The Wandering Monkey

These past two days have been a very big thing.  Starting with yesterday...

Thurdsday was the first day of filming.  We began by gathering at the film studio at 5am. Everyone was barely moving, quite tired.  We got into busses and drove to the shooting location, which was an old Shanghai dance hall which had since fallen into disuse and disrepair.  It had been partially restored for the shooting of the movie.

With about 50 foreigners and Chinese extras we went into makeup and costume, each of us getting a 1930's costume and hairstyle.  Some people who were taking the roles of sailor had their hair cut -- very short!  It was about 11am by the time everyone was prepared and ushered into the main dance hall.

The Assistant Director (A.D.) had everyone assemble and demonstrate  dance. The first song used was a fast-tempo dance to which we all did a swing dance style.  About eight couples were selected as 'good dancers' and featured about the floor in the most visible position. My partner Andrea and I were included on this list.  The director, James Ivory, took notice of us and complimented us on our skill and our help getting the others up to speed.  "I wish they all danced like you," he told us.

A bit later the primary actress, Natasha Richarson (playing "Sophia") arrived on set.  I had asked the A.D. if I were dancing with her, and before he said 'possibly so'.  As such, I didn't know what would happen.  When she arrived she stated her preference to dance with me, and so it happened!  This very unfortunately meant that Andrea and I would not be dancing together, and I could see she was dissapointed.  I found another male dancer who had not so far had a partner and paired them together.

From that point on the day changed very much for me.  Natasha and I began practicing our dance steps, and I started forming a strategy of what we would do that would look best on camera.  Then, the sound man came by and fixed me up with a microphone so that if the camera caught me saying something, it could be included on the audio track.  The costume guy came by repeatedly throughout the rest of the day, either to change my tie, fix my shoes or jacket, give me a handkerkcheif, as so forth.  Throughout the staff and extras, people began saying my name more frequently and asking me questions about how to handle certain things with the dance.

To give an idea of what this scene looked like, we were in a rectangular hall with a high ceiling about two stories in the air.  At one end of the hall there was the band stage.  Five Chinese players and one Westerner drummer pantomimed their music to the playback which came over a loud stereo system.  Behing the band were three very pretty Chinese girls standing on platforms, making poses and changing their positions occasionally  The center of the room was dominated by a wooden dance floor, which held about 30 people dancing.  At the edges of the floor were several small tables with chairs, all of which were occupied by people in costume - some sailors, some businessmen, many taxi dancers, and so forth.  And a few people were standing about, either a sailor talking to a pretty girl or several waiters who moved about.  At the end of the room opposite the band was the bar, staffed with several barkeepers and the bar manager.

Amongst all of this was the big crane which held the camera.  I don't know what you call it, but it was about the size of a small construction work machine.  It was like a big metal see-saw, on one end was a cage which held the camera and cameraman.  On the other end was a massive counter-balance, and on its base were four rubber tires.  It moved up and down and rotated by means of people holding the counter-balance side and moving it about by hand.  And the whole thing could be pushed backwards and forwards on its wheels.  This camera crane moved in sweeping motions during the dancing scenes.  It was a very solid metal contraption.  You had to take care not to be in its path when it came near!

Natasha and I went through our dance steps.  There was a lot of down-time.  We only got one filmed rehearsal scene completed before lunch.

Returning from lunch, we ended up shooting the same scene about six or seven times.  The people all danced on the floor, and the camera swept from the band, across the air to where Natasha and I were dancing, and into the table where Ralph Feines and another actor were sitting.  When the camera reached his position, the audio playback stopped and their did their dialogue.  Then, once that was finished the camera crane pulled back again and the music began and we all danced again.

This was shot in several times from at least three different positions.

By the end of the day, I was getting dangerously hungry.  I can deal with being tired, but if I get hungry there's just nothing I can do.  I could not find anyone to bring me any food and I did not want to leave the set because it would disrupt the work.  So I just did as best I could.

Natasha is a very nice person.  We had a few lines of improvised dialogue during our dancing, which may or may not be used during the final movie.  But the camera passed by us every time before it went to the actors' dialogue, so if the scene is used at all in the movie it is guaranteed that I will appear in the movie.

Between takes I went and talked to as many people as I could.  I met the guy who is doing the music, and we talked about doing some sort of swing dancing video for a jazz album he has been working on.  I talked with the director James Ivory a few times but tried to limit my contact so as not to be a nuisance during a very busy working day.

There was also a publicity photographer there, taking pictures for the movie.  Natasha and I were in a lot of these photos, and later the photog staged a picture with everyone dancing behind us and Natasha and I doing various still poses in dancing.  That was pretty cool, too.

It was soon 6pm, and I was getting hungry.  I asked Natasha, How long will this go?  And she said, Sometimes these things go very long, 16 hour days.  It was so cool to be chit-chatting!

It all wrapped up at 730pm.  By the time we got out of costume, it was past 8pm.

That was yesterday.

 

Today was not a filming day, but very interesting nonetheless.  A choreographer from New York was coming into town today, and we had a lesson with Natasha and Ralph scheduled.  I arranged to attend this with my dance partner.  In the morining I met with the music guy to pick up the soundtrack samples.  Then I went to the hotel where the stars were staying and waited for them to arrive.  I was very conscious that the professional choreographer may feel put off by our attendance, so I made it clear up front that this was her show, and we were present merely to offer whatever advice we might and to report the dance scene back to the extras to better prepare them.  This went over very well and we ended up cooperating just fine.

 

Natasha and Ralph both showed up and we said hello.  I had seen Ralph yesterday on the set, but I had not made any attempt to approach him since he appeared very occupied.  Now we were all meeting semi-privately for an hour or so of dance instruction.  I can tell you, this never would have happened back when I lived in Los Angeles!

 

The choreographer went ahead and told her vision of what she wanted the two to do together.  Andrea and I basically sat back and let her do her thing.  We two talked and agreed upon suggestions, then gave them to the choreographer first asking if in her judgement it was a good idea.  She was quite open to our suggestions, especially in the area of partner dance where we actually did have some good contributions.  Amongst the other things we did that day, I recommended to Ralph Feines a method to perform a dip and the way to spin a lady out of a cuddle-hold position.

 

About ten minutes into all of this, the director James Ivory also showed up and watched the entire rehearsal.  This was also very cool, of course.  The thing about this dance instruction which was different from all others I've ever done, is that the dancers actually stayed in character and performed their lines before and during the dance.  It was really an amazing treat.  Ralph is a stunning actor.  He plays a blind man, and he delivered his lines and even improvised accidentally bumping into people while on the floor.  It was breathtaking to watch him, and I really got a true understanding of why he looks so good on film.

 

Finally we ended for the session.  The actors left and the rest of us spent a few minutes talking with the director about what scenes we were filming over the next few days and what sort of dancing he wanted the extras to perform for the remaining dance scenes.

 

Then I headed out, got lunch, got home, and passed out into a very deep sleep!  We film tomorrow at 515am, and for the next four days.

 

I couldn't help but think today when I got home, how this time really must be included in the 'good' experiences in my life.  Just a few weeks ago I was really running out of steam and having thoughts of hanging it up for the dancing in Shanghai, and now this.  In a sense, I find this blog a motivating thing for me.  No matter what happens, good or bad, I can write it down and at least a handful of people will read it and think about it.  It makes going through the experience 'count' more for something.

 

Peace,

-J