But never mind flat. I had to drink flat and diluted 7-Up.
Awesome, huh?
Not.
This was my main prop in yesterday’s shoot:
The cup was at first filled with 7-Up. Throughout the day, we had to keep changing the water level in the cup for continuity purposes because scenes aren’t usually shot in chronological order. Plain distilled water was used for refilling the cup. By the end of the day, the 7-Up had become very diluted, plus all the gas had escaped.
I had to drink some of that.
Not that it was gross or anything but, just so you know, diluted flat 7-Up isn’t exactly a great choice of beverage.
We did our filming at East Coast Lagoon. There was sunny rain early in the morning.
It doesn’t look like it in the picture but I was freezing because it was also very windy.
The rest of the day was great, though. The rain stopped and it was nice and cool all day. I didn’t break a single bead of sweat. It was so comfortable filming there with the abundance of food and drink, shelter and seats, and great company.
The weather was also great for tracking shots because laying out tracks for the camera is pretty hard work and something you wouldn’t want to do under a sweltering sun.
Remember I said I was doing two short films for NYU Tisch Asia graduate film students? This is the second one with the same crew, except that they all swap duties in every film they make so that they get to experience all the different jobs in a production.
Nicolas (above, left) was my director in the previous film but now he’s the DOP. Eric (right) is DOP-turned-grip.
That’s really cool for me because I get to relate to everyone differently, so it’s interesting.
You know like how you form different levels of relationships with different colleagues depending on the type of interaction you get with each person?
For example, say, there’s this guy who’s your boss for a week. You take orders from him. Then, the next week, he’s the department secretary. He helps you make appointments or whatever. Suddenly you’re relating in a different way! So it’s kinda like that.
Basil (above, right) is the director of my second film. He was the grip in my first.
The only person whose role never changes is Fish.
Fish always plays my boyfriend. Haha.
Fish was a sad boy during the shoot.
I only had to drink diluted flat 7-Up. He had to face a mug of beer all day without getting to drink it because he didn’t have any scenes requiring him to actually drink his prop. (Beer was poured down the drain when the mug needed to be emptier.)
Poor Fish.
What must it have been like!
“Mara”,
wat did Alexa do in Nic’s film?
and excuse me hor, you said it yourself…i’m your “plaything” in this one, not “boyfriend” :P
btw… the more i look at it…i look like an off-duty security guard in that shirt with those ‘buttonflaps’ on the shoulders…
What’s the deal with 7-Up or soda pop for that matter?
Was there a close enough shot to spot the bubbles in the drink? If so, then how to justify the lack of bubbles in subsequent scenes when it goes all diluted and flat?
Gene: Alexa was the one who looked after the camera and changed the lens. One of the ADs, not sure whether 1st or 2nd.
Well, plaything… boyfriend… same thing lah! Hahahaha.
I don’t think agree about the shirt. I think it looks very nice! ;)
JayWalk: Yeah, there were some close-ups so you could see the bubbles, so 7-Up was needed for that. In certain scenes when it wasn’t clear, then it didn’t really matter if it was flat.
Was it really THAT important that the water in the glass must have fizz? How does that affect the overall plot?
Don’t mean to nit-pick but I just find the overall rationale a bit funny funny lor. Then again, I am an lay person who knows as much about making a movie as the next caterpillar.
Honestly, does it affect the plot that much if you’re drinking Coke or 7 Up or 8 Down?
Ohhh, there’s Fish again. Looks kinda serious in that pic. FYI, I’m still interested, why ‘Fish’? :D
Wah.. beer so close yet so far… ARGH!!!!!
But hor… beer down the drain like BEER going to the fish….. errr… :p
JayWalk: Sometimes, shots are done for artistic value and not for plot. People don’t actually notice many painstaking details in films, but those make films better in ways that might be too subtle to tell but are important to have around.
In the case of the fizz, it might not affect the plot directly, but it can invoke certain feelings (depending on the way the scene is shot and edited) or create subtext that makes the film richer.
Derrick: Huh? Of course not. The main thing I was talking about was the fizz, and not the brand of drink. :P
modchip: Well, I don’t think he’s going to tell you. He’s never told me all this time I’ve known him. :P
arachno: Haha, so you understand.
modchip>
this much i can say…i was fish before liangjingru was fish :)
QY>
i still owe you a drink hor? if i told you the story behind my name, could we call it even :p
Fish: Nope! I don’t really care why your name is Fish. A name is just a name wat. The person is more important than the name, right? ;) I want to claim my drink!! Haha.
QY: I support you… go for the drink… more practical leh… :)
QY>
alas…guess there’s no way i’m gonna ‘wriggle’ my way out of this one right? so, whenever you get thirsty then….:)
“this much i can say…i was fish before liangjingru was fish”
Nice answer mr. Fish! :D
arachno: Haha, thanks! I think so too :P
Fish: Looking forward to it! ;) I need to pass you your photos too.
Flat, diluted 7-UP and wasted beer! What has the entertainment industry come too?