10-11-09: The Blood Bond Saga (part 35)

Carry on, doctor...

Today we're back in the hospital from hell. It looks cool and brighter on film, but its hotter than all buggery under the lights. Poor (DP) Ross Clarkson and (gaffer) Eric Boland, they look like they're in a sauna.

The pace of filming seems to have slowed to a treaclish trickle. I'm assured we're still 'making our days' (ie we're not behind schedule), but it doesn't feel like it.

This morning, we have to confront our old friend, Mr Exposition. There comes a time in every high concept film where some poor bastard has to walk in and explain the plot. In ours, its a fine Shanghainese actor, Cao Si-ping who plays Doctor Lock. He's the guy telling Captain Trayng (Lin Dong-fu) and the rest of the team that the wounded Bagwan (Ye Xiao-geng) has a rare blood type yadda yadda yadda....

To my surprised, Mr Cao speaks virtually no conversational English, but has memorised his dialogue perfectly! He is a dear, sweet man, and has such an honest face. I'm confident the audience will believe whatever he comes out and tells them.

We also have Hong Kong actor Lawrence Lai joining us, as Lieutenant Leng. He is a solid stage actor, and a good physical counterpart to Pete Wong's Lieutenant Wuchi.

However, coordinating the shot where Trayng, the doctor and the team discuss their options proves a headache. How to get the information out and not make it play like a TV soap opera? Between them, Ross and MB coordinate the camera moves and cutting, almost like a dance, so we can tell the story on the move.

Meanwhile, in the back of the shot, Deva (Phoenix Chou) sits vigil for the wounded Bagwan. Xiao-geng is a good sport, lying unconscious under the lights for hours at a time.

When she sees the Captain discussing Bagwan's fate, Deva moves out of her master's world, and into a harsher reality.

After a few takes,  Phoe has to take off her red jacket. Underneath, her tanktop is stuck to her like a second skin. (Actually, on reflection, this was one of the better parts of the day...)

Michael then shoots a scene where Trayng, enraged at their failure to stop the killings of the potential blood donors, stalks into the Bagwan's room, and is calmed by the holy man's quiet presence. You really need a fine actor to convey this, and Lin Dong-fu delivers beautifully.

By the time evening comes around, MB, exhausted after a day under the lights, tells me to direct the scene between him and the Bagwan, the final sequence of the film. No pressure or anything...

Of course, being the jackass I am, I conceive the most complicated camera move possible, and Ross gamely shoots take after take as I wheel Michael's gurney into shot.

After 20 takes of this, MB and I are collapsing in laughter at things no sane man would find funny. (Its all on the making of video, please remember that this was at the 19th hour of an ongoing day...)

Throughout this, I'm amazed how Michael can go from the most light hearted revelry to the most affecting close-up in just a few moments. I guess that's what you get from 30 years in the business!

Prior to this, Phoenix asked me if she's wrapped (ie finished for the day). I tell her, no, we need her to stay to do some pick-up shots on the hotel set from her fight scene there. She pouts (for about 30 seconds), then, trouper that she is, heads off to the conference room to listen to her Ipod. It feels like an endless row to hoe for her, and the rest of us. 

However, when we finally move to the hotel set, the atmosphere has lightened considerably, everyone is too tired to be grumpy. Someone raids studio owner Henry Luk's fridge for beers. (I don't recommend drinking on set, but it had been a loooong day...)

Its the last shot for the Bagwan, Ye Xiao-geng, so a cheer goes up as we bid farewell to this truly gentle man, who has been the heart of our production.

After work, Phoe, co-producer Seth Scher and I stand in the shadows of the soundstage, beers in hand. Associate producer Oliver Williams walks by with his team and, on a whim, I start belting out the Elvis Costello 'Oliver's Army', and the others join in the chorus.

It was that kind of day...

Next: Shooting out the Captain and farewell to Deva