Alas First Day of Shooting (blog 20)

Here we go, day one of what is planned to be a 21 day shoot. We arrive to a set that appears tranquil under the spell of the morning light. The setting for the location is at the end of a drive through a pair of stolid cut stone pillars. Once upon a time horse and carriage would have ferried 'the quality' so to speak, people of money and reputed culture, in a nut shell, The Ascendancy. A Protestant class of the Anglican church who pretty much ruled the country unperturbed by the time this house was built 1827, since many of the rebellions, as they are called, were now great ships on the distant horizon drifting away into the veils of history. And the natives well brow beaten and while sullen, largely in line, for the time being anyhow. Here we were a motley crew disburdening our modern wares and gathering perhaps under the watchful curious eyes of the dead. About to embark on a spree.

We had an arrangement with FAS an Irish governmental sponsored organisation which helps provide training in a variety of fields. Tralee has a superb Television Production Course, largely due to the efforts of Mr.Paul Dolan down the years, steadily building this into a first class facility. The guys and girls that are training there were to be given the experience of assisting on a feature film while in turn we had the use of some of their equipment, such as rails, a dolly, a gib arm and so on, as well as these invaluable hands on deck. This excellent photograph above shows Pat Coulhane, who from the get go was to become a tenacious and resolute energy that I could absolutely rely on. People are beginning to rendezvous and lots of hand shakes set simple firm commitments. There is a bustle of excitement, Kev is up and at it and peeling off tired eyes, he is about to jump into the crew cab and go pick up the various gangs from their apartments. Geroge Doyle has arrived kitted out with all the gadgetry needed to hold down his responsibilities. Daniel and I are waltzing about the house in preparation for the show. This is it, we are at the starters orders, and it is now time to set the stop clock.

As people begin to pour in introductions are made while Alan and I consider our tactics, I am looking over Vinit's request list for more lights which he e-mailed me last night. Questions are being asked and answers given. The new generator has been brought to the set, Sean is having a look at it and kicking it in motion, it is still too loud and so we try to set it up a certain distance from the main rooms, but I am not so happy about this either as it is too close to the neighbours back wall and I can foresee a complaint. Obstacles, obstacles, what to do, Alphonse who arrived yesterday into Shannon and was whisked down to Tralee in Alan's badass Merc (by Joe O'Sullivan, Alan's uncle who will come on board and work over the duration of the shoot) is running some sound checks, the results are so-so and that is not good enough. I find myself on the phone speaking with Jason the utterly reliable Cine Electric connection, giving him the details for the lighting list and then asking for some advice on finding another generator literally right now. A series of phone calls later and we have two vans on the road and by the early afternoon, a big 16 KVA generator parked up and pumping out the wattage, as well as Joe returning with all the lights and extra requests for Vinit. Now that's what I am talking about!!

Food stuffs and materials had to be supplied and runners were back and forth in constant succession to stock the kitchen area with, a coffee machine, cups, paper towels, bottled water, milk, tea, snacks, first aid gear, tea towels, toilet paper, cleaning agents, paper plates, plastic glasses, around and around and around as new requests surfaced and were agreed to. We are breaking ground here and fast, seeds need to be in place and in fruition like yesterday. Roles are being assigned, and then a meeting is called and Brian Nolan goes over his concerns with regard to a fire drill and establishing a fire point, meanwhile we have bought several fire extinguishers and placed them appropriately. Kev is designated health and safety officer as well as props master. Daithi is busy at work on his set which is ever on going. More requests for various electrical parts, paints, tools, props, make up, more food stuffs for snacking on, and on and on and on, as we hemorrhage money but nonetheless get these bolts hammered home as they will hold the rigging that will see us sail through what ever typhoons lay ahead. We hope.

Our first group meeting serves to highlight any concerns and establish roles, we are now a group of about 20 people all keen and razor edged ready to cut the mustard. As I look about I feel a natural rise of emotion within, for here we are, on the shore of Daniel's first feature film, a dream come true for him, and 11 weeks manic effort for me, as well as feeling the fizzing excitement of other's, Alan and Joanne and the hundreds of studious hours of attention paid to this challange, Vinit and all the crew, excited by the prospect of carving our their first feature on The Red Camera. All the actors buzzing with energy and keen to crack on, the FAS team voyaging out into the waters of their first feature also. Brian Nolan still I think amazed that we have reached this point, and clearly excited. Everybody is happy and filled with gusto, we are now an extended band of brother's and sister's, and together we can make this happen. George Doyle is snapping with his high end Canon. Cameras are rolling as the documentary team are capturing the moment, as we all strap ourselves in and I reach out to push that big RED BUTTON. BLAST OFF....HOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Alan is pretty much acting as production manager on the ground in his ultra efficient way, organizing the cars and how we maintain a clear and effective drive way at all times. In the case of an accident, we may need an ambulance or fire brigade up here in a hurry. Consigning roles to various extra people involved, such as dealing with that serious ass generator, this will need to be observed and fueled, rubbish will need to be disposed of frequently and a quality control set in place to maintain the general area, lunches have to be picked up and on site everyday, and the constant string of requests addressed effectively. Cars are coming and going, supplies put in place, and the photograph has now been taken with the SPIDERHOLE clapper board on proud display in Daniel's hands, I am so happy for him, so we are off down the track like a hare and pack of hounds already before I could even hear action shouted as it was all action, ACTION ACTION!!! a mini blizzard was blowing around my ears. At 4 O'Clock Alan and I left for his place since we had to take stock, we had spent a giants fist of money already that day, and it was potentially a threatening situation, how the hell could we maintain a production if it was to keep pounding on like this? we had to a have a look into the books and steady as she goes.

there we were sat at a large table with numerous files and folders open, drinking a cup of tea and talking about the events of the day so far, somewhat relaxed in that moment as it had been a sprint since 5 that morning. Jessica and Abigail, Alan and Joanne's adorable children played about the place and brought a sweet inspiring energy to light. THEN!!! My phone rang, it was George Doyle, he simply said, 'Pat, the Landlord is on the set." this was enough to create a penetrating shiver of ice cold anxiety, we chatted for a little bit until it was obvious that all was not well, fucking far from it, and I needed to be there NOW, I looked to Alan and he read my countenance and was equally struck by this unknown prospect, his face dropped, and my mind blasted a stick a dynamite!!! WHAT THE FUCK!!!!! We bounced into his Merc and hit the road twice on the way back to the location, phone calls were constant as the plight unfolded, I was asking Daithi a series of questions, attempting to establish the mood, and this all boiled down to one conclusive and utterly despicable prospect HE HAS STOPPED THE FILM.