Day Report â€" Film Site Locating
Today, Tony and myself took a film company (well, producer and assistant producer) to Wrysgan Slate mine as they had contacted me to ask if I knew of suitable location for a scene in the film â€" the scene requiring an underground chamber with a shaft of light. I considered there were several such chambers at the top of Wrysgan so off we went.
Upon arriving at the Cwmorthin car park we were met with a torrent of rain and an icy blast of wind which, together, made me wonder why I would ever want to walk up a hill again in my life. :huh:
The film crew unloaded equipment which made my pocket camera look like a small, cardboard cut out of a child’s drawing. They also unveiled a large, mud encrusted sword which was to be the centre piece for some trailer shots and publicity shots. Great care had been taken to encrust the sword with mud which was now dry and I did have to wonder how this was to survive the journey up to the mine without the rain washing off the mud. Now loaded with bags, equipment, cameras and a sword â€" we began the adventure upwards.
My waterproofs worked fine and the water failed to get in. Tony’s waterproofs and the filmers waterproofs didn’t work quite so well on account of none of them having any which I considered was regrettable but not as regrettable as they considered it to be. :S
The walk up to the mine was arduous especially as I was certain my ears had been frozen off but my feet remained intact and we arrived at the lower entrance. I asked Flynn (the producer) if he wanted to go in the bottom and work up inside the mine but he said he would prefer to continue upwards to the top chambers. His colleague (loaded with the most heaviest of all the equipment) loudly proclaimed him to be a b4stard :evil: and we did, indeed, continue upwards in the heavy rain and wind.
We arrived at the top adit soaked (well I was ok on account of being a smart arse but the other three were a little “soggyâ€) and found that the equipment had survived the journey upwards and we now had a partially clean sword (as I suspected) :whistle:
We wandered only a short distance before Flynn found exactly what he wanted and the crew began to set up “stuff†to take some trailer clips and publicity shots. After a short time I decided to wander off with Tony to explore the top part of the mine â€" having got to the end of the first short tunnel I said to Tony that I would nip back and tell them that we had sodded off for 10mins. I was gone, literally 30 seconds and I returned to find Tony lying down on his back on the floor not moving much. I said “having a lay down huh?†and his reply was that he had made a tw4t of himself and fallen over â€" can’t leave someone for even 30 seconds can I ? He was fine except for his butties in his backpack which had been flattened in a way that was totally unimaginable. :sick:
Tony and I explored the top part of the mine and did return within ten minutes whereupon I found the assistant but I could not see Flynn. I asked where he was and he pointed straight in front of me but I still could not see him until I looked at the floor and saw him lying down in the rocks. I thought “not again†(well, words to that effect). Actually he was taking shots of the sword from some rather odd angles. :side:
After moving a camera up and down on some small, portable rails (gliding plate?) we set off down into the mine to explore the chambers for another scene.
I had previously explained that the mine was used by outdoor pursuit centres and that sometimes a group of 20 or more could be found wandering around.
We scrambled down the first chamber which was tough with all the equipment (and a large sword) and saw, some way below, a large party of supervised children. Joy. On arriving at our next level we found ourselves one level above the other group who had decided to take camp right underneath the path down which uses a rope to assist descent. I was the first to arrive at the top and a female in charge shouted wildly at me to point my lamp in another direction :angry: as the children all had their lights off (I presume for a ghost story or something). Tony arrived next and was half present at the time. The assistant (Geoff) arrived next but was not aware of the command to turn his light away and when I asked him to he instinctively looked down at the group to see why. This resulted in an immediate and much increased decibelled bollocking of the woman in charge. Geoff was, shall we say, “irritated†:angry: :angry: :angry: Flynn arrived and was told by Geoff what had happened and Flynn decided he would like to decapitate them with his sword. We wondered if we could get away with it. :dry:
I announced our route down was right by the group but since we had been bollocked into not using lamps we decided to wander off and explore elsewhere (with lots of muttered threats). On returning some 15 minutes later, the obvious happened. We were met at the top of the rope assist by the woman who had done all the shouting but whom initially ignored us. This would have been fine if it was not for the fact that a party of 30 people, mostly children, had just begun an ascent up the slope in single fashion. More joy. :S
Busted by circumstance and the clear workings of some dark magic, we decided to sit it out and have our lunch. I had carried Geoff’s lunch for him in my bag so I handed everything to him. Quite delightfully, once he had finished it, he handed me back his rubbish which he no longer required. I thought that was a very nice gesture. :kiss:
Once again the very obvious happened insofar as we finished our lunch a long time before the children (who were chattering incessantly) had all got up the rope assist and we had to wait longer â€" it felt like 15 years. Having finally all got up â€" we began to go down â€" I went first lugging some awkward equipment and I noticed a glove at the bottom of the rope. At the same moment I recall hearing a distant voice complaining that they had left a glove and the woman who had bollocked us offered to retrieve it. I bent down and with the only hand I had free (which was holding the rope) I picked up the glove and as I turned around to pass it up the rope I was met with the sight of a woman falling down the slope heading straight at me having failed to grasp the rope properly. I realised there was a God after all :evil: and as she came to a crumpled rest at my feet I handed her the glove. In fairness, she did make a gallant effort to persuade the group that she had simply took a quick way down â€" this effort was not entirely successful.
We plodded on and downwards in the mine until we reached the first level where we could hear voices in the distance â€" of course, we had to investigate. Tramping through fire and water (well, there was no fire) we made our way to the terminal chamber which was rigged for SRT and occupied by another group of people â€" this time the children were a little older and all kitted up to do SRT. We approached the bloke who was clearly the supervisor and I thought I recognised him. Flynn announced we were scouting locations for a film and the bloke looked puzzled. I said I thought I knew him but he did not seem to know me. I asked him if he was at the mines access group meeting in Betws a few months ago and he said he was â€" that is where I knew him from. After I told him I was the one making a fuss he acknowledged and said “oh yes, you’re Ianâ€. I had hoped for a slightly more dramatic entrance but fate and cheap Cornish pasties are both often cruel.
At that moment, I spied a yellow glint in a chunk of quartz on the floor by his feet. Upon lifting the rock we both confirmed quickly that it was fool’s gold. The children became very excitable and all tried to lay claim to the rock demanding that they saw it first and that they wanted to take it home. The bloke protested it was not real gold but this did not persuade the children who intensified their desire to take the rock home â€" we left at the precise moment and could hear the protestations for some time afterwards. :whistle: :whistle: :whistle:
Upon arriving at the light we gathered our wits and took a short break. Again I noticed a yellow shimmer in a chunk of quartz which, as there were no large crowds of rabid children, I decided to break open. The rock fell apart perfectly in exactly the spot the fool’s gold was in. Unfortunately, the actual pyrites buggered of at a tangent probably landing several yards away leaving me with two halves of the quartz with only a tiny amount of the fool’s gold in each. :S
Our day was now ending and we headed back down carrying bags, equipment, cameras, a sword and Geoff’s left over lunch packets.
I understand that the actual filming of that scene(s) will take place on the 2nd July.
Until then .....
;)
Ian
Classic :lol: :lol: :lol:
chuckle :-)
Fantastic story Ian!
Dare I ask - any pictures?
What will the film be?
I have asked for some pictures but they declined :(
... The film is about two adventure/thrill seekers in Snowdonia - white water rafting, climbing and all sorts of danger stuff - they end up on an island where things go wrong and the final scenes are in a cavern (which is what I was up to). I don't know any more than that :huh:
It's all quite exciting though :)
Ian
LOL, nice write up. I'm guessing it will be a low budget film.
I am sure you are right Dan .. no Hollywood actors on the payroll but Flynn was mightily enthusiatic and the guys knew their stuff :)
well hopfully we'll find out what it's called, then we can watch and say "I've been there"
great story, looking forward to see the actual film.
Out of interest Ian, was the outdoor leader tom?
I dont think i will ever go to wrysgan again, too many kids!
I don't know Joel - he didn't give me his name before the onset of wild kids :dry:
The Teaser Trailer ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypF_2HAPars&feature=plcp
:angry: :angry: :angry: WTF:angry: :angry: :angry:
Angry .... why ?
[quote="Ian" post=7275]Angry .... why ?[/quote]
THATS TO MUCH OF A TEASE. soz!!
i was expecting more. much more
oh ye and it's a SHIT title. (think iv'e been hanging round with :angry: marty to much:whistle: )
You are definately in a bad mood :unsure: The shot is one taken from Wrsygan and I thought it was pretty effective. The Producer (Flynn) did specifically say he wanted "that" shot and we looked at numerous locations in the mine to find the right one and then he spent ages with various bits of tech kit. We were out for most of the day scouting for locations for other scenes and to get the footage for that ONE scene - it's easy to see how big Hollywood films can cost so much money to make :blink:
has he had permission from the landowner to film in there ?
[quote="mike leahy" post=7276][quote="Ian" post=7275]Angry .... why ?[/quote]
THATS TO MUCH OF A TEASE. soz!!
i was expecting more. much more
oh ye and it's a SHIT title. (think iv'e been hanging round with :angry: marty to much:whistle: )[/quote]Im at a loss with this one ...I cannot find words to describe how im feeling about that trailer .:ohmy:
[quote="martymarty" post=7279]has he had permission from the landowner to film in there ?[/quote]
You can't help yourself can you ? :silly:
I imagine he has because .... when he first approached me for locations he specifically asked who the landowners were. I suggested Wrysgan (for the open chamber) and Cwmorthin for the better, entombed chamber(s). I was able to give him Miles's details for Cwmorthin and he did contact him. I don't know the landowner for Wrysgan and he was dealing with that himself.
The underground scenes are only a few minutes of the film and he has locations all over Snowdonia and I am sure the issue of permission is something in the forefront of his mind the whole time - it was the first question he asked me when I made the suggestions.
Happy now ? B)
Or, should I point out it is none of your business ? :huh:
Ian
[quote="Ian" post=7281]
Or, should I point out it is none of your business ? :huh:
Ian[/quote]
:lol: :lol: :lol: funny as f**k :lol: :lol:
you might get a bashing next time you see farty marty :whistle: :whistle:
:kiss:
[quote="Ian" post=7281][quote="martymarty" post=7279]has he had permission from the landowner to film in there ?[/quote]
You can't help yourself can you ? :silly:
I imagine he has because .... when he first approached me for locations he specifically asked who the landowners were. I suggested Wrysgan (for the open chamber) and Cwmorthin for the better, entombed chamber(s). I was able to give him Miles's details for Cwmorthin and he did contact him. I don't know the landowner for Wrysgan and he was dealing with that himself.
The underground scenes are only a few minutes of the film and he has locations all over Snowdonia and I am sure the issue of permission is something in the forefront of his mind the whole time - it was the first question he asked me when I made the suggestions.
Happy now ? B)
Or, should I point out it is none of your business ? :huh:
Ian[/quote]hmm i think i'll ask elsie little what the sketch is then ..she seems to have the answers for everything lately regarding mine access.
I think Marty is being incredibly silly.
John you really dont understand the relationship Ian and I have while talking on forums ...so who's the silly billy now then.
[quote="martymarty" post=7298]John you really dont understand the relationship Ian and I have while talking on forums ...so who's the silly billy now then.[/quote]
Uh oh, you're not going to drown my sorry 4rse in the foul pits of a mine again are you ? :S
Marty,
I am quite sure that we could all do without your silly stuff with Ian on the UCET members arena. Especially as UCET (and Ian in particular), campaigns for open and congenial access to the underworld where ever possible.
The impression I have is that UCET positively encourages people to come into cave and mine exploration. Bella and I have benefitted enormously from the help and encouragement given by Ian and other UCET members - too many to list. This does not seem to be the prevailing attitude of other caving groups.
In my view your constant gritting about Ian's activities does not help to implement or progress better open access to the underworld. As I have said before, if you want to make personal comments to Ian on technical issues then kindly do so by way of a Private Message.
This is an open forum and I am a paid up member and I will do what the fuck I want ..If you dont like it go away and join UK Caving. I will change for no one ..Ok?
Sadly, even more silly.
now now boy's don't make me BANG YOUR HEADS TOGETHER peace and love man. peace and love
Sadly, very weird,
ohh no, my sides are splitting. Marty - important stuff, wheres this baby???
John, Don't worry - marty and ian have a very 'special' relationship really and its all good banter.
Not only that, the rumours are that Marty (some times know as Maria) and Ian are a bit of an item and in their private life Ian definitely wears the trousers ;-)
:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
:whistle:
Just for John
http://www.ucet.org.uk/index.php/forum/36-ian-vs-marty
:cheer:
Hahah thanks JohnO :lol: