I have had 2 roles in the movie ‘Elindels secret‘.

1. Costume designer and creater

2. Wardrobe assistant

This has taken most/all of my free time this year (filming has been every weekend since early July, for months prior to that I was making costumes). It has taken its toll on the family, especially with studying a duel Diploma and working FT. You would think they were big enough to fend for themselves! THANK YOU FAMILY…. for being so patient with me! The great thing has been that we have been able to include them on many occasions. This has given us all a common interest and they have gained some insight into what film making is like.

Shannon: Took the team through a ‘fight training’ session

Sophie: Gave her valued opinion and helping hand with Costume design and filled in for me when I was in WA as wardrobe assistant (see further down on this blog).

Blake: has had many acting roles and also helped the crew as a production assistant.

Colin: Lots of emotional support and a lack of social life for the whole of 2007. He has also had an acting role!! He has been playing the part of the butler….. at times reluctantly but I think he secretly enjoyed it.

Yesterday we started filming at Healesville very early in the morning (got up at 5.30am). Then we went off to Lorraine and Tony Chandlers to film at the ‘estate’.

It was there that Colin spent about 6 hours doing his role as a butler. It will equate to about 10 seconds of footage. Welcome to our world Colin!!! He hates having makeup put on, waiting around and doing the re shoots. He said the glamour of going to the movies has gone now that he has seen what it takes to shoot a scene. As I said……welcome to our world Colin! He got a real kick out of it though and looked so handsome in his bow tie. I even managed to get white gloves on him for one scene he he he.

You can see more about this at these blogs: Maxfactormama , Elindils secret.

For about 5 years now, Blake has had a hairy hairy hair cut (or not cut?). We love him for his uniquenes, but it would be nice to see his handsome face, not to mention the other benefits!

This morning he announced that he is going to have it chopped off. I was so excited……… but then I had to say to him: “You know you have this part in the movie (Elindils secret) and you need to look wild and woolly, if you chop it off you won’t have the right look”.

Then I ran into the bedroom and screamed into my pillow. Doh!

Colin almost kill me.

Yesterday we did some awesome filming at Trentham falls. We used a crane with the camera attached on the end of it to take amazing footage down the waterfall and across the landscape while the cast were acting out their parts.The actual crane we used ‘on loan’, was also used in the Grandfinal and many other programs (like Deal or no deal). It cost $95,000.00!!

Jenny Strempel has written a terrific account on her blog (if you are interested). No point me repeating it all when she has captured the day so well!

At one stage the camera was filming from the top of the waterfall at the cast down the bottom. Blake had the task of taking cast down into the bottom of the waterfall where it was quite dangerous, and relaying messages to the cast via the radio. The cast couldn’t hear him over the roar of the waterfall and yet if he got close enough for them to hear him, he ended up in frame of the camera shot! He said it was pretty tricky and there was a lot of frustration with this (for Luke too!!). He ended up doing a lot of hand actions and miming which he made up on the spot.

Over all it seemed a successful day. Watching how Luke mastered the operation of controlling the camera by remote, directing the cast and directing the crane operator all at once was really impressive.

Who says men can’t chew gum and walk at the same time????

Last weekend while I was away in Perth, Sophie did a terrific job of replacing me as Wardrobe person in the movie shooting session for Elindil’s Secret.

Blake had his part to play as well and you can see him here having the makeup applied. Beautiful hey? I haven’t seen him for 2 weeks so its nice that David sent me some pics of him so I can remember what he looks like! I especially like the hairclips because I can see his cute face.

Sophie got roped in to be the ‘clapper girl’. She thought it was hilarious and got very confused. After starting the day at 7am in Lilydale, she was very un-Australian and went home and slept through the Grand final she was so exhausted!

Next weekend we are going to Trentham falls and Werribee (early start tomorrow). It sounds like quite a dangerous spot and we are using a crane so that the camera operators can shoot across the falls. The crew have to be harnessed  (or something) so that will be pretty cool!

Sophie has retired now as a clapper girl but Blake is coming along as a Production Assistant.

Stay tuned for more adventures!!

Well actually it WAS only yesterday that we were still in WA. We flew in at midnight last night, got home at 1am (Shannon picked us up and we got lost!!!), then I got up and went to work this morning ……… yawn!!

We had a fantastic time and had a much needed rest (well some of us did……. Colin doesn’t know HOW to rest!!).

We spent a week with Pat and Roy (in the rain) at Mandurah. Pat and Roy are great friends and we enjoy their company and relaxed and easy going natures. There is a 2 hour time difference in WA so we were all falling asleep at 8pm the first few nights. It was like a holiday for the geriatric unit at times!!

After they left, Col & I had 4 days on our own in the Swan Valley Novatel resort sipping wines at wineries and eating Chocolate at the chocolate factory.

How lucky am I?

On Monday Colin and I went to the Perth show. For 28 years, I have been trying to convince him he needs to win me a stuffed toy. At last it happened!!! He won me this dog at the show carnival (his name is Skip). It took great skill and bravery on Colin’s part to win the prize. Then, I had to squash Skip onto a train and get him home on the plane (anyone ever tried to take a large stuffed animal on a plane…. or even a packed out train??) but it was all worth it!

I have no idea what to do with him now but that isn’t the point (Marley has some good ideas but I don’t trust him one bit) .

HE IS A WINNER YAY!

Well, just to update you, the weather in Perth is cold and wet!!!!

We went away with Pat and Roy to Coffs Harbour once before and it rained so much it flooded. The locals were kyaking on the footy oval!! We thought we couldn’t go wrong coming to Perth with them but its raining cats and Freemantle dogs here.

Well they go home Friday and we stay on for another 4 days. The weather is expected to be sunny and warm from Friday onwards. Watch out everyone, they return to Melbourne on Friday and you can expect heavy rain for sure. They should hire themselves out as rainmakersI think.

We ARE having fun though. Colin has ants in his pants but that’s nothing new is it?

Here is the timeshare resort we are staying at for the next 12 days with our friends Roy and Pat.

We will be overlooking the Indian Ocean at Mandurah in Western Australia. Silver Sands Resort has indoor and outdoor pools with whirlpool spas, sauna, recreation room, full and half tennis courts, squash and gym.

Col will do the tennis, squash etc. The pool looks good to me, I have reserved the banana lounge in the bottom right side of the photo. My book is ready and waiting.

Hmmmmm! Relaxing. We will be thinking of you all working away.

Can you spot the spoon in these pics?

Last night we went to the ‘usual’ for Colin’s birthday: Phoolwari Indian restaurant in Ringwood. I don’t know what it is about my family, but we seem to spend our time talking nonsense and laughing at the ridiculous. Shannon’s girlfriend Hanna just goes along for the ride and laughs at us all (which makes us much worse).

We ate our usual banquet and finished it up with stale birthday cake with the supermarket wrap still on it (see the pic). None of us like cake so it didn’t really matter. Glad I didn’t go to the trouble of baking!

Col has had a potentially serious health problem for the past few weeks. Today he got the all clear from the specialist, although he has 6 weeks worth of antibiotics to take. They are making him sleepy. I am so sad about that (not!!!). I just LIVE for a goodnight sleep. If the drugs work, take them I say!!

Anyhow, as you can see, it has been a happy birthday for him with all his silly family around him. I love it that we can enjoy each others company as adults now.

To quote my little sister (on HER blog),  one of my favourite movies is Parenthood. There is a pearl of wisdom from a very unlikely source in that movie where the granny makes an analogy about life, she says she prefers the rollercoaster to a merry go round.

Life is feeling very much like a rollercoaster at the moment and I never know which way I am going or what’s going to happen next.

Actually I do know which way I am going………… to work………….. to study…………… to the movie shoots.

BUT…….. on Friday we are off to Perth for 11 days. Yay!

Today Sophie sang 2 songs on the stage at Bridie O’Reilley’s Irish pub in Brunswick.

She sang ‘Sway’ and ‘Kiss me’ and was so awesome!

Unfortunately, she refused to let me bring the video camera. In fact, she checked my bag before I left!! I tricked her though and managed to take some recordings on my still digital camera he he he!

Colin, Rohan and his Mum Rhonda came to watch as well so she had a little cheer squad (as well as the rest of the pub crowd).

Yesterday she sang on Blake’s band ‘Optic Martyr’s’ CD they are producing so she has plenty of glamour and fame for one weekend. Now back to reality…..work, room cleaning and trying to pay for petrol.

You go girl!!

This little guy (the kookaburra!) was sitting on the balcony at Donchi’s this morning, where we did our Elindil’s secret movie shoot. He was waiting to see if the movie was a comedy so he could have a good laugh. He was disappointed to know it was an action movie but he didn’t have to wait long for a good cackle anyhow!

As soon as he saw Andy looking very cute in his apron, he didn’t know whether to laugh at that or the fire on the BBQ!