We are late. I'm not even sure we will make the ferry talk about the scene we must shoot before it. Axle arrived one hour and twenty minutes late. Appalling. She got lost but there's no excuse possible. If we miss the ferry it will cost us loads and she will be responsible.
 
Further, Kate was dumb enough to forget her passport so I had to rearrange the travel arrangements to despatch her in Pete Stevenson's car to go to Greenwich to get the goddam thing. Incredible. I carry my passport in my wallet 24/7. Never leave home without it!
 
Anyway, I've finally seen the first three days rushes - mute! They are beautiful. We got it all. I'm really pissed off though. The situation where I don't get rushes for 8 days really stinks. I was tempted to sack Sonrisa, the assistant editor yesterday. She's a lovely positive spirited girl from Equatorial Guinea, a real nice person but that still doesn't excuse the fact I shot 8 days blind thanks to her. I hate doing that! Further more, Caroline, the editor barely gets her phone calls returned by her. What is she doing?

I would say that the net result also is it has probably cost the production in film stock and processing etc where I am covering myself. Ridiculous. After seeing Sonrisa on the first day I have had barely any contact with her. She didn't reply to my text message from Tuesday either and now it's Thursday. Total amateur hour!
 
Danny San, a Producer I am working with on another film, texted me the other day wishing me well. It's nice to know that people are reading the blog. So far I write it either on a laptop or my mobile phone on set and Marina puts it up on the net. The photos I shoot on set get put on later when I give her the PCM card I am using.
 
Yesterday was another anxious day but not an unhappy one. After me and Jade visited Georgio Armani to choose some costumes for Sark, I saw my partner in the DVD distribution company, Bluebell Films, to hand over the reigns for the time I'm away. We had lunch in Maze which was lovely.
 
Why am I anxious? It's simple. We haven't really got a film yet. We've got a nice beginning section, about a quarter of the film but we haven't got the crux. If the film is successful or not depends on the French part of the shoot that we start now. It is me who needs to create the magic on set and do the business. I carry that burden as lightly as possible but find it hardest when I am not actually shooting, making the film.
 
Anyway, we are now hurtling down the motorway towards Portsmouth. If we make the ferry, then this is the start of the adventure, the start of the journey. Earlier in the shoot I started quoting "Trust in God.." only to have my sentence finished by Steve Norris, the stills photographer and fellow Tarkovsky fan. He continued "..but tie your camel first." It's nice to not only to have a cine-literate crew but also a well read one too, Rumi being my favourite Sufi Poet. Anyway, that quote applies now also.
 
8.48am
 
On the ferry now. Kate Higgs didn't make it on and thanks to that I've not got Steve for stills, Pete for the documentary and no Marina as well. Cristina did a wonderful job finishing make-up on the way travelling at 80mph down a motorway. Thanks to the delay waiting for Axle, when I got to the ferry terminal I had just two actors, the prop car and me with 10 minutes before the ship was set to leave.
 
When the camera arrived in the equipment van 2 minutes later along with Matt King, the clapper/loader, I got hold of Roger's light meter got Matt to set everything up and shot it myself with Matt pulling focus. I think we got it. Three shots. A car pulling up. A POV of ferry terminal and a close up of Callum reacting. Roger arrived just in time to put a pole in for the close up. Matt was outstandingly up for it. He did a great job.
 
Then we shot the scene on the ferry. Another rush job to get the scene in the can with England receeding in the background. It reminded me of a similar scene in Boston Kickout. There was no compromise, though, as Julie and Jonnie did some lovely stuff with her juggling etc. Along with some great early morning sea scapes I think we really got something nice.

10.01am

 
Mid Channel. I've just discovered that Ian Dodds forgot to pack for France a vital and key prop, Malika's rucksack. It's a major calamity. A disgusting oversight. The third time I've been let down by someone today and it's still mid morning!
 
It will either have to be Fedex'ed out or Seanne will have to get on a plane later today to bring it to Brittany. It's needed for the second shot of the second scene tomorrow and then for EVERY GODDAMN scene thereafter.
 
Sometimes I feel I'm the only one totally on the ball except Roger, Seanne and the actors. A terrible state of affairs. What a moron!
 
5.07pm FRENCH TIME
 
About half an hour away from Mont St. Michel now. We've been shooting from the hip as we motor south towards Brittany. I've been shooting POV's out the car and shots on Jonnie and Julie. The shots that stand out so far are Malika standing in the car, her hand silhouetted against the sun, her hair blowing in the breeze.
 
It's been a long long day. We're all running on adrenaline and caffeine. Shooting beautiful stuff. Hopefully Kate, Marina and the others will meet us at Mont St. Michel.
 
8.13pm
 
We are now in Mont St. Michel about to eat. Williams is collecting the amount over and above what Production is prepared to pay for dinner. Everyone is here now. Most people got a good chance to see this amazing place. Others also had the time to nap on the way except the drivers of course Jose Ruiz and Daniel Naussbaumer who must be hanging in rags.
 
I had to abandon a dialogue improv because the mixing desk went down but otherwise got everything including sound wild track I needed from day 3 as they head out of London. The final shot was a car pass with Mont St. Michel in the background. We shot some really lovely stuff. More than enough to cut together a great montage of them driving to the forest.
 
12.07am
 
In a service station on the edge of Broceliande Forest. Pete is changing a head light that has gone off on his car. We've just driven for another two hours. Kate relieved Daniel with the equipmentg van. Everyone is dead tired and shattered. Jonnie and Jose have driven now for nearly 9 hours. I have been full on working since 3.30am yesterday morning.
 
Only 20 minutes or so left till we get to our base for the next two weeks and a half, a caravan park! Already the magical forest has welcomed us. Jonnie opened a book in the service station and the first word on the page was "Elephant!"
 
1.16am
 
In bed now. Just under 22 hours. Good night!