Music and placement

I have revised the edit, added the new material, so where is it?
Well two shots did not work, both of them street shots. One, after the 'girl's night in/out', suggests them driving off into the city, into excitement. The other just as Natalie leaves Claire's flat, after she asked her to look after her flat. Claire looks up into the wider world, up and out. But none of this comes across in the shots we did. When JC and I did them I was not convinced. There are compromises and compromises, but this a step too far. So they did not work, but now, in the scheme of the film I wonder if they matter.
But I should feel a sense of accomplishment. If I accept this 'loss' then I have completed the film. It has been over two years now. How could it take so long? Well, one reality hit, in this 'slow cook' method, that as long as you think 'there is still more to shoot' you never have to accept that you have to live with what you have in front of you. So, in the back of mind I didn't want to give in, to accept that this is it, for better or worse. So the last part, the smallest missing bits have taken as long as the larger part of the film.
So here we go.
The other part that I managed was to consider music. When I showed the last edit to my friend Sarah she suggested considering music in the sense of the big piece, not the 'played through' soundtrack, which suited my way of thinking and prejudices (I really hate the soundtrack as compensation for the lack of this or this).
I decided to place some temp track music into key places and think of what they must do after. This then is the beginning of my brief to the composer.

The opening, over the abstractions of the soft-focus void, the tree and the subsequent blackout.
To start I need to establish the film and the sound, the overarching themes, set the tone, suggest Claire's whole position and the scene to come. I need to a lot more thinking what this should be about.

Claire and Paul drive across London to have lunch.
A minor piece that stands for the ellipsis, the argument that turns their afternoon .

The Club scene, which is incidental, but still needs to express the hope and joy they are able to have together, tells us why they are together.

Claire follows Paul into the forest.
This must continue from the opening sequence, and suggest much to follow.

Claire explores her new neighbourhood, and comes across the forest again.
This is a minor piece, it must suggest both an end to this segment, but it is also a continuation, a reminder of what Claire is running from.

Claire's realisation that she cannot run from this idea, she enters the forest and faces the fear she has been running from.
This should also complete the sequence started at the beginning, developed in the forest with Paul, and reinforced above.

Claire returns to the cabin in Norway.
This follows closely on the forest sequence above, and needs to now look forward to the future, but also must speak to Claire's past in the cabin as well. We are entering another part of the film, so there needs to be change of tone and sense here.

Claire goes swimming.
A minor piece, here a suggestion of the peace that Claire could find.

After Claire leaves Natalie at the cabin, a montage of the landscape, of the places that Claire has been , but now without her.
I realised that this sequence is a death of sorts, and it must carry us into this final sequence, as Claire disappears.

So now more showings, and a lot more feedback. I just have to face it and go forward and see where we are.

Production update

Well a long gap there.
For the most part I have been busy with other things, such as finding new ways to pay for the next phase of the film.
Last Sunday JC and got through the last of the pickups...but we may be still missing one shot. Hard to believe how difficult it is to just finish it. Still, that should be production. I am going off to iLab in a few hours to pickup the transferred footage. I have been two busy to allow this to sink in. I am now in a situation of having to live with what I have. Up until now I have always been thinking I could shoot this or that.
But I am away for a week, now, partly in Cannes. I am trying to set up on meeting, but generally just seeing some films and getting a bit of sun.
When I return it is time for the final rough edit and more feedback.