Confessions of a First Time Film Director: Part 2

First up, making a film is a shit load of work. If it wasn’t for my producer and the amazing crew that we assembled, there would be no film. First and foremost, I learned that making a film is a collaborative art on a extreme level and the crew are it. Our crew were the kind of no-bullshit people that a first time director appreciates.

Second, I’ve learned what tired really is. Concentrating continuously is completely exhausting. I cannot imagine at this stage doing this for months on a feature. Thankfully we have a second short slated for mid-July, so I have more time to build my stamina between now and then.

For 3 days last week, I experienced stress, joy, exhaustion, challenge, frustration, and elation. After 15 years of dreaming about making a film and several years bitching about the quality of short films, I have started a journey that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop.

I wrote Wonderland about a time in my life when I escaped into my own imagination and the film had just enough autobiography to bring a tear to my eye as the final scene was shot and I heard Stuart, my 1st AD announce that the film was wrapped.

Shooting over 40 scenes in 3 days is headlong and hasty. But it had to be done. We had a budget, and we had a time frame and we had to do it within the fixed parameters of that schedule. We worked very fast, sometimes not even getting more than a few takes before moving on.

Day 1 was both amazing and highly frustrating, with the speed of work, I didn’t feel like I was directing anything. I was a passenger on a fast moving train, making occasional decisions and living with the consequences. Highlight: Shooting under the bridge at Overtoun House with swirling fog in the background. Lowest Point: Not feeling like I was actually working with the actors.

Day 2 was better, I enjoyed myself more and began to see/understand the job of the film director better. Highlight: Being more present as a director in the process. Lowest Point: Not getting to shoot a very important scene.

Day 3 was better still and finally I got to grips with directing a film at high speed and still getting creative input into the takes. Highlight: Feeling blessed to work with a great cast and crew, and working with my best friend and an incredible DoP.  Lowest Point: Not getting three important shots because we were running out of daylight.

In the car on the way home, I worked out my workflow for Perchance, my new film and how I would work in pre-production and on set. So many lessons in such a short time, an amazing cast, an amazing crew. I can’t wait to start pre-production for the next film.

I’ll tell you more about post-production in a third blog in early 2015.