Year five rolls around and the Director calls me up. He tells me that he wants to start over, new script, new actors, fresh start beginning to end. Even the crew will be new, except for me. He wants to know if I think I could shoot it. "Yes, sure I have only shot commercials but lighting is most of the work and if I can have the operator of my choice it can work. We have to work the English system where as the cameraman I have total responsibility for the lighting and the operator designs the camera moves. We do that and, yes I can shoot it." I said. "However, the cameraman we have been using is my best friend and I can only do it with his blessing. Have you called him up and told him what you are thinking?" I asked. The answer was, "Not yet." So, we left it at that. Every now and then I would get a phone call and the Director would tell me he is almost finished with the re-write can I be available such and such a date. The months would pass and nothing solid would happen. Finally after a year of this B.S. I told the production manager to either put me on payroll or tell the Director to stop calling me because I kept setting aside dates and turning down other work. Then I called up the original cameraman and told him what was going on and asked him if it was alright with him. He said that since it was really a new project that he wanted me to go for it. I did tell him that as the script now stood one of our scenes that we already had filmed will bookend the movie but, I would make sure that it was clear to everybody that I didn't shoot that scene. So, with his blessing I negotiated an outrageous deal and then sat back and waited for a start date. Now I am back to being paid to do nothing and I am ready to retire anyways so, works for me.
Year seven arrives and because of technical advancements shooting all digital and projecting on walls and all this other non-sense is suddenly possibly doable. We spend weeks shooting tests and it is starting to look pretty good. Now we just need to get on with the film. Except there is one little problem, the actor we wanted has backed out. Now it is back to casting and waiting for actor availability. Months go by I finally said I give up. I called up the production office and told them I was done. I retired and took some classes and now work investigating child abuse cases for the Superior Court where I live. They finally did shoot another movie in year 7. This is year 8 and the rumor around town is they are coming back to shoot a few more scenes next month.
The original cameraman died in January. My guess is when I die they will still be shooting. Cost at this point, has to be at least $125 million.
https://britishcinematographer.co.uk...den-and-louis/
Year seven arrives and because of technical advancements shooting all digital and projecting on walls and all this other non-sense is suddenly possibly doable. We spend weeks shooting tests and it is starting to look pretty good. Now we just need to get on with the film. Except there is one little problem, the actor we wanted has backed out. Now it is back to casting and waiting for actor availability. Months go by I finally said I give up. I called up the production office and told them I was done. I retired and took some classes and now work investigating child abuse cases for the Superior Court where I live. They finally did shoot another movie in year 7. This is year 8 and the rumor around town is they are coming back to shoot a few more scenes next month.
The original cameraman died in January. My guess is when I die they will still be shooting. Cost at this point, has to be at least $125 million.
https://britishcinematographer.co.uk...den-and-louis/
