Settle everyone and…3.2.1 – Action.

So my first ever day on-set, AND it was to see a script I co-wrote get underway. 
Without a script, there is no film. No production. I’m aware that in films, a script may get written several times, by different writers, once an exec has optioned it – it can go a long way from the initial story. 

What the actual filming rammed home was that whatever the version, the script is the tip of the iceberg once production gets underway. Who knows what happens on larger sets, but last week, the entire crew contributed to the process. From sound and lighting’s practical concerns, to the Director, Assistant director, Production, all involved in the many, many re-takes of the same scene.

Talking with the cast, the scope of their input ranges from creation of a character, to play it like I tell you, but they each bring a different outcome based on their individuality… and that’s before the cutting and editing.

Stunning experience to see a 2-D piece of writing take on substance and appear before me, I could really get addicted to that. Even more impressive though is seeing the huge amount of effort from everyone involved. It’s like unpacking a bit bouncy castle, inflating it and slowly seeing turrets and moats and flying banners all coming to life – that I didn’t even know were there! 
I understand that novelists get to create everything themselves, and to own that entire process must be intoxicating, but it’s so exciting to set this up and set it free, and see it evolve. A bit like having a baby!
What a fantastic experience – I can’t wait for the next one!