That One Beatles Song Covered By Gary Clark Jr. (Blog 3)

 

Many things have happened in a short space of time. A lot of the pieces have very quickly fallen into place. I have spoken with Lindsay Walker, detailing the film’s content and intent, and my vision for how it will ultimately look. I’m still aiming for an 8^th-10^th October shoot period, which thus far suits everyone I’ve spoken to. I’ve my course mates Lloyd, Matt, and Ryan on board, and will ask them officially to fill the role of sound mixer, boom operator, and assistant director, respectively. I’m continuing to keep the crew small for the entire shoot though other roles would make it easier.

I also reached out to Rhiannon Wyn, my first choice for lead actress on the film. She had a positive reaction to the script and expressed her enthusiasm to be on board in some capacity. However, she is still physically recovering from a recent bout of Covid-19, which would make it difficult for her to take on such an active part involving as much running as it does. She did however offer to perform one of the voice roles instead, as well as offering some suggestions and advice from her background and experience in film production. I will contact her again soon to confirm her for the voice of Ivana’s mother, and have taken her suggestions on board into the production.

In reworking the script and overlooking some similar suggestions made by various people who contacted me last week, I’ve realized that the climax would be better suited to being split in half; one half taking place in the field in her mind, as was originally intended for the entire climax, but to transition from that to a moment where Ivana is surrounded in total darkness would be emblematic and thematic of the state of out of control panic she’s experiencing in that moment. I’ve got in touch with Geraint to request whether it would be possible to book out JP Hall, as well as one of the teaching rooms, which I had requested to use for the therapy scene. We shall see in the next week or so whether these will be possible, either feasibly or legally, and I will prepare for backup scenarios in the event neither of these are valid options.

It didn’t occur to me until recently that not only a lack of sound, but a lack of a musical score would make the film feel a lot flatter. As such I’m considering my options for a composer for the film. I am not familiar with anyone currently in Bangor who has a background in musical composition, including for films. As such, I’m looking into hiring my friend James Gair, a very talented musician who worked with previous MA student Rory Farmer on his dissertation film Blue Milk, and his personal crowdfunded project Long In The Tooth, which we both worked on together. James and I get along very well which I feel is of fundamental importance to collaboration and have heard enough of his work to know how skilled he is in his craft. I will contact him this week and hopefully hear a response from him shortly after. Should he be unavailable, I will look into current students at Bangor who would be open for a discussion.

Things are moving forward, starting to come together. I’m entertaining different ideas and trying to be flexible given the current situation but have a core vision for what I want the film to be. So far, nothing seems to suggest a need to alter that, which has me still enthusiastic.

Estimated shoot dates – 8-10^th October 2020