Do
Elephants
Pray?
Director's Daily Shooting Blog
DAY 6 Saturday September 29th ...
9.32am
At Jade's waiting for Rhys to turn up before we leave for set. Marina is ill today. Maybe the same thing as Hugh who still hasn't returned to production yet. I heard from Williams it should be Monday.
I sent Marina off early last night to pick something up for France. Her car broke down and she was stranded for ages. I don't think she got home until after midnight and now is ill.
Holly Rivers, our dreadlocked runner who I used as an extra on the first day walking a dog through shot, is also ill so that makes three people off at the moment!
I'm surprised by the level of drop off through illness. Almost 10 percent. It reminds me of John Boorman's hundred percenter club on Emerald Forest of people who were in for every day of the shoot. At the end it was maybe 3 people out of a crew of a hundred. Of course one of those was the director. As the director you NEVER get a day off. Even if you are dying you still must turn up and do the job.
One night shoot on the Poet at 3am in the cold I was so ill and tired I wanted to crawl under a stone and cry. The only problem was I had to direct the final scene of the film and all the extras, action cars, huge crane, 2 cameras, crew, armourers, SFX guys, Dougray and Lara were all standing by waiting for it. I got Florian, my assistant then, to get me two double expresso's and into action I had to go.
I got a call from Julie first thing this morning. She's fine, fully recovered. Cristina took her home and cared for her. My worry now is for Cristina who is feeling the stress. I am desperate to get to set now to try and cheer her up. We decided before the shoot to go a more complicated way with hair and make-up on Malika so as to create something breathtaking - the net result is 90 minutes prep on Julie at start of day and 60 minutes de-rig at the end of it.
Aftermath of the night before
Roger Bonnici with Actress Grace Vallorani
Callum's Apartment
Jonnie & Julie waiting for the next shot
Production meeting on location
cristina g
10.14am
Now in taxi on way to set. I'm glad it is a day off tomorrow. I think we all need a chance to recharge our batteries. It's not that the days are particularly long. Most have been 10 hours. One was just 8 hours and even yesterday was just 13 hours on set. When I shot The Frontline every day was about 16 hours long and one was 22 hours!
2.57pm
Just talking to Grace Vallorani while preping the scene before the last one last night. Cristina and Jonnie are lying on the bed together. Cristina is now purring. She seems to have cheered up remarkably. Earlier we talked through last night.
Grace is Executive Producing the film as well as playing the part of Sark. Her first scene is Monday. I met her through Jeremy Zimmerman, our casting director, while we were giving a lecture. Grace is one of the primal tenets of this productions existence. It's thanks to her we are shooting this film.
Earlier I shot a couple of smaller scenes. Callum getting into bed and Callum doing Tai Chi on the balcony. The latter being a new scene I came up with to be included on the Saturday before they walk in the park.
Unbelievably Ian Dodds, is also starting to become ill it seems. That will make four casualties if he goes down as well.
6.14pm
Had production meeting after lunch to clear the air. Everything fine now I hope. Now we do the morning after the drunken night before scene.
8.24pm
Just had the 100th slate. I got champagne for all the cast and crew and toasted them all for their hard work so far. People are happy I think despite the long hard week. We generally have a laugh on set. That's how I like it. Lots of jokes and running gags.
Julie just told me it's quite different from a French film set. The director is normally miles away she said in the next room watching a monitor.
Just one big scene now before they depart and then a quick one shot scene of him in the bathroom.
10.18pm
Half way through the depart scene. Lovely coverage and beautiful lighting by Roger. Even did some silent turn over stuff on Malika as POV's of Callum as he watches her. When I called end board most of the crew along with Julie didn't even know we were shooting. I love doing stuff like that. How much more natural a performance can you get?
It seems that Ian, props man, has left early ill. Seanne is doing dressing props at the moment so that's now 5 people down on the crew. I hope that most of the crew lost come back Monday.
Jonnie waiting
2.28am
Just done a live radio interview with on Talksport with Jonnie and Julie to publicise the film. We plugged the blog as well as the film. Luckily we found enough energy to be funny as well as awake!
The day finished at 11.30pm. Another 13 hour one. Yet again we got all the scenes. Yet again all the stuff was wonderful. Now we have shot nearly twenty percent of the film and the first week is done. Tomorrow is a day off. I am glad for the rest as I am sure my crew will be too!
Only problem is, as a F1 fanatic I must wake up at 7am for the Japanese GP!
Good night!
'Making of...' director Pete Stevenson
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