« All Of My Many Hats | Main | Concentricity »

September 22, 2006

Six Days Down

We just wrapped the first week of production. These last two days, I've given up my alternate job as a stand-in, sequestered myself in whatever corner of our production location isn't being used for shooting and just focused on editing. Even at this early stage, the rhythm of the film is starting to emerge, and I'm beginning to figure out my formal approach to it. The first twenty minutes or so will be very slow , with very little use of coverage. At a certain point though - beginning with the restaurant scene I cut the other day - the pace will pick up.

I've got a little over fifteen minutes put together (about ten of which are consecutive), along with alternate versions of several of those scenes for Yen to consider. I'm lucky to have a director who trusts me to use my own instincts and try things - rearranging some scenes, intercutting others, working off the feel of the footage rather than the script (which I still haven't read). I show him things every now and then, when he's not busy, and thus far it seems we're pretty much in sync. Then again, we share most of the same tastes and sensibilities, so it's not too hard for me to discern his intentions the raw footage and, when appropriate, to come up with new approaches that may appeal to him. It's also not too hard for me to play cruel tricks. All I have to do is say, in a certain tone, "can you come take a look at something when you have a chance?"

Tomorrow is our twenty four hour weekend. I've got so many work-related things I could fill the day with, but I have a deep and urgent need to catch up on some movies. An early morning double feature of Half Nelson and The Black Dahlia sounds like heaven right now.

Posted by David Lowery at September 22, 2006 7:00 AM