Behind the Cauldron Blog: London Calling!

June 14, 2010

Hello cauldronites! Jeremy Dylan here - writer/director/producer/editor/bon vivant and general renaissance man of the Australian independent film industry.

It's been suggested to me that, since I've already got a blog happening here, why not turn it into a behind-the-scenes diary on the making of the film. So here we are. Normally, one would start this, say, at the idea stage, rather than after shooting has begun, but as I've always said: 'If something's worth doing, it's worth starting late and writing at 2am the morning it's due'. That philosophy served me well with high school English assignments, so I don't see why I shouldn't employ it here.

I'm writing this initial entry on an airplane on my way to London, where I hope to shoot some location footage for the film. If it all goes according to plan, I'll also worm my way into the 5Live studios this Saturday and maybe even say 'Hello to Jason Isaacs and David Morrissey'.

I'm sharing the aircraft with a small party of Orthodox Jews, who look like they're auditioning for an Israeli musical about the career of ZZ Top, a flight attended who looks like Lily Allen and a bloke in premium economy who looks like Sam Neill. Oh, hang on, that is Sam Neill. Blimey Charlie! I'm on the same airplane as the finest actor New Zealand's ever produced! ... I hope Russell Crowe isn't reading this.


EDITED TO ADD: In actual fact, I met Russell Crowe on my 12th birthday. He was very personable, we talked about music for a few minutes (at no point in the conversation did he accuse me of having 'dead ears'), then I picked up my bag and left. He's a big country music fan.

Anyways... Sam Neill's on my plane! Not even in London yet and already the thespians are popping out of the woodwork. I considered accosting him and asking him to play the narrator - or even voice one of the penguins - but decided against it. Being harassed by some bequiffed lunatic in a Harrington jacket would probably spoil his day a little.

Now I'm going to sample the inflight entertainment system - depressing B&W documentaries about Liverpool here I come! Or perhaps they might even have Charles Dickens's England?