I am 10 years old and am in the middle of filming a part in a film. The week before that, I was away in Birmingham filming an episode of a TV series called Doctors. I have filmed before on location for films (in Bulgaria) and commercials, but I thought I would write about the film I am doing.
This has begun filming in the Isle of Mann, which is only an hour away from London by plane and to get there we had to go on a propeller plane from City Airport, which was cool, but mum didn't like it. A nice car picked us up and took us to the airport and another nice car picked us up at the other end. We were taken to the Hotel, which was across the road from the beach. The first AD, [Assistant Director] called to say hello and said a car would bring us to set the next day so I could do some more costume checks and see hair and make-up.
When you go on location you can spend a long time on set and when you are not on set you can hang around the island and see the sites. It can be a bit boring at the hotel because you don't have all your things with you but luckily I had my book and gameboy. Mum bought lots of games like Connect 4, which we also played on set between shots.
A picture we took of the set.
When you are on location you can't wander around in case you get in the way but they gave me a trailer if I wanted it or I played with other kids that were around. It isn't nice having to go backwards and forwards to the shoot but unlike a studio there is often not a lot of space.
Everyone was really nice especially the wardrobe people and they let me use their computer when they wern't busy. All the actors were nice and the director is really nice she explains what she wants me to do and where to stand and look. You do the same scenes loads of times from different angles so they are always moving the camera and lights, and costume and makeup are always checking to see you look right. After every scene they take photos, which they say, are for reference in case they need to reshoot anything.
I think in some ways being on location can be fun going to restaurants to eat every night and seeing new places but at the same time it is nice to be at home at night with family and all your things around you.
I still have more filming to do but it will be in England so I don't think we will stay in a hotel again. Some of the filming will be at night and that will be really fun if I can stay awake!
(Name witheld at parents request) September 2004
