Do

John Last as 'Jode' Marc Warren as 'Marrlen' Grace Vallorani as 'Sark' Cassie French as 'Fahra' Marina as 'Extra'

Yesterday was not much better than the day back. Real life succeeded again in disappointing me enormously. Some moments in life are huge turning points. I remember watching Fellini's first film. Sitting by the artificial lake in Stevenage. Being refused entry to Plymouth film school (sic) and being told I had more chance of being struck by lightning twice than EVER directing a feature film. Seeing my first film by Andrei Tarkovsky and been inspired beyond belief. The Screenings of Boston Kickout in Valencia and San Sebastian. Visting Ney's grave in Pere La Chaise cemetery.

The last few days have been like that. Momentous.

Another incredible thing is that yesterday, after the office rehearsal, I had my wallet stolen on a no 73 bus. I looked down and saw the zipper of my bag open. I knew immediately what it meant. I have to get everything again. Passport. Cards. Detritus. Keepsakes. Photos. Memories. Life. I must start afresh. How about that for divine intercession! Incredible!!

10.40am

Finishing the first scene of the day. A big one. The first one in the office. Marc's girlfriend, Abi Titmuss is playing a small part. The head of Cremeberry. Again it seems a strange coincidence, destiny. I saw her first a few years ago on the news. She had an amazing serenity and stood out incredibly. I had even dreamed that I was directing her which as she was then a nurse at the time, that was more than surreal! Today I am.

Marina and Daniel are also extras today. Marina is Abi's personal assistant and in an unspoken subplot is also her lover! Daniel is a studious head of marketing in the scene. Cristina was looking forward to doing his hair very much!

We are behind at present as the equipment van was an hour late arriving today. Totally criminal and certainly it will push us late today. The next two days will be a bit of a race as we have to shoot Marc out of the film by Monday night.

2.40pm

Now we are having lunch. We have shot two of the three big scenes. Marc also improvised a huge and adapted speech that Napoleon gave to the army of Italy at the time of The Directory. It had the crew in applause and rapture though I feel the smaller things he has done are actually better. Eating an apple in scene 10 was a great idea and was so hilarious it was hard not to crack up watching it.

Abi is a real sweetheart. She tries to help everyone and even offers to make cups of tea and coffee. The atmosphere is great also. Everyone knows we are on the home stretch now. After today there are just four days left.

Lunch is hot pizza. The best we have had on this shoot so far I think.

3.21pm

Marc is a joy to work with. He is on another level. I love him dearly, trust him completely to come up with the goods and give him a lot of freedom - but never too much. I have made that mistake in younger years with actors, being befuddled by great ideas or big moments. These days I like subtlety as much as playing to the galleries. With Marc you can do both.

The office improvisations will give the film a darkly comic flavour. It needs it to contrast with the central love story and scenes in the forest.

I am doing a whole load of tracking shots in on peoples faces now after Callum gives the big line of the film. I hope to cut in on all of them to make it seem continuous before they intercut as people look to each other for reaction. It's quite a stock burner. How exactly it will cut together I don't know. Different little moments. Tension till Abi says "Fucking brilliant!" which is now the last line of the film before Callum gives Emma the stone.

7.15pm

Finished all the conference room scenes and now we have to do three scenes in reception with Fahra, the receptionist. Fahra is played by Cassandra French, an actress I have used a number of times over the years. She has really blossomed in recent years and has overcome her self- depreciating nature. I look forward to the scenes very much. Also they are the first ones that we will use our more obscure framing and camera style that we are applying to all the office scenes.

Earlier Grace's close up in the final conference room scene was magnificent. The best moment she has done so far. Perfection. It is amazing how having scenes without dialogue can free everyone up to emote or communicate perfectly the thought process. It reminded me of Callum when he walked Malika to his home. I have always believed that silent films and minimalist films were the apexs of the cinematic art.

The great thing about today also is having so many faces back from the earlier part of the shoot. Jade our wonderful costume designer. Ian, our ever eager runner. Emily, our bright faced spark. Matt, the always chuckling grip. Alessa, the blushing dressing props. Even Seanne, the Production Designer who didn't go to the forest with us. It is a hard day for her. Her budget is almost spent and we must achieve a lot in the next few days. The conference room table had been a huge hassle to have something different but it's been worthwhile. I hope Seanne thinks the same.

12.30am

Home now. We lost it on the last three small scenes in reception. Things that should have been easy became difficult. Trying to shoot night for day was hard keeping things out. Hitting framing marks became a problem. Getting props to work properly and indeed not having enough or indeed any repeats of them. Anyway, we did it and Marc's improv in the second take of the second scene was one of the best he's done today. Grace's performance in her final close up of the flirting scene was also special once we got the blocking right.

Anyway, now doing shot list for tomorrow.