PRODUCTION DIARY - DAY 7 - January 8th, 2011 | Bonython Park
Crew in attendance: Peter Ninos (Director), David Tang (Cinematographer), Michael Tessari (Gaffer/Camera Assist), Trent Ninos (First A.D.), Teena Ninos (D.A./Sound Recorder), Billy Ninos (Clapper Loader/Boom Poll), Gigi D'angelo (Costume Designer) & Paul Larsen (Grip/Runner). Cast in attendance: Adam Schmerl (Jake), Devon Aubert (Prof. Jameson), Frenk Etti (The Agent), Travis (Goon).
Scenes being filmed: OMEGA Scene 12.
We're back at the ever-versatile Bonython Park for our big Scene 12. We were just around the corner from where we shot on Thursday, we set up camp, organised power and started unloading for what is our biggest shoot yet. Scene 12 is set on the exteriors of the Stockport Observatory where Jake sees Prof. Jameson kidnapped by the mysterious Agent.
DTang's Camera Assist for tonight is Michael Tessari, thanks for coming down man - great work tonight!
Also an extra thanks to Adam, not only was he acting tonight but he assisted us on clapper board during the scenes he wasn't in, thanks man!
Scene 12 in the script it's only one scene but there's so much going on; Jake stealthily approaching the Observatory, cars pulling in and out of the drive way, hurried phone call from Jess, Security guards getting shot, Professors getting kidnapped and heaps more! Our shot list practically doubled by the end of the night as we came up with new interesting shots as we went through all the elements of the scene.
PART 1 - We filmed Devon's kidnapping scene first as it was his anniversary tonight and we didn't want to keep him too late, he was a great sport to come along, thanks Devon! Our first shot was Devon being dragged across the grounds by Travis and tossed into the car. Devon and Travis worked out all the motions of how they'd be moving, and how they'd get him into the car. Devon was slammed repeatedly into the side of the car! I was getting a bit worried but Devon reminded me he was a hardened Hockey player! So then I started getting worried about the car...
Kidding!
We reset and did the same sequence from Adam's perspective along the side wall. We reviewed the scene and it looked great, Devon and Travis struggling kicked up heaps of gravel and dust which looked awesome. Frenk stood menacingly at the hood of the car silently watching, Trent (in his second cameo!) was the car door opener and Adam was good enough to run Slate for the scene.
PART 2 - We said goodnight to Devon and started planning out Paul's big death scene! The shot takes place just as the Agents pull up and before they rush inside and kidnap the Professor. DTang and Michael changed the lighting slightly from the previous shot as we had to show the same area from a different angle. The Blondie worked well as moonlight and we used the cars head and brake lights as part of the scene.
Trent and I worked out a simply blood shooter system that would spray our Patented Fake Blood out of Paul's shirt simulating getting shot in the heart. But this shot as we were so far away we did a bunch of dry runs and we'd move in closer for the grand blood shot. So the actions worked with Adam in the foreground watching from the shadows as Frenk and Paul walk up to each other, exchanging incidental dialogue, walk around to the rear of the car, Travis exiting the car causing Paul to be distracted as Frenk pulls out the (fake) silenced pistol and shoots him as he falls onto the (completely uncomfortable) saftey mesh! Phew! We did quite a few takes trying to get the timing right and we eventually got some great footage.
One shot was interuptted but something very... odd. We rolled camera, the actors started their actions when Billy called out urgently that someone was stealing out clapper board! I turned to my left and see this massive horse, replete with determination, lifting our clapper board over the fence with its mouth! Whoa! I grabbed the bottom of the board and pulled, the horse wasn't letting go, but the sudden loud cries and motions from the crew towards it must've startled it and released the board (with plenty of saliva, yay) and galloped away. I supposed we have to credit the horse as a clapper loader, right?
PART 3 - We then moved into the close up of the blood shot. We only had one take! DTang and Michael set up the lights, DTang got a good angle and grabbed focus, we had Paul standing rigged up with the blood shooter beneath his shirt and I yelled ACTION! It was tense but the shooter worked like a dream and Paul reacted perfectly when the blood sprayed out. Cool!
PART 4 - After reviewing the footage we came up with one last shot before Frenk finished for the night. A simple shot of the car pulling into frame, Frenk stepping out waiting a few seconds then rushing back in. We'd split this up to bookend the kidnapping sequence we'd already shot. Quick set up, we did three takes and got it! Moving on!
PART 5 - We bade Frenk and Gigi and good night and we moved onto our next shot; Jake running to the shot security guard and checking his pulse before rushing into the building. We added more fake blood (you can never have too much fake blood!) to Paul's wound and we had him lying on the hard gravelling ground - what a trooper! We rolled and had Adam rush up to Paul kicking up dust (which again looked great through the 7D) and check Paul's pulse. Covered the sequence from two different angles and we got it. The final part of that coverage was Adam's reaction to the shot security guard, trying to call the police before rushing towards the building. Adam played the scene with a great deal of urgency, it was a great moment to have the pulse pounding music kick in when he bolts towards the Observatory - great work!
Scene 12 still had some extra shots before completion but we didn't have enough time, and they were crucial so I didn't want to rush them. We agreed to shoot them tomorrow before the interior car scenes.
All in all it was a long, complicated shoot but it went very smoothly (aspiring film making horses not withstanding). We got some great footage and the cast and crew all performed fantastically!
Back here at Bonython tomorrow, then a break from filming - huzzah!
Great work everyone! Thanks to Adam, Devon, Frenk, DTang, Michael, Gigi, Trent, Teena, Billy, Paul & Travis!
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