Sylvia Syms Mirren Burke Rollo Weeks Claire Garvey

Diary

Wednesday, February 17 2010

17 days to go - Prep prep prep

Today I have been mostly planning and meeting people and speaking to people and emailing people and planning... It feels that things are coming together. We have spoken with a number of crew now and there is another flurry of people joining the team. Hopefully they will send me their details for the website over the next day or so.

Apart from helping to recruit the right crew members I have also been re-doing my shot list against the latest version of the script, which is taking longer than I thought. I want to get an initial pass together so I can then focus more attention on key scenes that are going to require storyboarding, and to also understand what equipment we are going to require for each location as well.

There is the draft schedule to look over tonight as well and preparing images for the various creative individuals in the art department arena so I can give them an idea of what I want the film to look and feel like. All in all lots of stuff is happening and it really feels like the ball is rolling down the cliff at full speed and I am running 1mm in front of it. Exciting and terrifying at the same time. I'm just glad that there is a talented and motivated set of individuals coming on board.

I do have a confession to make though. On Sunday I managed to sneak into the cinema to watch the new Studio Ghibli film Ponyo. I love Studio Ghibli and had totally missed that it was coming out and then I walked past a poster for Ponyo and couldn't resist.

Ponyo

Ponyo

For me a new Studio Ghibli film is like an event. Everything else must wait until I have watched the film. I love all the films but if you haven't seen Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind or Princess Mononoke then I might not even talk to you! If you haven't seen these two films you really should see them. I would happily watch one of these every day for a year... an idea possibly for next year... after Booked Out is finished! and... if you don't think that the Wolf Princess is the coolest girl in the world then... arrggh!

Wolf Princess

The Wolf Princess = Cool

So back to Ponyo. I really loved the film but felt it ended a bit abruptly. I would still go and watch the film again. The character of Ponyo is so loveable. Tough, determined, cute, funny, beautiful but sadly not brought up by wolves so doesn't displace the wolf princess for top Studio Ghibli girl. Now I am thinking is the Wolf Princess better than Totoro... now there is a question.. I will go and ponder this for the rest of the night!

Totoro

Totoro

This diary provides an indepth look into the trials and tribulations of making Booked Out.

Click on the months or entries below to view historic entries.

  1. 2010
  2. July
  3. [26] Top Foreign Language Films
  4. [23] Production Diary - Shooting Day 2
  5. [21] Working with the DoP - Camera Movement
  6. [09] Production Diary - Shooting Day 1
  7. [08] Casting - Rollo Weeks as Jacob
  8. [07] Production Design - Colour Palette
  9. [06] Costume Design - Jacob - played by Rollo Weeks
  10. [05] Working with the DoP - Selecting One
  11. [03] Booked Out Blog Blasts Off
  12. April
  13. [01] Shooting Wrapped
  14. March
  15. [06] Filming Begins
  16. February
  17. [28] 1 week to go - lets book this film out
  18. [24] 10 days to go - storytelling
  19. [23] 11 days to go - all guns blazing
  20. [20] 14 days to go - Jacquelines Day
  21. [18] 16 days to go - Imagination is key
  22. [17] 17 days to go - Prep prep prep
  23. [16] 20 days to go - dolly mixtures
  24. [16] Crew Additions
  25. [16] Rollo Weeks is Jacob
  26. [15] 21 days to go - Stylissimo
  27. [14] 22 days to go - script locked
  28. [12] 24 days to go - crewing
  29. [11] 25 days to go - location location
  30. [10] 27 and 26 days to go - Script nearly locked
  31. [08] 28 days to go - Things becoming clearer
  32. [07] 30 and 29 days to go - The story
  33. [05] 31 days to go - on the road
  34. [04] 32 days to go - Soho streets
  35. [03] 33 days to shoot - Auditions
  36. [02] 34 days to shoot - more meetings
  37. [01] Bryans Sabbatical Day 1 - 35 days to shoot
  38. January
  39. [31] 5 weeks till shoot
  40. [03] 2010 - The year of the book
  41. 2009
  42. December
  43. [22] Facebook Fan Page Updated
  44. [21] Gabriela Is Back
  45. [20] Revs Short Film Day 2
  46. [19] Revs Short Film Day 1
  47. [17] Jacob Auditions
  48. [16] Booked Out Financing Halfway
  49. [15] Lindy Hopper Richard Pucci Joins the Cast
  50. [08] My Top Five Films of 2009
  51. November
  52. [29] Working With Actors
  53. [25] Welcome on Board - Andrew McEwan
  54. [24] Sylvia Syms
  55. [16] Welcome On Board - Jordan Cushing
  56. [15] Calm Before The Storm
  57. [10] Meetings Meetings Meetings
  58. [01] Style
  59. October
  60. [25] Today I met Mike Leigh
  61. [17] Poster Artwork
  62. [14] First Tasks Underway
  63. [01] Replan
  64. September
  65. [27] Sam And Bryan Production Meeting No 1
  66. [01] Producer Found
  67. August
  68. [07] Simon and Kirsty Selmon Join the Cast
  69. July
  70. [30] Props Required
  71. [25] Scheduling The Shoot
  72. [23] Company Incorporated
  73. [21] Equity Investment Proposal
  74. [19] Final Script Updates
  75. [18] Character Soundtracks
  76. [15] First Production Meeting
  77. June
  78. [24] Jacqueline Cast
  79. [19] New Crew - Derek and Ellie
  80. [16] Watching Audition Tapes
  81. [14] Basecamping
  82. [13] Auditions - Casting website summary
  83. [12] Auditons - Actors Summary
  84. [12] Auditons - Filmakers Summary
  85. [10] Jacob Cast
  86. [07] Warehouse Week - Day 7
  87. [06] Warehouse Week - Day 6
  88. [05] Warehouse Week - Day 5
  89. [04] Warehouse Week - Day 4
  90. [03] Warehouse Week - Day 3
  91. [02] Warehouse Week - Day 2
  92. [01] Warehouse Week - Day 1
  93. May
  94. [31] Warehouse Week Preparation
  95. [31] Fundraising Fancy Dress Party Artwork
  96. [30] Fancy Dress Costume
  97. [21] Fundraising Gig Night
  98. [19] Fundraising Comedy Night
  99. [10] Gig Venue Found
  100. [10] Micro-budget Production Course
  101. [05] Warehouse Date Rearranged
  102. [03] Jeffrey Brown read the script
  103. [02] Warehouse Double Booked Scandal
  104. April
  105. [22] Signed up for spotlight
  106. [21] Find Actors on Casting Call
  107. [08] Warehouse Booked for Fundraising Events
  108. March
  109. [15] Signed up for Shooting People
  110. [14] Swing Dance Promotional Video
  111. February
  112. [26] Jeffrey Brown actually replied
  113. [22] Week 4 Progress
  114. [18] Website and Film Inspiration
  115. [15] Week 3 Progress
  116. [01] Week 1 Review
  117. January
  118. [26] Planning - Yawn
  119. [24] 1st Film Meeting