Thank You to the Cast and Crew

Well, its is really hard to believe how much time has passed since our last communication but at thesame time it is also amazing how many things have been achieved. Yes we have finished shooting Belladonna. And yes we did have a wrap party but unfortunately after half a glass of champagne on an exhausted empty stomach I was unable to make the thank you speech that really should have been made, so here it is: Belladonna has been with me for almost 3 years now, and each stage of its conception has given me the opportunity to not only learn practical skills but also to live with the question of what it is that life means to me? and how do I make it count? This question sat quietly beside me during the solitary writing stage. The quite moments, of wondering what the character will say next, while having a cup of tea and being delighted by the silence. The preproduction part although a little different because of the huge responsibility of making that vision come to life through practical application of money, people, deals, time, was still a pretty solitary time as Marcus and I did most of the planning. Then comes the production where that solo vision that has meant everything is handed over to the collective ie cast and crew. It is incredibly scary because it means so much but also incredibly exhilirating because it means so much. And in a way the film makes itself. No matter how much control and ultimate planning comes into play the momentum takes over and the skills of all the people involved come together to make the work. I really understand why Hitchcock was so obsessive about shot lists and left nothing to chance, as wonderful as the idea of that ultimate control sounds to me the magic moments are the once that are not planned, that slip between the lines of conventions. It is that space between breaths, where there is that gap. That delicious gap that transforms the daily lives we bring to set into the moment where action is called, and the image is forever created by that exact moment. And just like in an orchestra where every instrument is equally important, where the violin being slightly out of tune has such a profound effect on the music or the timpany player suddenly increases the tempo of the piece. I think film making is the most beautiful and painful experience one can have. I feel eternally grateful to all the cast,crew, support team and the extras who came on this journey with us .Who dedicated their time, effort and especially intention to make this film. It really is the highest and finest quality that we as humans have and my faith in the ultimate goodness in humans has once again been demonstrated. This experience is deeply etched in my being and gives me the energy and passion to continue to bring together 'families' of people who want to make something together. To participate in the field of creativity where there is freedom to imprint maybe just very 'very softly' a new way of doing things and thinking about life.
Annika