Kristi met with Barrie Osborne yesterday (Monday) and has a conf call with him and her production team today. Barrie described her script as “lyrical” and advised her to pay special attention to music selection. She has all her locations chosen, including a lake, valley, and waterfall each appearing in a different scene.
Also on Monday, a production runner took us into town and we hit a half-dozen camping and clothing shops where I got to help model clothing and camping gear for the film. The talent arrives Wednesday night, where Kristi will give him a good walk through and prep before filming starts bright and early on Thursday. Filming continues through Friday and on Saturday we fly up to Wellington for post-production.
Today I decided I needed some exercise, so I took off for a walk. There is a waterfront trail outside our balcony, and I'd heard rumors that “downtown is 20 minutes that-a-way.” I was pleasantly surprised to find I did make it to town in about 20 minutes. What they neglected to mention is that “downtown” is actually another 10 minutes beyond that. I grabbed a muffin and drink at the painfully uber-ubiquitous Starbucks, ducked into a local chemist (pharmacy) for some extra sunblock (even with SPF 50, I'll probably roast from this walk), and – big surprise here – killed some time in a bookstore where I found a New Zealand 2010 calendar on sale :-) (I *always* enter a bookstore with the mantra “I will not buy anything, I will not buy anything,” and sometimes I succeed.)
It's Tuesday afternoon right now and Kristi is in her production meeting. She's working 12 to 14 hour days right now on her production, and mega-props to all the other crew who are working longer hours because they are supporting three films simultaneously. Tim, the first finalist, is shooting today and tomorrow. Kristi shoots Thursday and Friday. Aya, the other American finalist – chosen by populist vote – shoots on the weekend. If I recall correctly, the other filmmakers arrive after that. Kristi has met Tim, and may meet Aya, but probably won't meet the other two.
The Art Department is responsible for pretty much everything that is not photography or costume. For Kristi, that means camping tent, fake fire pit, about a thousand fist-sized stones to make the word “YES” 15 to 18 feet tall, backpack, water bottle, etc., etc. I did college theater and am familiar with all of these pieces (having done all of them in their myriad forms at one time or another), but had thought they were separate departments and did not appreciate how big the Art Department umbrella really is.
Each of the different production crew people here are freelancers. There is a list of about 30-35 people in the production crew. As freelancers they take jobs, see their part of the production through, then take a break before moving onto another production. Typically, their roles run 8 to 9 months for a typical film. The producer and director, of course, may spend years with a single project, and the casting agents typically only a few days or maybe a few weeks, with the art department, production managers, and others falling in-between. Teams form and dissolve with rapid succession. It was interesting being out yesterday with the production runner, Heidi, as we shopped in Queenstown – it seemed like everywhere we went we ran into someone she knew. Obviously, she's been in and about Queenstown a lot over the last few years, probably doing commercials and film alike. (This is the “commercial shooting” season right now, and the locals are even a bit blasé about it.)
As a complete aside (and a bit of bragging, perhaps), there is a steady-cam here this week because Kristi specifically asked for one when she arrived in Queenstown, thus setting the machinery in motion to bring one into town. Ditto goes for a crane camera. If I understand what I'm overhearing correctly, the other filmmakers might be able to benefit from having these tools here. I think this is great, because it's all in the good spirit of successful film making. Really, all of these young filmmakers recognize that just coming here is “they're big break” in many ways already.
I have never seen Kristi more in her element than I have this week. She has a natural and intuitive understanding of this kind of work, and just being here will open many doors and is really fantastic.
Okay, I've waxed loquacious enough for now. Time to rest my feet a bit before I see what is at the other end of the trail outside my balcony.
Finally, a huge shout-out to IT Source, in Federal Way, Washington. Providing an out-sourced IT department to businesses of all sizes, with particular proficiency in medical offices. I could never have dreamed to work for a better company than IT Source. http://www.itsource.com (Compliments are cheap, but I only go over-the-top when it is really deserved :-) )
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