May day

As February was hideously busy, with me working in Berlin, London, Birmingham, Seville and Dublin, we couldn't shoot extra scenes. Although March is looking less critical for me, it is still pretty manic for John and Eeva, so we are looking at picking up filming in May. This is a great relief for me...

The balancing act..

This is the first film that I have made where the production is spread over a couple of months in different sessions. I'm finding it quite hard to keep the film at the forefront of my mind whilst life goes on all around it. In many ways I prepare the short sustained bursts of production, as the focus remains upon the film. That said, I'm liking the time that these breaks give me for personal reflection. 

To cram as many clichés in to one sentence - I guess it is a question of finding a happy medium, and creating a balancing act.

Some introductions...

 I guess I should put some names to some faces for you. 

 This is me, James Fair. I hate writing about myself in the third person. Sometimes I find it is easier, but from here on in you should know that it is this face that is writing this blog and directing this project:

 

Eeva Rautio  is playing "Rosie". She is Finnish and currently a student of optometry in university:

 

Raul Camacho Marquez is playing "Lars", Rosie's lover. He is Spanish and works as a pharmacist: 

John Bradburn is the cinematographer. I work with him at Staffordshire University where we teach Film Technology:

 

Hopefully these faces can bring a bit of humanism to this otherwise very literary blog. I'll endeavour to keep it visual. I like books with pictures as much as the next person...

Berlinale

No news for a little while... Gary Hoctor (producer) and I went to Berlinale to screen "Watching & Waiting", and mentioned the possibilities of screening Rosie at Galway Film Fleadh this summer with Miriam Allen, the festival director. Simply discussing a festival and a time frame scare me, especially as the project is really in the early phases.

However, it provides me with an idea of timeframe.

Filming

It is a day for being handed the textbook filming problems...

The first calamity is the state of the kit that we have acquired. Despite arranging six P2 cards, we are left with one, as a result of collecting empty boxes and packaging that don't have cards inside. This is my fault for not checking them I guess. Similarly, the lighting kit has three lights and two of them don't work. The third light blows a bulb within a couple of hours of filming. This too could be my fault for not checking the kit. So you see a pattern forming - CHECK THE KIT. Do not assume the kit room have done it, because they aren't the ones who will be screwed on the filming day.

As it is, John, Etain and I went about making do, and started a different workflow whereby we'd film and drop the footage back to a 1.5TB drive every 17 minutes. Fortunately we have a high-spec laptop to enable us to do this. It doesn't end up affecting us too much as we are pretty slick on organisation and we soon find a rhythm. The filming itself is great. Eeva, Raul and Laura are naturals, very good at getting the mood correct. I'm pleased with all of their good work and get excited by the rushes.

The second calamity is the nightclub location. Despite visiting it in the week, and being happy that we'd arranged a deal to film there, we are asked for cash when we get to the door. Admittedly two get in for free, but four don't. This only costs £20 but it is an illustration as to why you should get something in writing when you agree it. The club itself is quite dark and it really pushes the camera to do a good job. Hopefully we can get something out of it in the grade. The crowd is pretty thin on the ground too, which makes it frustrating all round...