The Architect is Dead - Production blog #1 - Locations

Kostas Stragalinos. The Greek David Lynch. Obscure, Metaphorical and Allegorical.

His last film Invidia has already been screened in the London Greek film festival as well as the Showroom cinema. His latest script "The Architect is Dead" has landed and we are well into casting and location scouting. Scouting was hindered slightly by the inclement weather, we are on schedule to begin photography on 10th Jan 2011.

On this shoot, I will be recording sound and cursing the red rock. Our first location is the fire training centre in Sheffield. A truly disturbing place, which is a network of rooms, beds, charred mannequin dummies and crying baby sound effects.

Anyone have a good psychiatrist's number?

Also looking at locations at Sheffield Uni, Bradfield, Attercliffe and the High Peaks. We are truly becoming experts at moving crew and equipment with the most military of precision.

Perhaps I will timelapse the packing of the cars one day?

Due - Production Blog #6 - It's a wrap

Or at least a cheese and pickle sandwich eaten off the bonnet of a Hertz rental van parked in a lay-by in Skelmanthorpe.

Oh the glamour.

Seriously though. Principal photography has ended and, barring pick ups, time has been called on Due. Many thanks to Andy, Robin, Kelly, Simon and May for their superb acting skills. We covered around 250 miles between locations. Zubin and the Collector did it a la pied. Ther'll be some blisters in the morning.

The final scene we shot was actually part of the opening scene. We had planned to shoot this sequence first, but it was quite satisfying at the end of a three week shoot to see the Collector finally emerge from the shadows.

Due - Production Blog #5 - In Production

We are now officially halfway through the shoot for DUE. When i decided to give it all up and go back to uni, I was unsure if it was madness or genius. Havingspent 4 days in what can be described as the most inhumanly cold environment imaginable. Wading through the North Sea shoeless in November and gale like winds on the Yorkshire Moors, I still like it. I don't just like it, I love it.

The below storyboard/shoot comparisons are taken from the opening sequence again. As I have already made several posts about this, it seems apt to continue the development process for you. Very impressed with the look. Sergio Leone could not have done better himself.

Scene 1 - EXT. MOORLAND – DUSK

A panoramic shot of the moors. A speck moving across the landscape . It’s a man. (although it is probably difficult to see on the photo, June 14th 2011 for the Showroom premier in case you were wondering)

We move closer. MATURIN is running frantically. A gaunt looking man in his thirties. He’s wearing a shirt and trousers; completely unsuitable clothing. His legs and shoes are mud-splattered. His face is a mix of exhaustion and fear. We don’t see what he’s running from.

We have some gorgeous footage from the beach to put up in the next installment. I don't want to give too much away in terms of raw video though. Maybe after the finished film is done, I can do a rushes blog? Don't want to spoil any scenes for you before they are perfect.

l'adieu pour le moment mes amis

xx

Due - Production Blog #4 - Test Shoots

Many trips have been made along the A64 to Whitby/Robin Hood's Bay over the last 2 months. Many chips eaten at the Magpie cafe and many Crunchie floaters from Hippy Hippy Shakes. The final preparations took place today as we took the steadycam and walked the narrow cobbled streets, meticulously choreographing out routes for the "being followed" scene.

I'll hopefully upload some video trials next blog but for now here is Scott and Taj hard at it.

Due - Production Blog #3 - Locations

Taj and Scott have been hard at work scouring the North East of England for the perfect locations for Due. We are delighted with the finds thus far. It's amazing how closely they resemble the storyboards.

Taken from Scene 1 - We don’t see what he’s running from. He stumbles over a rise; as he gets up, he sees a barn in the distance. He starts running towards it.

Scene 2 - MATURIN slams the door behind him as he enters the barn. It’s an old, abandoned place; dirt floor, rusted tools scattered around.

We also have some gorgeous locations around Robin Hood's Bay, Whitby and Boggle Hole. Principle photography begins 9th November, so expect regular production stills from then on.

Due - Production Blog #2 - Storyboards

Scott has been really busy, putting his experience as a graphic designer to good use and coming up with some amazing storyboards.

Here we have the first part of the opening sequence. Maturin is running away from something unknown. We sense the terror but the persuer is still a mystery. Click the image for a bigger version

EXT. MOORLAND – DUSK

A panoramic shot of the moors. A speck moving across the landscape(board 1). It’s a man.

We move closer(2). MATURIN is running frantically. A gaunt looking man in his thirties(3). He’s wearing a shirt and trousers(4); completely unsuitable clothing. His legs and shoes are mud-splattered(5,6). His face is a mix of exhaustion and fear(7). We don’t see what he’s running from. We are level with the horizon(8,9); we gradually see his head dip below it.(10)

Location scouting is underway and the next blog will contain some comparative storyboards with location photos.

Laterz
due crew
x

Due - Production Blog #1

Hey all. It only took a year between blogs.

This is where we will be posting production updates for Hallam Uni MA film shoots throughout the next year.

The film looking to be first out of the traps is "Due" by Tajinder Singh Hayer. A dark and mysterious film about a man who owes a debt and the collector looking for settlement.

The 3rd draft of the script is out and Scott is storyboarding as I type. We hope to get a few scans and script excerpts up so you can see the correlation between the two and how the develpoment is progressing, maybe even the odd rushes? Location scouting in earnest starts next week and casting calls are being arranged.

We are also in Pre-production on AJ's film "identity", Tonphon's film "In the Dark". We are also developing ideas by Joe and Kostas and hoping to bring a bit more info on these shortly.

In the meantime if anyone knows of a good dilapidated rural barn, with a rolling panoramic setting, give us a shout. We need it for the opening chase sequence in "Due".

See you later alligator