20 - 22 November, 2013
A few significant events took place.
First, the cinematographer for Aravindum Aarumughamum, who happens to also be the editor for both Mausams and Inganeyum Oru Katha and will also be editor here, arrived from India - Complete with his equipments, a lot of sweets and a lot of gifts for the little one! This was the first time I have gotten someone to come down from another country for a shoot. I have done it before for Mausams - when I got both him as well as my music director to come down during the post production stage. But this time around, I felt that I need a little more help with the shoot given that my team has dwindled considerably since IOK with a few members settling out of Singapore for good. And also because this was my first "post pregnancy" shoot, I wanted it to be as painless as possible. And nothing beats having an expert cinematographer on the ground. Plus it is really cool to say that I flew down a "foreign" cinematographer!
So yes, he landed and we set off to work as soon as I got back from work. Which brings me to the second significant event - the last and final rehearsal for AA!
It was a beautiful rehearsal for a number of reasons - we rehearsed outside on the streets, as opposed to the claustrophobic confines of my home. The actors immediately began to open up a lot more than they ever had before - partially because of the outdoor environment, partially because of the fact that it was closer to the real location we would be shooting in and partially because the cinematographer was always following them recording or clicking pictures, which I believe made them feel more in character. We rehearsed all the way from 9pm to past midnight and half way through it began to rain. It didn't affect the rehearsal because we were under the shelter of a covered bus stop. On the other hand, it got the weather to be real cool and pleasant. We rehearsed and we went through the list of props and costumes one last time. It was a great experience - standing there in the bus stop, with the rain brought in by the winds, in the darkness of the night, directing my cast, going through the production details and seeing my film come one step closer to reality.
The third significant event was the arrival of the steadycam. I had never used one for any films before but this script demanded one. So after work on Friday, both of us picked up a steadycam from a really awesome camera equipment rental shop at Clarke Quay. The rest of the evening was spent on rehearsing with it - the cinematographer trying to figure out the balance and other technical details and me and the little one walking up and down the street outside our home for him to practice shooting with it. I can say that we got quite a few heads turned in the neighbourhood with the sight of a guy holding a weird looking apparatus with a camera, shooting a lady and baby walking up and down the street. But more than anything, I was excited that we were learning and incorporating one new technical aspect of film making with this project!
Finally we are all set. Tomorrow, we begin the shoot!
A few significant events took place.
First, the cinematographer for Aravindum Aarumughamum, who happens to also be the editor for both Mausams and Inganeyum Oru Katha and will also be editor here, arrived from India - Complete with his equipments, a lot of sweets and a lot of gifts for the little one! This was the first time I have gotten someone to come down from another country for a shoot. I have done it before for Mausams - when I got both him as well as my music director to come down during the post production stage. But this time around, I felt that I need a little more help with the shoot given that my team has dwindled considerably since IOK with a few members settling out of Singapore for good. And also because this was my first "post pregnancy" shoot, I wanted it to be as painless as possible. And nothing beats having an expert cinematographer on the ground. Plus it is really cool to say that I flew down a "foreign" cinematographer!
So yes, he landed and we set off to work as soon as I got back from work. Which brings me to the second significant event - the last and final rehearsal for AA!
It was a beautiful rehearsal for a number of reasons - we rehearsed outside on the streets, as opposed to the claustrophobic confines of my home. The actors immediately began to open up a lot more than they ever had before - partially because of the outdoor environment, partially because of the fact that it was closer to the real location we would be shooting in and partially because the cinematographer was always following them recording or clicking pictures, which I believe made them feel more in character. We rehearsed all the way from 9pm to past midnight and half way through it began to rain. It didn't affect the rehearsal because we were under the shelter of a covered bus stop. On the other hand, it got the weather to be real cool and pleasant. We rehearsed and we went through the list of props and costumes one last time. It was a great experience - standing there in the bus stop, with the rain brought in by the winds, in the darkness of the night, directing my cast, going through the production details and seeing my film come one step closer to reality.
The third significant event was the arrival of the steadycam. I had never used one for any films before but this script demanded one. So after work on Friday, both of us picked up a steadycam from a really awesome camera equipment rental shop at Clarke Quay. The rest of the evening was spent on rehearsing with it - the cinematographer trying to figure out the balance and other technical details and me and the little one walking up and down the street outside our home for him to practice shooting with it. I can say that we got quite a few heads turned in the neighbourhood with the sight of a guy holding a weird looking apparatus with a camera, shooting a lady and baby walking up and down the street. But more than anything, I was excited that we were learning and incorporating one new technical aspect of film making with this project!
Finally we are all set. Tomorrow, we begin the shoot!
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