Two Pictures a Day in Amman

Semaine 5
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by Gilles Porte -  AFC newsletter n°245

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Gilles Porte, AFC, et Samuel Lahu, son assistant opérateur, sont actuellement en tournage en Jordanie. Ils se sont accordés pour nous envoyer chaque jour deux extraits du journal en images qu’ils tiennent quotidiennement sur le film 3000 Nights, réalisé par Mai Masri. Découvrez les images de leur cinquième semaine passée à Amman.
A flower for Ruti - On the desk belonging to the director of the prison (Ruti), there is a flower… All the members of the design team (Nizar N., Moussa B., Hussein B., Abdallah B., Rami A.) are standing at attention to present this casting choice to Mai… I wonder how Jean Renoir chose his geranium in <i>La Grande illusion</i>... <i>(Gilles, June Wednesday 25</i>)
A flower for Ruti
On the desk belonging to the director of the prison (Ruti), there is a flower… All the members of the design team (Nizar N., Moussa B., Hussein B., Abdallah B., Rami A.) are standing at attention to present this casting choice to Mai… I wonder how Jean Renoir chose his geranium in La Grande illusion... (Gilles, June Wednesday 25)


The prison directors's office - Zarqa, set of the prison directors's office, Mai, the director, and Ruti, in her lead rôle. <i>(Samuel, June Wednesday 25)</i>
The prison directors’s office
Zarqa, set of the prison directors’s office, Mai, the director, and Ruti, in her lead rôle. (Samuel, June Wednesday 25)


"3000 Nights", 58C take 2 - <strong>58. INT. Prison Direcor's office, Day</strong><br class='manualbr' />Layal is standing in Ruti's office looking nervous. Ruti is writing something on a piece of paper. Layal stares at her pen and the open box of books on the desk.<br class='manualbr' />- <strong>Ruti</strong> : <i>It's too late, you can't have an abortion now. I recommend that you put the baby up for adoption…</i> (Holding up the piece of paper) <i>I can arrange the papers…</i><br class='manualbr' />Layal looks up in alarm.<br class='manualbr' />- <strong>Layal</strong> : <i>What papers?!</i> (Gilles, June Thursday 26)
"3000 Nights", 58C take 2
58. INT. Prison Direcor’s office, Day
Layal is standing in Ruti’s office looking nervous. Ruti is writing something on a piece of paper. Layal stares at her pen and the open box of books on the desk.
- Ruti : It’s too late, you can’t have an abortion now. I recommend that you put the baby up for adoption… (Holding up the piece of paper) I can arrange the papers…
Layal looks up in alarm.
- Layal : What papers?! (Gilles, June Thursday 26)


Zarqa - Noor and Hanna - Noor, and Hanna the director's daughters — both Palestinian — dressed as Israeli soldiers. <i>(Samuel, June 26)</i>
Zarqa - Noor and Hanna
Noor, and Hanna the director’s daughters — both Palestinian — dressed as Israeli soldiers. (Samuel, June 26)


No women, no cries... - At the end of the week, Ossama stopped by the side of the road to buy some crockery for his new home… He privately told me that we wouldn't be seeing KK, our location manager, again… Our “Rastaman” was called to Germany on an emergency two days ago because his future wife told him she was fed up dealing with the wedding ceremony all by herself — it is supposed to take place three days after the last day of shooting! <i>iPhone (Gilles, June Friday 27)</i>
No women, no cries...
At the end of the week, Ossama stopped by the side of the road to buy some crockery for his new home… He privately told me that we wouldn’t be seeing KK, our location manager, again… Our “Rastaman” was called to Germany on an emergency two days ago because his future wife told him she was fed up dealing with the wedding ceremony all by herself — it is supposed to take place three days after the last day of shooting! iPhone (Gilles, June Friday 27)


Zarqa - End of the week - After the backups, we're the last people to leave the set this Friday with Anton, it's the end of a long week, and tonight is the “last party before Ramadan”. <i>(Samuel, June Friday 27)</i>
Zarqa - End of the week
After the backups, we’re the last people to leave the set this Friday with Anton, it’s the end of a long week, and tonight is the “last party before Ramadan”. (Samuel, June Friday 27)


Day off... - I go back to Wadi Rum once again... In a petrol station, I ask a Bedouin if I can take his portrait… Being photogenic definitely doesn't depend on the light! <i>(Gilles, June Saturday 28)</i>
Day off...
I go back to Wadi Rum once again... In a petrol station, I ask a Bedouin if I can take his portrait… Being photogenic definitely doesn’t depend on the light! (Gilles, June Saturday 28)


Amman - Obviously the mornings after the “last party before Ramadan” aren't the most brilliant. <i>(Samuel, June Saturday 28)</i>
Amman
Obviously the mornings after the “last party before Ramadan” aren’t the most brilliant. (Samuel, June Saturday 28)


Sam, the King and the Queen... - A piece of camera equipment (the Raw recorder) broke down despite being under the protection of the King and Queen… In the end, Samuel got everything in order, and the King and Queen stayed attached in their rightful place… Nowadays cameras are digital and so full of electronics that when a problem occurs, the fear of not being able to sort it out by oneself is real, especially when the production has decided not to bring a spare camera body along… <i>(Gilles, June Sunday 29)</i>
Sam, the King and the Queen...
A piece of camera equipment (the Raw recorder) broke down despite being under the protection of the King and Queen… In the end, Samuel got everything in order, and the King and Queen stayed attached in their rightful place… Nowadays cameras are digital and so full of electronics that when a problem occurs, the fear of not being able to sort it out by oneself is real, especially when the production has decided not to bring a spare camera body along… (Gilles, June Sunday 29)


Zarqa - Fred and Maïssa - Return to the set, 11 a.m., we're three hours behind schedule today and we still haven't begun shooting. Fred, the first AD has begun drinking Red Bull. Maïssa, the lead female role, is always in perfect form. <i>(Samuel, June Sunday 29)</i>
Zarqa - Fred and Maïssa
Return to the set, 11 a.m., we’re three hours behind schedule today and we still haven’t begun shooting. Fred, the first AD has begun drinking Red Bull. Maïssa, the lead female role, is always in perfect form. (Samuel, June Sunday 29)


Syrine, with the hand-held camera - My daughter Syrine is joining me in Jordan for ten days despite the fact that I won't have much time to spend with her (two days off)… When I congratulate her for her very good marks this year in 6<sup class="typo_exposants">th</sup> grade, she answers that she will never “work in the movies” later on so that she doesn't have to impose her absences on her family… This year, I have worked on four feature films as “director of photography” including one in Haiti, another in Normandy, and another in Paris… All during summer holidays! <i>iPhone (Gilles, June Monday 30)</i>
Syrine, with the hand-held camera
My daughter Syrine is joining me in Jordan for ten days despite the fact that I won’t have much time to spend with her (two days off)… When I congratulate her for her very good marks this year in 6th grade, she answers that she will never “work in the movies” later on so that she doesn’t have to impose her absences on her family… This year, I have worked on four feature films as “director of photography” including one in Haiti, another in Normandy, and another in Paris… All during summer holidays! iPhone (Gilles, June Monday 30)


Zarqa - Maïssa, from feet to head - Set of Layal's cell, Maïssa is in character from head to foot, here between two shots. The days are rather starting to resemble one another. <i>(Samuel, June Monday 30)</i>
Zarqa - Maïssa, from feet to head
Set of Layal’s cell, Maïssa is in character from head to foot, here between two shots. The days are rather starting to resemble one another. (Samuel, June Monday 30)


Int. / Female prisoner's yard / Day - So that the actresses don't suffer too much from the oppressive heat, Mai asked me to make some shade in the yard… I get together all of the canvasses and fabrics I have on hand, but I warn Mai that we're ruining what is special about this incredible set by removing the long shadows… At the end of the day, Mai makes the decision that all of the other scenes in the courtyard will be shot in full sunlight… The actresses will have to protect themselves from the sun under umbrellas! <i>iPhone (Gilles, June Tuesday 1)</i>
Int. / Female prisoner’s yard / Day
So that the actresses don’t suffer too much from the oppressive heat, Mai asked me to make some shade in the yard… I get together all of the canvasses and fabrics I have on hand, but I warn Mai that we’re ruining what is special about this incredible set by removing the long shadows… At the end of the day, Mai makes the decision that all of the other scenes in the courtyard will be shot in full sunlight… The actresses will have to protect themselves from the sun under umbrellas! iPhone (Gilles, June Tuesday 1)


Zarqa - Shadows and barbed wires - Things on set are tense. Time is passing by slowly. Anton and I are becoming pros at time lapses. <i>Photo by Anton Demerjian (Samuel, July 1)</i>
Zarqa - Shadows and barbed wires
Things on set are tense. Time is passing by slowly. Anton and I are becoming pros at time lapses. Photo by Anton Demerjian (Samuel, July 1)


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