Shooting Day 7 - Into the Mountains

Siobhan, Dan, Zaneta, Rhys and Summar

Today we're up in the Black Mountains between Brynamman and Llandeilo to
shoot the roadside shrine scenes.  Once again, and rather miraculously, the
gods of film smile upon us and it doesn't rain.
There's a couple of setups today - the friends of Ariel and Rebecca laying flowers
at the shrine, and the final scene where Ariel 'bids farewell' to Michael.
As we're ploughing on through the filming, it's becoming clearer that the story,
the acting and cinematography are working well - better than anticipated in fact.
Also, it makes the pressure more intense from a creative and directorial perspective -
it's much worse to ruin something which has the potential to be good rather
than to never reach such levels - so I'm conscious today of not letting any
detail slip and of any false notes being struck.

Cath Morris and Barbara the pony

This cinematography lark is easy!

Always be prepared for the unexpected when you're location filming - today
it's the turn of the wild mountain shetland ponies who fancy their hand at
a bit of filmmaking themselves and won't budge until tempted by food!
All the mourners are new to Angels, but all accomplished young actors - Rhys
Maclenan has acted in lots of films (including "Mr Nice" recently), Summar
Ackery is the recipient of this year's "It's My Shout" Best Supporting Actress
Award with BBC Wales, and Zaneta I've worked with before and she's terrific and
totally professional.  They sail through the scene and it looks great - typical grey,
depressing West Wales weather - perfect for the scene.  Summar and Zaneta look
especially fab as per usual - and I can't resist hugging Rhys. 
Siobhan Thomas (our associate producer)also makes an appearance.

Associate Producer on the set!

Then it's on to the final scene, with Sam Ward, Emily Graham and Fenn Ingram.
Lots of very subtle visual acting needed here - especially from Sam.  The key is
to do less in these scenes, the voice over and music and the whole cinematic
structure will do the rest.  Sam does this brilliantly - and importantly it's
letting the audience have space for the final moments of the film where I want them
to register his character's pain and guilt through the mise-en-scene and the
shots rtaher than through any dialogue or acting with a capital A.  There's a
beautiful end shot where Sam walks off into the distance along the road - I was
hoping he could walk out of shot as he disappeared down a hill, but a car
drove past into shot right at the last moment.
Fenn and Emily are also on their usual top form - there's a lovely moment as they
walk away from the shrine and out of the story - Fenn is wandering around behind
Emily and she instinctively looks around like a good young mother would.  Beautiful
shallow depth of field for Emily and Fenn's medium shots - looks like a Robert
Bresson film from the late 60's!
It's Sam, Emily and Fenn's last day today - I'm filled with a mixture of pride
in what they've brought to the film - I can't imagine it being made with anyone else
now: there's also a kind of parting sadness that the film is over for them -
it's been a privelege and such a wonderful journey working with them.