational side of the Art Department isn't up to scratch. Seanne would probably say it's the lack of resources. I would counter it's because you can't treat a small film in the same way you would a big film. You can't delegate responsibility as much and trust people who are stepping up the ladder and expect them to be as on the ball as they would be having made 5 films in that grade.
 
In addition to Williams being in Paris, the whole of the art department were out in London trying to find an identical bag to no avail. In the end Williams found a similar one in Paris and saved Seanne's bacon.
 
Julie slipped back to Paris yesterday also for a few hours. It was her birthday. I had looked forward to throwing a party for her but the schedule change enforced by the prop oversights has scuppered that. Anyway, I got her a lovely present in Rennes, a little ceramic bowl with an elephant on top. When I saw it in the shop window I thanked fate for delivering it into my hands.
 
One thing I've been thinking about warmly is Julie's dedication to the film. On Friday when we were talking with Jonnie I said "When I make a film, nothing exists for me apart from the film" She chipped in "It's the same with me, not my son, not my family, nothing exists apart from the film". Her words made me recall all the great actors I have worked with over the years. Ronald Lacey, Emer McCourt, John Simm, Marc Warren, Mel Raido, Francis Barber, Erika Marozsan, Laura Harring. A true kindred spirit. In some ways I think it will get Jonnie to up his game, to match us in his dedication to the cinematagraphic art.
 
In my opinion, if you don't have that passion and dedication, then what's the point? You might as well stack shelves in Tesco's.
 
12.22pm
 
Now in middle of shooting arrival scene. I'm using Roger, a local Druid in the scene riding past on his bicycle. He's a good guy, from England originally who settled here because of the lay lines and esoteric history of the forest.
 
We are shooting in front of a wonderful grael church. I've incorporated the writing on the front door into the scene as an improv. Every scene now has an improvised element. It's a testament to how in character Julie and Jonnie are that I can do such things.
 
On the tree in front of the church I have had hung lots of ribbons with wishes, prayers to God upon them as well as some charms. I have even added the charms that me and Roger wear round our necks at all times. Roger, as an ardent catholic wears a cross. I wear a gris gris I got in Marakesh that was specially made as a charm for the film as well as a Breton Triskelion like the one Malika wears throughout the film.
 
The scene is beautiful. Magical.
 
6.23pm
 
The last scene of the day. It's amazingly relaxed shooting here. We are doing it scene by scene chronologically. The improvisations are working wonderfully. We just shot the scene where Malika throws the mobile into the corn field. On a 100mm and then a 200mm framed three quarters on the corn it was beautiful. Julie improvised at the end of the scene "I'm losing my time with you!" and Jonnie replied "I'm losing my phone with you!" Genius!
 
6.29pm
 
Actually Roger just told me we shouldn't shoot this last shot now as the light is too flat. We'll do it tomorrow morning. We're on schedule anyway apart from the half day lost on Saturday because of prop mistake.