| |
|
Wednesday, September 19, 2007 |
| Lights, Camera, Action! |
Today we’re shooting in Fort MacLeod, a small town standing in for 1917 Calgary approximately an hour and a half south of the actual city. It’s the big day of my performance at the recruiting office, and I’ve gone through who I am as Carmichael and learnt my lines. A clothing store has been transformed, through the efforts of the art department, to a completely authentic recruiting office of the period, replete with British flags, desks, typewriters, original documents and other artifacts. The level of detail is impressive. For the next three days I’ll be putting aside my assistant hat and putting on Carmichael’s military cap. The fact that my performance is going to be captured on film forever - that I can never go back and redo the role has made me quite nervous. I remind myself that Paul offered me this part because he thought I could do it, that I went through the audition process and was deemed the best choice for the role and I trust his judgment.
Being a director’s assistant has allowed me to examine all of the performances that have been delivered to date, sitting beside Paul at the director’s monitor. One thing I have noticed is that unlike acting for theatre, the movie actor doesn’t need to deliver a large performance because the camera picks up the subtlest nuance; a slight tilt of the head, curl of the lips or movement of the eyes speaks volumes, particularly when shown on a cinema screen three stories tall (oh dear). I go over the role in my head and the details that I want to incorporate to lend authenticity to Carmichael.
I’ll be in a scene with Paul and Jim Mezon, both wonderfully accomplished actors, the thought of which is somewhat intimidating and my trepidation is not lost on Paul. He gives me some sage advice: that one only has to think what is going on and that will appear in the performance. The theory is that you can’t consciously try to force emotion. Just as the camera picks up the subtlest of gestures, it will reveal overacting or a performance that is too contrived. Ultimately, it seems you just have to be yourself in order to create a natural performance. Being a natural actor, Paul intuitively understands what his performers need to hear, giving just the right amount of direction, but leaving them room to find their own voice.
The importance of my contribution to Passchendaele is driven home when I momentarily become the focus of attention. Hair and Make-up artists ply their craft, teasing my hair into obedience and delicately applying make up where nervous sweat has washed it off, while the wardrobe Mistress meticulously adjusts my costume. The Property Master gives me my character’s spectacles and period watch. While I undergo these “final touches”, I notice Jim Mezon doing warm-up exercises to loosen his tongue and relax his face. I attempt to do my own version of this, shaking my head and rolling my r’s, which helps me to relax.
We've done our blocking for the scene, where the movements of the characters in relation to the camera are worked out. Paul and Jim playfully work around their lines, completely in their element. On the set of Passchedaele, I’ve seen Paul sharing a joke one moment then be totally immersed into a heavy dramatic scene the next. I tell myself not to be nervous but this is futile – I’m about to become a part of cinematic history. I step outside to take a breath of fresh air, stand-in actors taking our places before the cameras so the scene can be lit. The First Assistant Director calls for the “First Team” our cue to take our marks for the start of the scene. The Special Effects crew wafts artificial smoke or “atmosphere” in to diffuse the light. The Assistant Cameraman takes some final measurements of distance to make sure everything in the scene will be in focus. Then some final consultations with Paul about the camera moves. I wait anxiously for ‘action’, hoping I can do justice to all the efforts of the crew that make this scene possible. It’s show time…and Hugh Probyn is ready to make love to the camera!
|
|
|
|
|
| About the Blogger |
|
The motion picture Passchendaele, an epic set amidst the horror of war, was shot in Alberta from August 20th to October 23rd 2007, directed and written by Paul Gross. The film is now in post production and will premiere in Theatres fall 2008, thus culminating a lifelong dream of Paul's, who learned of this extraordinary period in Canadian history from his Grandfather, Michael Joseph Dunne. The Battle of Passchendaele represents a story of determination, commitment and triumph, and this defining chapter in the forging of a nation shall never be forgotten. |
|
