Well I guess one of the delights of filming is the strange and bizarre situations you find yourself in.
This was a day when I’m working as a DP. Not my script …I’m not directing.
So I get home afterwards.
Ruth ..my wife .. asks..
“Have you had a nice day then?”
“Yes ..it was good”
“Interesting?”
At this point I wonder what to say. I’ve actually spent the afternoon up a step ladder in an orchard, looking vertically down onto a naked woman, as she has petals/ snow falling onto her body. In the style of “American Beauty”, but this woman was pregnant, and in the shot she starts to bleed!
Oh and that was after the scene when the woman trips and her baby flies over the balcony to be caught in a flying save by her husband.
So I decided to just say “ yeah it was all a bit bizarre” and Ruth, used to the weird and wonderful worlds of film-making leaves it there.
So we shot it on the jib.
And then from the ladder.
At the time you’re just dealing with the problems of filming this safely. …and no if I dropped the camera, it wouldn’t have fallen on her.
Of course the blossom ..actually artificial snow, blows everywhere but on her body.
Figuring out how to disguise the fake pregnancy “bump”and an actress whose getting stung by ants, getting rather cold …and of course the camera battery runs out at this point. But she’s very patient and carries on acting gamely.
The tricky part was the blood. As it was immediately absorbed by the blossom/snow. But we managed by pouring on pints of it!
Earlier was the shot in which the baby comes flying over the balcony. Here’s Deanna, the director checking out the shot.
Amazing lifelike baby. and it was the same weight as a real baby.
Here was a tricky little shot to light. The hedge was 5 stops brighter than the interior, but the man outside in the shadow had to appear as bright as the hedge and still have the interior well lit. …and it was in a deep alcove.
