However not without my own blame as I also took way too long on the jib shots. Half way through we managed to pick up a little and get some speed but it was too little too late. Breakfast was tense that morning I can tell you! (although technically it was more like supper on our schedule)… J.R chewing his sausages loudly while death glaring Phil due to a lighitng/Gel “Incident” and Eugene and myself slightly displeased with each other because of Time Vs Creativity. While Chris just sat on his own pondering.

We went to the second shoot prepared, color coded-time orientated-cross sectioned cam-position/equiptment, shot lists, divided into actor specific sections came into play and the crew went wild on location, the magic flowed again and the rat pack stormed through the second shoot like Vindaloo through an old lady’s digestive system! The actors picked up on the new positive vibe and produced some serious magic of their own, shots and takes that i can only describe as amazing! I was so proud haha! Everyone was insanely pleased. We once again had a film, the night ended too quick though, daylight came and sadly we had to call it

Third and Final night of the main shoots was a hard one, lots to do and lots to get and not enough time to get it. The second shoot had gone really well but we still hadn’t pulled it back the first night. Now we had a film,the third shoot was the icing on the cake, the most of the most difficult and complicated shots were still to do, jibs, Jib-tracks, Straight tracks, Rotational tracks, Jib-rotation tracks, Counterzoom tracks and thats just the tip of the ice burg , this was a challenge not only for the crew to get these shots quickly but for the actors too. Now the shots were done in the order they were quickest and not chronologically, so the actors and make up were always on their toes! But being the professionals that they are (not wanting to brown nose but the seriously WERE that good), taking it all in their stride and not pulling any punches with another amazing day from the actors. Once again that pesky sun couldn’t stay down and decided to rear it ugly daylight head forcing us to stop with only a few shots left to do. Well no breakfast after the third shoot, everyone was going separate ways for the time being and sad to say the shoot was over. BUT im sure if there was breakfast it would have rocked!

Not sure if im allowed to talk about the last shoot we did? so ill keep quiet about that

” Experience is what you get right after you need it.”

Wow, it’s been quite a while since we started shooting ANTE back on the 27th March and we’ve only just recently finished the reshoot (this film demanded revolving tracks so I had to deliver…don’t hold it against me guys, just wait until the film’s finished and you’ll know what I mean!).

Deep down, when I have to blame someone, it most often isn’t myself so on this particular occasion I’m going with Paul Thomas. If he hadn’t come to me with such a brilliant script he’d written, I’d be well-slept and doing something relaxing like trying to discover a new hobby. Seriously, if you’re one of the lucky few who have read the script, keep it to yourselves, because the rest of you will not guess what’s going to happen by the end of this bad boy. All I’m saying is that a candlestick may be involved, in the Library, and Professor Plum is not above suspicion.

Paul mentioned to me early on that this was an easy enough film to make as it’s all set in a single location. Personally that always sounds like a bit of a cop out to me, but you always deal with it and know deep down it’s all about the performances involved. After reading the script, I agreed that the story and drama were sufficient for a single location and decided to make the picture on the spot.
So, as is my masochistic way, I set about planning hundreds of different ways to shoot one conversation in one room. I had read somewhere how hard Michael Mann planned that great cinematic moment in HEAT where two legends, Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro, meet face to face on screen for the first time. He shot it from above, close up, side on and even POV but in the end just used the over shoulder shot and side on shot. Well, I didn’t plan on just having three shots in my entire film…well, because he didn’t stick to just the three for his entire film, did he?

Of course, what he said makes sense to me now, just shoot the great acting and the rest will work…true enough, but I wanted to amplify their emotions and the tension of the situation and add a little of my own flair – check out the trailer for a small taste of how the film will work stylistically. I’m trying for a new approach, a sort of toned down Tony Scott. It makes me feel a little like a traitor since it has always been his brother, Ridley Scott, I’ve looked up to, but the camera techniques and editing styles that are Tony Scott’s signature were just so much more suitable for this particular film. Also, just as a little piece of trivia, the song in the teaser by Nine Inch Nails is called ‘The Mark Has Been Made’. Pretty appropriate, huh?

The ANTE teaser is available on the Flux main page.

The most fulfilling day for the crew, and I think also for the actors, was the second night when we didn’t play around with angles, we just put up a three camera set up, two over shoulder shots of Raymond and Tom and a medium close up of Pierson, leaving the cameras running and allowing the actors to perform the scene chronologically without many breaks. It enabled the cast to really get immersed into their parts, it was amazing to watch, and I got my simple shots and I got my performances. Being the director has its drawbacks, but one of the big pluses is being able to make everyone do it again and again until it looks so awesome. We all felt like we were watching the film that night, rather than making it.

Anyhoo, I got my rotation tracking shots(insert evil grin) because I’m a stubborn bastard, you can see some of them in the opening of the Behind the Scenes video with this entry. Pay particular attention to the interviews and notice how much the sleep deprivation really takes its toll as the film goes on. I imagine the boys and girls that helped me make ANTE were still suffering from sleep deprivation days later, but they did me proud. Big shout out to Anna Heath who did the last three nights of makeup but didn’t want to be filmed so isn’t be in the video as she’s shhhhhhy but she deserves a mention here for the great job she did making the actors all sweaty and afraid for their lives(insert second evil grin). Seriously, I could spend pages thanking people on here but I don’t want one of those Academy Awards situation (not that I’m comparing) where you forget to thank someone important like your mum and its does more damage than good. So thank you to… you. You know who you are!

The whole point of this post was to release the Behind the Scenes video I’ve been working on for the past two days. What I really hate about this video is how it creates the impression we were having so much fun on location. In reality I just combined four days worth of rare comedic moments, brought on by the light-headed euphoria of chronic sleep deprivation. That doesn’t sound too much fun if you think about it, but it does demonstrate the effect of long night shoots…they get you.

The shots filmed were very well planned and storyboarded so it was very easy to follow chirs’s ideas through to filming the scenes. From a work point of view it was just really nice to be working on a well written screenplay that I could sink my teeth into and experiement with in camera techniques. Everyone was on fire for the majority of the shoot and I would like to hand it to JR (Lighting DP) & Sam (Camera assistant) keeping my shots looking awesome.

I’m not the greatest role model so I smoke and stay up late, as does the Hitman on this film with whom i enjoyed enjoyed the odd cigarette so a big thanks to the man with the lion face. Favorite shot: pan up from tie to Tom’s face, so NICE. As the rabbit says that’s all folks.

EUGENE

Howdy. This is J.R the lighting director giving a brief overview of the shoot and how I felt it went. After seeing the test shots on the first day I knew we had the potential to make a visually interesting film and then seeing the acting coming into full swing I think made us all realise that if we were able to fit all the shooting we needed into the short production time frame we had then the film would have the possibility to really stand out. After working on films with Chris at university I can say that this is the most professional and well organised shoot we have been on as a crew, whilst we have all had the opportunity to individually adapt after university and I am hoping that it will show in the final polished film. Lighting wise I was happy that I was given full control of planning the set up of lights on set, and working with Eugene our DP, and Sam (Chris’ little brother) I feel we stretched ourselves to acheive a unique feel to the look of Ante. Working with the crew has been a pleasure and I feel every member gave 110% to the production. I think thats all i’ve got to say really apart from thanks to everyone for being here and to Chris family for their amazing hospitality. Bye for now…

Below is a shot on the test shoot that allowed me to create the atmospheric lighting that Chris was looking for. Further below is what I accomplished during production with the same style (Tom played by Greg Kelly)

Meachem here writing the first blog from production. Director by trade but was the sound man on this set as wanted to work with the director, Chris Cronin, again as he is good at what he does.

It is the day after the production and Chris is comatoast as he has worked to the bone creating this film and i have to say well done sir. The film is looking freaking sweet and actually can’t wait for the finished product. The set was a damn good location, good crew and good set of actors.

Film festivals Ante here we come…

Phil Meachem