Having had a good run on Monday with Penelope and Lydia, I was feeling pretty well on track with the film and felt that we were all on the same page. I had a pretty good idea of how I thought the film could look and was beginning to map out in my head how to go about matching that. After speaking to Robin on Wednesday with Penelope, I’m no longer so sure. He pointed out that to have such a clear plan is potentially detrimental to the sort of film we’re making; it is an approach apt for the making of a drama but it contradicts the nature of this film, which is closer to documentary. We decided that the best course of action from here, rather than to rigidly follow the structure we originally had, would be to just begin collecting material as soon as possible.

The emphasis now honed in on just collecting material makes the investigation more exciting and worthwhile, it actually feels like an investigation rather than a series of shoots that need to be done. It creates a sense of freedom in the pursuit of material, which I hope will translate into material itself and give the participants the breathing space that they may not have had with a more strict, choreographed approach.

I know less about what this film is going to be than I did on Monday but I have a better idea of why I’m doing it – to see how a film can draw attention to the moments where we feel most in touch with the present and to prompt the audience to reflect upon their own experiences within these moments.