A scouts honour

Today was pretty eventful. The sun broke through the clouds, the birds were joyously proclaiming the day's beauty in a myriad of harmonious melodies, and the energy of pre-production was building and buzzing within me.

Over the last weekend, as suggested in the previous blog, I took a drive up into the Natal Midlands, the Dargle area for those of you familiar with the area. Scouted some awesome locations! But...as anyone familiar with the area will understand, there is something very "un-flat" about the Midlands. In fact, adjectives like "rolling" and "picturesque" spring more easily to mind. Think; "The Shire"! So, until I remake the adventures of a little hairy footed fellow, I realised I should have to keep looking. No..."facetious-ness" aside, the location we first visited, a game farm called "Tilly Tudlum". Somewhat ironically and, in that, reassuringly, the farm had very many of the rather ridiculous requirements I had from the script breakdown. Antelope, horses, a mule, rivers, waterfalls, cliff's, forest, etc. First thing I see driving down the "driveway" (like 2 km's long) is a heard of tame Eland. Largest antelope in Africa (the world I think?). Majestic creatures, really. Anyway, so, could easily have had access to them. They have a (far to luxurious for a student film crew) lodge which could accommodate most of us, and, at a push, with some script "tweaking", I could certainly shoot some of the film there.

But, as I mentioned above "something" was missing. I've pre-conceptualised the script with a definite "look" in mind. The actual segment of the Boer War that I'm exploring and contextualising the narrative in, took place in the (then) Cape Colony. Near the Eastern Cape border, heading into the "Klein Karoo". And I've come to feel that that particular setting is very crucial to the narrative, in terms of the feel and seeming "rawness" of the place. Not to mention the arid, harsh, antagonistic elements the place would bring to the story.

So, I was/am facing a dilemma. Do I "trek" (move/journey) the whole cast and crew down to the actual Karoo, braving the cost and time implications of the trip, not to mention the fact that I would be going in somewhat blind, as scouting from here, now with my schedule as it is, would be pretty impossible. Or, do I seek to recreate that feel, locally, by hunting for the "right" locations, and basically "tricking" the Karoo, in KZN. OR...(another option), do I rethink the story, somewhat radically, moving further away from historical authenticity, and contextualise the narrative here, in Natal (KZN).

At this stage, this last option seems the least problematic. In fact, after today's scouting, this last option is seeming less and less like a compromise.

We went to a nature reserve (see above pic) literally 15 minutes outside of Pietermaritzburg! While certainly lacking the vastness and flatness that I (still) feel the story needs, it has its own elements of "severity". An awesome river gorge, which would lend itself to the "symbolic river crossing" and entry into the unknown world of the 2nd act. Note to self: You WILL remember that you are (only) making a 15! minute film!!! Anyway...I'm set on my symbolic threshold crossing.

Another 10 minutes from there, we visited a different game lodge, which could seriously have been in Kenya!!! I was blown away! They had giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, and plenty other buck. Plus, they had a river, and a (kinda) forest! I need to remind myself that every place that has a river, also seems to have a forest. So, it seems that I might be able to shoot a Boer War film, 15 minutes away from Maritzburg. Definitely worth considering...will perhaps save the Karoo for the feature that is sure to follow!

Locations, Locations, Locations...

Never underestimate the importance of casting....so "they" say. I quite agree, totally, absolutely. I think one of the factors contributing to the (what I'm optimistically calling) success of "Three Cigarettes", my last film, is the casting. "They" also say that the single most important function of a Director is to elicit the strongest performances from the actors, possible. And indeed, good casting is winning half the battle.

Nonetheless, I somewhat impulsively entitles this post "Locations...etc", and hold on to the hope that there was a reason for my doing so. Ah, yes! My preface on casting served a point. Well, the thing is, I was putting together a rough script breakdown for the new film, tentatively entitled "Commando", and it sunk home how important the locations will be in this film.

Locations are always important, don't get me wrong, but one of the sub-themes in Commando is (will be) the old Western motif of "Man vs Nature". What's interesting here (I hope) is that I'm also wanting to explore the tension within the protagonist's relationship with nature. In many ways, I'm drawing on the notions of the Romantic Sublime, wherein the character feels a calling to, and finds solace in, all things Natural. Yet, the landscape and Nature, function in the film as antagonistic elements.

Anyway, this is still all not "the Point". In dissecting the script today, breaking down the scenes, looking at all the "ingredients" needed to actualise cinematically, this 15 page, digital Word document, it struck home how crucial finding the right location is going to be. Not only from a thematic and/or character POV, but more simply, from a practical one. The script (as it is now - perhaps things will have to change) calls for a river, a railway line, great open plains, sublime valleys, forests and of course, herds of antelope. Hey! I can dream can't I. So, yes, getting all of this in one location (i.e. one farm or park) will be ideal. Correction, will be a MIRACLE! Getting all of this full-stop will be ideal. So, in terms of the casting analogy, dealing with the Location as a character in the film, scouting for the "right" location, is in many ways analogous to casting for the "right" actor.

So, with time severely limited! In fact, I'm mad even sitting here blogging! With time SEVERELY LIMITED, 45 days till I want to, need to, start shooting, I'm off location scouting tomorrow. Weather permitting that is. It rained somewhat today, and where we're off to; that magical place of rivers, canyons, forests and of course, antelope, access may be tricky with wet and slippery roads.

I shall however update on the outcome of events!

In the beginning...

Shew! Well, here goes. The problem with starting something like a blog, is the loaded sense of scope we give the undertaking...it's like writing an overdue letter (does anyone still write letters), or email for the more techno-savvy of us. By "us", I don't necessarily include myself in the above mentioned techno group, I guess the lateness of my joining the "blogosphere" is indicative of that. But I ramble, and I hope this isn't setting the tone of future blogs to come. But yes, about scope...I suppose we to often delay something (like the letter or email) so long that to begin it becomes a near impossibility. Fearing the same would happen with my starting this blog, I've decided simply to do it! Regardless of the banality which may come forth. But there...it is done...so, on with more meaningful posts!

I'm beginning this virtual journal (I suppose that's what it is at a practical level) now, at a fairly eventful time in my life. As a young, independent filmmaker, work, projects, entrepreneurial undertakings are all going exceedingly well! Which is fantastic! So, having just come out of shooting my biggest film to date, and about to enter shooting another possibly (albeit differently) more ambitious project, I decided the timing was ripe for some sort of self reflexive and (hopefully) continual diarised account of the whole process.

Attempting something similar, I started my first official website for the last film "3 Cigarettes", viewable at http://www.threecigarettes.co.za/, and whilst it is great having an authentic, dedicated site, the site seems to lack the immediacy and interactivity of a blog.

So, the latest in the saga is that I have just been awarded a grant by Mnet (our South African pay TV channel for the international readers), to shoot short film. I'm outrageously overjoyed! This really is the realisation of a long and patient dream. The thing with shooting a film is, that it's "shooting-a-film!!!" Probably one of the most ambitious undertakings and individual can, well, undertake... So, the nice thing from a self-reflexive writers POV (point of view in film jargon...forgive me, but this blog may very well, and somewhat appropriately, become littered with "filmspeak"), is that a whole bunch of LIFE happens en route through the filmmaking adventure.

With that, I leave things for now, and faithfully look forward to posting news worthy items of info, as they occur and unfold in the adventure that promises to be my life over the next couple of months!