In the latter I want him to cry when he comes. I think this will be a good turnaround and will be cathartic. He is out of his head so is through the looking glass in terms of emotions.

In the first scene where he imagines it I want it to be perfect. He is giving her pleasure. In the second one that we shoot later tonight it is not as he imagined. My idea is to shoot the whole scene lit by a single torch. He turns it off at one point leaving the screen (and the audience) in total darkness. She then turns it on telling him that she wants to see his face.
 
I don't think either of my actors have much experience with this type of scene. I am not worried, though, the professional and personal relationships are strong and I feel we will all do a good job. For me, tonight will be special. I am really looking forward to it. I have said many times that I prefer to shoot a love scene than an action scene. It is true. I even consider myself a specialist in them. It is one of the things I can do best!
 
When you are down to two actors, me and a camera then cinema can be at it's best. The intimacy and subtlety that a camera can pick up is a beautiful thing. It is the joy of cinema, the use of perspective, going from one to another that you don't get it theatre. Love scenes are a perfect example of this.

3.18pm

 
Now on set setting up. Jonnie and Julie just had a row. It was over the sleeping bag. It was not dried out by Daniel and Jonnie started to dry it. Julie thought he was angry having to do it and it sparked an argument. I appeared in the middle and appeased them. It's Daniel's responsibility but in any event it is not needed for at least another five hours so why so much stress now?

From a directorial point of view it works well that they have just argued as they did on camera at the end of the last scene. Anyway, in reality, it's the continuation of the problems discussed last week. Too much to do and not enough people. Daniel keeps on being borrowed to do production things and thus has little time to do he real job.
 
The real reason for Jonnie's stress (and mine) is that it appears that an investor who promised to invest in the film has reneged on his promise. He claims to have not been sent the correct details until too late. This affects our cashflow as much needs to be paid on leaving France in 9 to 10 days time. We will have to ameliorate this tomorrow.
 
Even more bizarrely, I found out earlier that Pete and Steve had a huge fight two nights ago. They were both half cut at least. Apparently, Jonnie was woken up at 1.15am in the morning by shouting and screaming and emerged onto the veranda of their caravan to see on the grass in front, Pete on top of Steve half naked, holding him down, surrounded by broken glass. They were trying to kill each other it seemed. Steve had just before thrown Pete's HDV camera at him and broken the microphone connection. The cause of the rift I don't know. They've known each other for 20 years plus so the cause may be deep seated and nothing to do with the film. Anyway, it's their business.
 
Jonnie calmed them down by telling them he'd sack them both if they didn't stop. They did thankfully! Pete slept in his car. The campsite owner was not best pleased when she got complaints from the neighbours yesterday morning. That's how I found out. I think they've patched it up now and that was the reason they were a little late arriving to set yesterday. Thank God! They are both really decent guys and I have a lot of respect for them.
 
5.33pm
 
The generator is not working. After humping it into the wood for power, hot water for drinks. water bottles etc it is now not working. We have just shot a day for night scene where the camp is still and a boot comes into shot in the bottom left of frame. It is a Breton Farmer. The "boot" was played by me.
 
6.31pm
 
Just discovered the reason the generator is not working is because Jose put diesel in it rather than petrol! He now has to empty it out completely and refill it with petrol. Hopefully that will get it working. Never mind!
 
Just finished shooting first twilight scenes so now need to wait for night. I hope we can get through it all tonight. Incidentally I am also sick with cold and running a temperature so it's not the most ideal day for a night shoot in a forest!
 
11.27pm
 
Listening to Jacques Brel on Marina's ipod. It's taken ages to shoot all the stuff with Callum in the wood with the torch. We just had a break for soup before he finds Malika in the woods. We still have loads to shoot including all the intimate stuff. I'm worried that we might get far far behind and it will then become a 5am'er rather than a 3am'er!
 
1.07am
 
Now rigging for the exterior of the tent scene. After that I will be inside for the love scene. Still so much to shoot. It will become a race against time I am sure. When the pressure is on the key is to still get it as good as possible despite everything. Not to compromise. Not that the word is in my vocabulary!
 
We are shooting mute now, as no sound is needed for this shot. That means we all have our ipods on while we are running. Filming in a forest in France in the middle of nowhere in the dead of night, people are dancing to their different tunes. Rhys, Axle, Julia, Steve, Myself. It's like a bizarre rave in a forest. Pure complete and total madness. Now I am sure it will be at least 5am. Maybe later... Roger's good humour is a bastion of strength as usual. I hope it's not later!
 
3.22am
 
Just about completed the love scene. It took a long while. Jonnie and Julie needed lots of time to prepare and get comfortable as well as rest and reset things between shots. The torch idea worked perfectly. It is now getting much colder. Just when I'd got it, Julie asked for another take. Just before that Marina had whispered to me that Axle was very cold and shivering. I was in two minds to do the extra take but decided to do it. I'd told Julie from the start that she could have an extra take if she wanted it. I had to keep my promise.
 
5.15am
 
Motoring through the scenes one after another. Done the one where Callum jumps out of the tent naked and the one where after making love they look up at the sky. Julie came up with a great idea of lying back on Callum's chest making it a most unusual 2-shot.
 
Steve has had to fill in on sound as Axle is wrapped up warm in Pete's car with the heating on. I saw her and Marina 30 minutes ago and thought they were recovering. It seems Marina also has caught a chill. I saw them in the holding area. They were joking around and were eager to get back to set. It seems that afterwards they both had a relapse and were sent back to the car to keep warn. Rhys tells me Axle is fine but I have asked Cristina to check in 15 mins time and tell me how they are.
 
7.02am
 
Finally wrapped. Got it all. We completed. What a ridiculously long day. I'm afraid the crew are really exhausted now. We lost a couple of hours at the start and another one midway through. A terribly long and cold night. When Julie emerged from the relative warmth of the tent she couldn't believe she had been in it for around 6 hours. She thought it had been one or two. It was the first time either her or Jonnie had done a proper love scene. She asked "Do you look at me differently now?" My only answer was "Why should I?". They both had done admirably. It will be a lovely and unusual scene not least because of the lighting and location.
 
9.14am
 
Now sitting in the Accident and Emergency of Ploermel Hospital. After the shoot Axle was discovered to be in such a bad way that we had to rush her and Marina to hospital. They tell us they are fine but we are still worried about Hypothermia. As we were wrapping, Axle, who had been sleeping in Pete's car, got up and started to throw up. She had thrown up two days before also with what she said was migraine. She looked very bad and was extremely weak. Julie called a Medical support number and they immediately advised we take them both to hospital.
 
9.26am
 
I am very worried about Axle. She is comatosed now and so so cold to the touch. Everyone here is fraught and concerned about her but we are trying not to let our emotions get the better of us. Tears have welled in my eyes more than once. I keep thinking about how happy she was only a few hours earlier dancing to the ipod tunes in the forest and now is so defenceless and fragile in a hospital bed. Julie has taken control here as she knows the French medical system. We have had to answer numerous questions complying with the French bureaucratic system. Of course in the UK system she probably wouldn't have even been seen yet!
 
10.08am
 
Marina has been let out of hospital. She seems relatively fine and is putting on a brave face. Jonnie has taken her along with Julie and Cristina who were also waiting, back to the camping site. I have to wait for Jonnie to return and also to find out the results of some tests on Axle. The doctors are running more tests. They believe it is not hypothermia. The two incidents must be connected though. They had the same symptoms in different degrees. Marina also felt sick the same time as Axle was throwing up.
 
11.02am
 
Just got back. It appears Julie was sick after leaving the hospital also and I felt bad in the stomach at one point as did Jonnie last night. Maybe it was food poisoning?