I know in stills photography harsh sun can play havoc, you can for example need a flash to fill in dark shadows created by the sun’s glare.
Well, the sun was diving in an out of clouds and we didn’t have those fill in lights and there seem to be bloody shadows everywhere – but we somehow muddled through.
Quite quickly we discovered we had a distinct lack of extras. It was the Easter Bank Holiday and it also transpired the cricket club was holding a pizza and soft drink mingle for their younger players… so we were a few men down. No mater. Everyone pitched in. The sounds guy (DG), the lotus owner (CN), the editor (SE) and the runner (GB) all donned whites leant by Gavan Burden – the Chair of the Management Committee for Sevenoaks Vine Cricket Club (who’s ground we were filming on). I got them spread about the pitch a bit
…where it became very obvious here were 7 people, a director, line manager and DoP that had no idea how to play cricket.
CN, he of the bravely lending us a 1 of only 40 in the world Lotus, stepped up. He could play cricket, he could bowl, he could tell us which side of the stumps the square leg umpire stands. He saved the day. He’s also not bad an actor either…
See… Rare gems… all over the place.
At some point I went back to the pavilion to get the GoPro, so we could do some close up work and slow motion capture. It was I think during that or a n other time I was needed elsewhere, that a Panther apparently appeared on the edge of the cricket field. I didn’t see it, but everyone else out there did… and DG managed to get his camera on it. I am not sure at the time of writing what will be on the film,– but I am so hoping it is not just an oversized domestic cat… another reason I can’t wait to see the raw footage!
*panther update – it was sadly just a domestic cat. I sent the footage a big cat expert and their reply is below –
Hi Andy Yes that is merely a domestic cat. I’m amazed as to how many of these I get sent each year. A black leopard (panther) would be three-times the size of this, a square-ish head, and a tail almost as long as the body. Kind regards, and thanks again for sending me the footage. Neil
Rats! Though a black cat is good luck right? I’ll take that as a win!
More cricket scenes were filmed and then it was the turn of the Lotus to be centre stage. It was a rare and truly beautiful thing.
The Lotus with The Posh Man and the Posh Woman. Photo by Sam Errington
As it wasn’t around the next day we made the most we could of it. Its owner had said one of the actors could drive it, but having discovered the actor (OAK) playing the Posh Man, had only passed his driving test weeks before, I thought… perhaps not.
At this point the actors playing Posh Man and Posh Woman (CA) were up. They had been sitting around doing to be honest, nothing, for a long time. It wasn’t their fault. That’s just the way it is. I had stopped asking if they were OK way back (after the 3rd or 4th time I asked – as they look at me like I was weird). So suddenly it was there turn.
It’s fascinating as a non-actor, to be in such close proximity of someone switching from not acting to acting, yet managing to looking like they are not acting… if that makes sense?! It is impressive to see, especially when for the last 3 hours you’ve done nothing but now, you are playing a drunk happy women with no care in the world, and shot 40 minutes later but about 4 mins apart in the film, and shot out of sequence – the same woman who’s just made a gruesome discovery. So – Fingers crossed if the shots on film are as half as intense as it felt being there and looked on the monitor live, it will be quite a powerful moment.
Like being in an emotional tumble dryer, going from good too bad in seconds… Hopefully – objective achieved.
We went on to film the Posh Man and Older Brother having their argument scene. Again an intense thing to watch. I’d written no dialogue so any that happened was improvised. Both actors proving once again they were the right people for the roles. I can’t wait to see what DG, the sound chap, does with the voices. Some I suspect will stay – some will be turned into something else… role on the rough cut!
We finished filming at 6ish. BA – the Young Boy, had been sent home earlier – he was looking rather tired but had done amazingly well. We had the majority of the cricket scenes shot and tomorrow lay ahead the motorbike scenes and the interior shots that open the film.
The latter got a quick re-write overnight… well OK – to be honest I slept on it.
Serious space cadet brain weariness had overcome me by the time I packed up at the end of day 1 and got home. To the extent apparently I had a whole conversation with the other half about one of our NCT friends. They had tried to come see the filming and had gone to the wrong field. I have no memory of that conversation.
It’s a glamorous job this directing business.
Next time: Day 2: Part 1: It’s raining. Lightning too & we’re holding umbrellas.