The calm before the storm

I’m sure there’s something I’ve missed…

And just like that, it’s the day before the shoot. This week has been a blur of checking, arranging, making and double-checking.

The script read through yesterday went really well. We went through the whole thing twice, trying different ideas and getting the dialogue tight. We spent a little time workshopping the last scene, which was a fun experience, and when you have the wealth of knowledge of Mark, Ken and Ben at your disposal, not something to be sniffed at.

The main thing, as a director, I learned very early on is that you have to trust your actors. If they are uncomfortable or stumbling on a line, there’s usually a problem with the dialogue or the script that they are picking up on, often subconsciously. There’s never a time to pull the ‘I wrote this, I know best,’ card. Openness and acceptance (humility) are the keys. There’s nearly always an easy fix once you talk through the issue, as it proved yesterday. An exploration of the subtext so the actor can wrap their head around the line, or a simple tweak of the script, and everything comes out shinier and better for the effort.

I think everything is in place now for the production. Props are sourced/made (I had some fun adapting a doll to make its head spin around). Releases signed. Costumes sorted. The crew are prepped and ready for action. Transport is sorted (big headache!). I even treated myself to a new clapper board (I was going to go all 21st century and use an iPad app, but I didn’t think the clap sound was loud enough). Just got to grab some food on the way tomorrow and we’re golden.

Bring on the weekend!