Gotta say... I already decided I wanted to come to France. I desperately looked for film-related work or an internship while I was in Prague and low-and-behold, my favorite sounding (based on the research I did) production company wanted me!
Monkey Bay Productions
They're currently doing a TV Doc series about (I'm going to copy and paste this from the emails I have been writing to possibly Location Managers abroad) renowned chef Georgiana Viou going from town to town, demonstrating to families that under conditions of daily life (with little time and not necessarily a lot of means) they can improve their diet. And eat mostly local.
Based on the sentinel network of Slow Food (which ensures the preservation and improvement of biodiversity), on leaders who love their land and passionate producers, Georgiana proves that an every day meal can be delicious, cheap and in line with the local diet and seasons.
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| Georgiana - Chef |
Which I had read about online and was intrigued by the topic anyway.
My job would entail being their international communications liason in a way. The main form of communication between the countries they would film in would be English, and since my English is pretty good they said it was fine that I couldn't speak French... Which is why not many other companies offered me jobs in Marseille... Where I've recently learned very few speak English... compared to other parts of Europe.
My first day of work was probably my most exciting.
It was the last day of shooting the pilot in Marseille. They had spent all morning shooting on a fishing boat and I came "aboard" when they docked and sold fish in the fish market on Vieux Port... The idea is that, in the show, she goes to local food producers (such as fishermen) and teaches the audience about how good and easy it is to buy locally. This is more what I was used to. I'm used to working on sets... not in offices (which is what I will be doing).
However, it's quite different than an American shoot. Mostly because while they all can speak English, there's no reason for them to speak English to one another on my behalf. So I stood quietly for the most part... watching... Either way, I'd never helped with a documentary before, so it was all new and exciting!
We then went on to shoot a short stint of her walking down a boating dock introducing the episode and the city.
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| Shooting on the Vieux Port |
After that we shot at Georgiana's cooking atelier. Small restaurant with a massive kitchen she teaches classes in. (I later went to her party she throws every friday where she serves Tapas she's made)
We shot the opening to the episode. Which I actually got to help out with. I love being on film shoots. While I've been told I'd be a good producer and am good at finding out information and making connections and whatnot... I REALLY REALLY love being on film shoots.
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| Talk about Laid Back.... Camera Man was drinking wine during the shoot which everyone approved of... |
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| Don't mind the lens scratch |
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| Oh yeah... I got to eat that lovely Lamb |
This spring semester I got special permission from the in-house lighting guy to use his lighting board (no one else in previous years has gotten to do that) :) and one day I was pre-lighting and was absolutely giddy for the next 12 hours afterwards from the environment and the fact that I was lighting and felt like I really knew what I was doing... I designed stuff and was told by the "professionals" that I was really good and we worked together as if I knew as well as they did how to light. I have a knack for lighting I guess???
And on-set friendships are so much fun...
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| The first big feature I ever worked in the lighting department on over a year ago... So much fun obviously |
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