Norway location - I

We returned late last night from Norway.
It all seem so strange, almost surreal to be back here in London after such an intense week. I am not sure when it will sink in, perhaps tomorrow when I meet JC at iLab to see the rushes.
It couldn't have gone any better.
First the location was magnificent. Arriving, I could only worry. As we were loading the car at Torp Airport the skys opened up and in continued to rain off and on during the drive to Risor and throughout Sunday. Ronny met us in the Kiwi shop, which featured later in the week, and led us down to the small marina where we loaded up the small fishing boat to take us to the cabin. It was an experience sitting on that small boat, puttering down the fjord, the low cloud hanging down in the distance. As we unloaded the boat an omen. The plastic buckle on the transport tube decided it had enough and gave way just as Roland was passing it onto the dock. Suddenly the tall legs and head were in the fijord and miraculously floated there long enough for us to fish them out. The new sound barney also bobbed about there before Ronny noticed it next to the boat.
So after warming up a bit, and having a little lunch we began to scout the area, Ronny leading the way down Barmen Island, along a small ridge, where they had cut the trees to make way for the electricity lines. JC and I stopped constantly, looking down our viewfinders, thinking how this might do for that. We ended up near a small beach, next to a small grove of trees. We had seen these locations on the video that Ronny had made up for us in May. We agreed that this area had a lot of potential.
We went back where we came, past the cabin, on the same trail in the other direction, this time heading back towards Risor. We find a lot of interesting locations here too, but because this part of the trail makes its way over part of the small mountain that make up the island, it was quite treacherous. Tricky enough in the wet, really difficult when carrying camera kit. We returned, now thoroughly soaked and hungry. It wasn't just the rain, but the tall grass, which drenched your trouser legs, and filled your shoes with water.
That night Ronny started a fire and we attempted to dry our sodden trousers, socks, boots and jackets. We had bought plenty of whisky at the duty-free, and began to discuss what we might do.
We had most of the next day to return to these same locations. We had also decided to climb up into another valley that led further into the island, which we had seen on our return journey.
I was awoken by a light being shone into the cabin window behind my head at 5 in the morning. This was the sun, just coming through the clouds which had begun to clear. It was very windy, but we were lucky, as the rain had stopped. Roland took up his sound kit and went off on his own, while David, JC, and I returned to the beach, then into the valley. David would go ahead, while JC and I would discuss various possibilities. It was great way to work, with David able to stand back, not concerned with practical matters, just offering ideas, and also taking a lot of photographs at the same time.
That afternoon Roland, with a few boat lessons from Ronny, went to pick up Lu, our 1st Ad, who was going to keep us on track through the week. We stood on the deck watching the boats come down the fjord. Was that them coming now? We couldn't tell as the water was so rough all you could see was the spray. Settled in, I laid out what we had decided so far to her, while David made us a Spaghetti Bolognese. She had a tough job. I had created a schedule before we left that basically worked in the scene order. I wanted the days to match in light and weather, and with the long Norwegian days this was very possible, but this plan didn't account for the half hour treks over rough terrain which were required now that we had settled on some locations. The next morning she locked herself in one of the rooms and sweated over a new schedule.
That night Roland returned to the airport to pick up Beth, make-up, and the two actors, Flora (as Claire), and Katrine (as Natalie). We were quite worried as it was still very windy and there plane came in quite late. As the evening passed we hadn't heard from them and it was now dark. Finally Flora called from Roland's phone. They were just getting on the boat and said it was all very exciting. JC and I went down to the dock with the torches and tried to indicate the way by flashing them into the dark fjord. There were no lights on the boat or on the dock. Finally we saw them and they all landed safely. It was nearly one o'clock and we had a rehearsal first thing in the morning while the rest of the crew arrived. We retired. It was going to be a long day. More on that, plus some photos to come...

Just more pre-production...

What can you say about pre-production? Well, I feel that we are lot more organised than when we went into Holloway Road. Principally that is because we have Lu and Rob running around like mad trying to sort everything out for Norway. This includes tasks such as sorting out a shower for the cabin, sleeping bags, finding out where the nearest hospital is, and so on.
I am trying to stay from this stuff, as I do have the directing/writing bit to do. In the past, when I went without any help with pre-production I ended up a complete wreck by the time we started the first day of shooting. Not good.
Yesterday evening JC and I sat in the garden and worked on the shot list. Lu is keen for us to get on with it so she can sort out a finalised schedule, but we are still working out the visual language of this segment. How do we shoot this part? How is different? The same? This question goes back to my first post in this blog, oh, so long ago.
A lot of work, but the rehearsals and this part have been the most satisfying part of the process.
I will post again before we depart...

Pre-production/Norway - update

I haven't had a lot of time to breathe since we finished our first location on Holloway Road. I had a free weekend and then I was off to Cannes. I had never been before and spent most of time figuring which cinema was which.
Then I was back into pre-production for Norway. Shooting is scheduled from June 22-29th. JC, Roland, and I will travel out on the 22nd and do some scouting of the location. Rob will probably join us to help get everything set up. The actors will join us Monday evening and we will rehearse Tuesday. Shooting starts on the Wednesday morning, with an extremely tight schedule, beginning at 9am, finishing every night at 10:30pm.
Conditions will be challenging, as there is no shower, so we will have construct one of our own. The cabin only sleeps 7 and we will probably be 11, so a few of us will be sleeping in tents. We will have to share the cooking duties in the evening, and if we are lucky should manage to BBQ a few nights.
We have a new crew member on board, Lu, who came and helped us one day in Holloway Road. She will take over 1st AD duties from Rob who will not be able to be with us the whole time.
In the meantime preparations continue. Yesterday I spend the day with Flora and Katrine going over parts of the latest script. Today Azahara met up with Katrine to buy costumes, while Lara spent the day trying to find props. In the afternoon I met Rob, Lu, JC and Hu for a production meeting.
Very exciting, I have to say. One photo of our location.