7-11-09 : The Blood Bond Saga (part 32)

Night on the water

Tonight we were back at the reservoir, for one of the most entertaining nights of the shoot. Kong Sifu was back with us to shoot a dialogue scene between himself and our leads, and also the sequence where our heroes set sail at night onto a vast river.

I first met Kong Sifu through my good friend, Australian actor Daniel Whyte. (Daniel and I first worked together on the film 'The Twins Effect'). I was really happy that Daniel could be with us on set for Kong's last night on 'The Blood Bond'.

Between takes, we shoot an interview with the larger-than-life Hong Kong movie veteran for our 'making of' documentary. He tells us this is the most fun as he's had on a movie. More fun than 'Writing Kung Fu'?, I demand. "Much more!", he replies, with a huge smile.

Kong has picked up a chest cold somewhere, but never complains. Throughout the long night, his wife gives him a strange brew from a flask, and this keeps him up and running at his usual energy level (which is off the chart...).

After we finish the dialogue in the woods, we move down to the reservoir for the scene where Ding and Deva discuss the character of Tremayne, before they set sail down the dark river. Night, water, a boat... Anyone familiar with film-making knows we're in for a handful.

Master Kong is wonderful in his scene with Deva. He talks about Tremayne constantly being at war, either with himself or others. "For some of us," he says, "that's all we know..." Michael watches from behind the monitor. That's beautiful, he mutters to himself.

We have to light the water (without making it look 'lit'), we need to be sure the vessel goes where we need it to...

Initially, there are fears that the boat won't float, and especially not with the burly Kong Sifu on one end of it. However, though it does take in water, the worthy vessel does indeed set off as planned.

After Michael pushes the boat off, the actual vessel is 'driven' by Kong himself, who proves to be a past master of the outboard motor, with our associate producer Oliver Williams navigating.

As Williams tries to recapture the days of British naval power, there are some off-camera Pythonesque moments: Ollie, all flying limbs at the front, resembles the mutant love child of Hugh Grant and John Cleese, Kong, hunched at the motor, does his best Tor Johnson...

At the end of a long night, its sad to announce that Kong Sifu is wrapped... At least until our next film!

Next : Interlude