Hello!

Another Sunday another post.

Hope all is going well with you!

As for me this has been one of the most intense weeks of my professional film career. Heat, desert and sun is something else. I have survived and so did the most of us, but as I keep saying, more like a mantra than anything else: “I am robust”. There are few more changes to our shooting schedule as of the end of the week so it makes me feel a little more hopeful for the future. I have decided to take some time off after this job and spend the whole of August catching up on real life or more like creating one. That part of my life has been in a bit of a decline lately, but you know, no regrets.

In other news, a dear friend of mine who I haven’t seen for few years now has invited me to attend her wedding in Italy this August, so I am super excited that I will be able to make it. Well this is actually a part of a real life I want, friends and be part of their lives.

Anyway, enough about that. Fun in the desert continues and although it feels like the end is near it isn’t. As I was being driven from the supermarket today through the desert I was just looking out the window thinking how lucky we are to be here, working without masks and having social time after work. Time to time I am being made aware that Covid19 is still very much present in the world, but I am just so grateful that it doesn’t reach us here as much. We are in the bubble and in a way I am clinging to stay in it just that bit longer. 

All the best to you all! Stay healthy and safe. LOVE!

***

Monday. Today for me went rather quick. We were going through a number of different scenes so I haven’t even noticed when the time to wrap almost came. We ended up going into overtime for an extra hour. It was also a very very hot day. My iPad kept giving me warning high temperature messages every few minutes if I didn’t put it in a cooler bag. Pretty crazy actually. In the end two of our colleagues got heat strokes. One of them I saw laying on the ground with our medic next to him as I was walking home. That just isn’t normal. Technology says no, but production says yes so we keep working. It is a bit ridiculous isn’t it? I am glad that my body is used to managing high temperatures as I have worked in hot countries before. I am lucky, but also kinda sad, that they are willing to work us to the ground.

Tuesday. Another hot day on set another casualty. This time it was our camera operator. He literally collapsed while still wearing his steady cam gear, if you remember that’s the one which weights at least 30 kg. well… there is something I have noticed as well, once the temperature goes above 40 Celsius it feels like the body just wants to go to sleep. There were moments when I was sitting down in front of my monitors with my head just going down and jerking back up as if I was suddenly awoken, I am pretty sure in those shorts moments off sleep I had dreams too. Crazy. It is kinda like when you dive under water and reach the certain depth the brain, due to all the water pressure just goes into this drunk state and you can’t help it. You become irrational and well that’s how divers die. I wonder if there is this certain level of temperature when the body will just go into the loopy mode and we start doing irrational things harming ourselves. Only time will tell I suppose. Apparently next week should get to 48 Celsius… Something to look forward to… For now it is goodnight from me. Kisses.

Wednesday. Another day, 3 more casualties. 2 bare arms boys went home after the first take as they were not feeling well since the day before and my script supervising colleague. She wasn’t that bad, but there was not much for her to do and getting rest in our working conditions is always a good idea. We managed to complete almost everything before lunch and after it we were blasted with a massive sand storm. That was something. Luckily once again I could hide in my 4 by 4 car/ video village. After work we had a little sit down with colleagues and I went home to scrub myself off all the sand. Luckily my room wasn’t that affected by storm. Phew.. Also I did something different in the evening, I made myself a very nice cup of tea which I got as a present from one of the camera boys in London before leaving. Super fresh camomile. Usually not a big fan, but it was actually really very good. I sat in our little courtyard which has a carriage and sipped on it meditatively. It was beautiful. The stormy wind was blowing, the tea was warming my hands and my sweatpants my bum. Having a good cup of tea when feeling clean is the next level joy I can ask for really. Ah yes also I was listening to some cinematic chill out music from my Spotify playlist. I feel good. About to hit the bed now. Stay safe and healthy everyone. Love!

Thursday. Work work work. Hot hot hot. We were doing day for nights today, which meant that actors were dressed in coats and hats for the cold desert night, but we were filming in the scorching heat. Yea… Great idea. There is a technical aspect to it as to why we had to do it. But still.

Friday. Our lead actor got a heatstroke yesterday. Todays schedule had to be changed completely, which in a way made it for a rather more interesting day. It was hot, but locations were beautiful. We shot the last scene of the series today and it always feels rather exciting to me. Second half of the day also went by quickly and I felt a bit like I was getting a heat stroke too, I drank so much water while sitting in the air-conditioned car that I had to run to pee. First time I went to the bathroom while on set here. Crazy! But also funny, because usually I just sweat so much out that, I never need a loo. Anyway. In the evening I was feeling a bit like a woman I am and put on a dress I haven’t worn before. As I arrived to meet my colleagues for few drinks was told that because our lead is unwell the production decided to give us an extra day off on Sunday. Hallelujah!!

Saturday. There was a bit of a party last night so today I was relaxing. Mostly by the pool playing in the water and learning how to dive head first. Yes I am rather afraid of it, since I have once hit a head diving like that as a child. Fear aside I was good. I have lost a lot of weight though, but so as everyone really, that’s how intense our job is. Ah also we did a little “pool watch” video with our colleagues so that was kinda fun. Also there is another crew here, we call then an Italian job, as most of them are from Italy I think, although the show they are making is for US. Fun fun fun.

Sunday. Another quiet day. Did a trip to the supermarket and now I fell like I am stocked up for another month. Well it seems that we will be staying in the desert for an extra week so it will all come in handy. After all the drama and people feeling unwell during the week the production decided to care for us more, or so I hope as this extra added time will take some pressure off. Good week in the end with a good full two day weekend. Could not have asked for me.

Highlights:

  • I was thinking a lot about my colleague who I have found on the floor the other day. It is not really a happy highlight, but I don’t think I have ever held someones hand, when that person was saying “don’t let me die, I do not want to die” It has left quite a mark on me. 
  • Desert winds. Makes you think about life a LOT.
  • Desert heat. Does some wondrous things to your brain and body. 
  • Had my first Sahara period this week. Interestingly.. (Oh by the way don’t read it if you are a bit squeamish.) BUT, it seems that because I am rather dehydrated, even though I drink tons of water and sweet it all out, it also affects the blood flow. There just isn’t any really…
  • Did some headstands this week. One of the days had ice cream after work and it gave me a bit of a sugar rush and energy to do them after work. It has been a long time, but I nailed it, pretty happy about that.
  • Desert road trips. Magic.

Cheers with a glass full of sandy and rather hot elephant!