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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Sailing to Troy

Yesterday was Day 1 of filming Orestes and the Fly (working title).

I started with something simple (ha!):
Agamemnon's boat sailing to and from Troy--on a local lake.

The wind raised just the right amount of waves on the lake.
And luckily Bink (left) came along: since I spent most of the time in the lake, she was the camera crew.

Everything else went wrong.
The little newspaper boat sailed the wrong direction. It capsized. Several times.
A newcomer to the camera, Bink didn't set it to "film" for the first few takes. (Though since the boat wasn't cooperating, that actually saved film.)
Also new to the camera, I got snarky when I couldn't at first figure out how to replay the film. (Notes to self: Don't stop meditating. Finish reading the camera manual.)
The tripod squeaks when it turns.

But in the end, it all came together beautifully.
I wrung out the boat (right--my new Jayne hat blowing in the wind); and it turned out that the wet boat sailed much better.
It floated nicely in to shore for the "Return" shot.
There's enough footage without the squeaking tripod and ample wave sounds.

Then I turned the boat toward open waters, and it headed for the horizon.
It sailed away so nicely, I couldn't get it back without going for a swim.
I expect it has reached Troy by now.

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