From my research into writer/directors such as Armando Iannucci, I have learned how important it is to hear from your cast and ensure that their lines work well for them. Therefore it was vital to invite all the cast members to the studios for a read-through of the script and to rehearse through the scenes with basic blocking to ensure that everybody is on the same page when it comes to the shoot days. This was also important to build a better rapport with the cast by keeping them in the loop and showing them how much we appreciate them for sticking with the project and committing themselves to it for little in return. Mel also took the opportunity to hand out travel reimbursement forms, contributor contracts and other administrative documents that we needed the cast to sign before production begins.
Luckily we were able to get all speaking cast members to the studios so we could rehearse every scene in its entirety (except for scene 10 which does not include any dialogue - we rehearsed the actions later on in the day for blocking purposes). The first read-through was sitting down, just going through the dialogue so we could make sure that the actors conveyed the tone as I wanted them to. I did not give them much direction here as I wanted to see their interpretation of the script with fresher eyes - since I had been working on the script for several months at this point, hearing the cast read the words aloud helped to visualise how the script would translate to the screen was very beneficial to determine what worked and what did not work.
I feel that the read-through went very well for a number of reasons. It provided the perfect opportunity for all the speaking cast members to meet, bounce the lines off of each other and see which beats worked or did not work. It also allowed me to hear any questions or queries that the cast had about the characters and their dialogue. From the very start of the project, I knew I wanted the cast to be intrinsically involved throughout with the script. Whilst I would be writing the lines and dialogue, I left the floor open for them to suggest ways to improve how they performed to add to the authenticity that we were also striving for since VET-MAN's inception. I feel that each of the cast members appreciated this as it offered them an interesting challenge, as actors, to become more engrossed in their roles than merely reading the lines.
I kept in mind some of the research that I had collected previously with regards to casting and rehearsing with the cast. I followed the advice from Nick Banford's 'Directing Television: A professional survival guide' about working with a cast, which stated that the three most important things about casting an actor are that they can (1) act, (2) take direction and (3) you like them. Today reassured me about my casting choices as the cast performed the script as I would have liked and they also took on board the feedback I gave them on various aspects of their performances. It was also nice to chat with them all more and get to know and like them even more - they also got the chance to chat with each other which is a vital part of creating the on-set chemistry between the cast.
We ran through the script three times - the first two rehearsals were both sat down, just reading the lines from the script, partly to break the ice but also to hear the lines out loud for the first time to see if anything did not sound right. For the third we moved all the chairs and tables out of the way so that we could very roughly look at the blocking to see what worked or did not work when we physically saw the action play out. It felt very rewarding to see the script I had written finally coming to life in front of my eyes and to see the actors so invested in the project.
Mel also ran through some logistical things, such as food and travel, she also ensured that our actors signed various consent forms. Katie also recorded the whole thing so that we could look back at it for reference to get a better look at how these aspects of the script translated into the performance after everybody had left. It is easy to get tunnel vision whilst writing the script, so this will prove to be a vital to the final version of the script as I will be reaffirmed as to how the lines will come across in the film itself.
Unlike our previous projects, we were beginning our final unit with the majority of the pre-production work already completed. Simon gave us feedback from our pre-production work to help us with moving forward onto our final major project.
He praised our idea as being fresh and original, and for being achievable in the time frame we had. He also complimented the script for its strong middle, but argued the beginning and ending needed more work, which I will go into further detail shortly. Simon also appreciated that most of the practicalities for the shoots were worked out, such as Katie's lighting plans and the owl punch 'stunt' in particular.
There is still a lot of work to be done, particularly with the script. Whilst the middle holds up well, the beginning and end fall flat and need a lot of work to bring them up to par with the middle of the story. The dialogue can be clunky at times and humour is lost as a result of this - I need to include funnier lines in order for the script to work as a comedy. Tess is unimportant at the minute, she needs to be more of a threat to Tim's goals. Simon suggested that I paint her as more of a success, like the 'golden child' compared to Tim to create a more believable rivalry between the two. Luke's character also needs to be more in touch with the original character profile I wrote so that the story makes more sense and we get a better idea of why Luke is following Tim. Some more specifics include: the dialogue in the pub scene needs to be more crisp and funny, there needs to be more consistency with the tone and characters, and I need to make it clearer that Tim has drugged the owl's food.
Separate to the script, Simon suggested that we need to work out the logistics of the scene where the dog gets run over. He suggested that we could change the location so it makes more narrative sense - Tim and Luke are lost, so maybe a country road would work better than a suburban road. Simon also advised that we get more runners on board to help with the art department, camera and sound so that we can concentrate on our own jobs during the shoot days.
Whilst the bulk of the pre-production work had been completed in the previous unit, there is a lot of work to be refined and completed before we get into production. The next step for me is to get at least two more drafts completed - one for the script read-through and rehearsal, and one before the first shoot day. More drafts would be preferable so that the finished script is as polished as it can be.
I will continue to carry out research into specific aspects of the project as we approach production which I will integrate into the relevant posts as opposed to dedicated posts on my inspirations as I have already done this in the previous unit. I will also be referring back to the research I have carried out in the pre-Production unit as it is still just as relevant here.
