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July 31, 2006 | 10:38 PM
…..and Cut.
Monday 31st July. 5.10 PM – ‘H’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. The eightieth and last day of principal photography today and so my last entry on this production blog.
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July 28, 2006 | 05:12 PM
Love and Exploration
Friday 28th July. 11.30 AM – ‘A’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. Our last day on a revamped A stage which has now become a room in Raleigh’s London home, Durham House. It’s also our last day with Clive and Abbie.
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The Moment of Reckoning
Thursday 27th July. 2.30 PM – ‘H’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. The final part of our fireships sequence today as a burning ship collides with a Spanish galleon.
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Juggling
Wednesday 26th July. 3.30 PM – ‘H’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. Into the full action sequences aboard our Spanish galleon today as the deadly fireships glide amongst the anchored Spanish fleet.
July 26, 2006 | 09:16 PM
Grande y Felicísima Armada
Tuesday 25th July.7.30 PM – ‘H’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. It’s time to look at the action of the Armada campaign from the other side so our ship has been redressed to become a Spanish galleon, and will be digitally altered to make it seem a little larger, as the Spanish waships were generally larger than their English equivalent.
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July 24, 2006 | 06:09 PM
A Kiss
Monday 24th July. 12.40 PM – ‘A’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. Into the last week of principal photography now and back to the private chambers on ‘A’ stage for one last visit. It is here, in a corridor just off the main atrium, that Raleigh and Bess kiss, setting in train a series of events they will be powerless to halt.
July 22, 2006 | 05:18 PM
Out of the Fire
Saturday 22th July. 11.30 PM – ‘H’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. Picking up the scene from yesterday we find Raleigh now alone on the fireship, lighting the charges before jumping from the floating bomb he has created.
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July 21, 2006 | 10:02 PM
Fireships
Friday 21th July. 4.00 PM – ‘H’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. Another change around for our multi-purpose ship as we reach the fireships sequence.
Tell England We’re Home
Thursday 20th July. 2.00 PM – ‘H’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. The Ark Royal cabin has gone and we are now back aboard the Tyger as we introduce Raleigh to the movie.
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Money Well Given
Wednesday 19th July. 4.00 PM – ‘H’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. Back on our ship today which has had the stern redressed to turn it into the Admiral’s cabin on the Ark Royal.
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July 18, 2006 | 07:32 PM
Beneath the Surface
Tuesday 18th July. 10.00 AM – ‘A’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. Our last day filming with Cate, as the Queen takes a rare bath and uses the opportunity to discuss men with Bess.
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July 17, 2006 | 08:35 PM
Wooden Worlds
Monday 17th July. 11.00 AM – ‘H’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. Finally onto the most spectacular set we have at Shepperton – a full size reconstruction of Raleigh’s ship ‘Tyger’.
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July 14, 2006 | 09:17 PM
A Dance to the Music of Time
Friday 14th July. 2.00 PM – ‘A’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. Another dance today but in a very different vein from Raleigh and Bess’ volta. Today it is the Queen who dances with Raleigh in one of the most powerful scenes in the movie.
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Mel's Blog - Love
Friday the 14th of July - Today is my last day on set. What an amazing day to finish on -- today Shekhar was definitely on fire. In only one shot, he captured what the whole film is about – a queen’s struggle in deciding whether to remain an ‘untouchable divine entity’ or to give in to her ‘human way of being’ and love and become attached to people just like everyone else.
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Mel's Blog - Dancing Flame
Wednesday, the 12th of July - Like a flame flickering in the wind, movement mesmerizes the eyes. No other director I know uses ‘movement’ like Shekhar does. The camera flows and glides throughout so many scenes giving the film a sense of the ‘playfulness’ of life.
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Mel's Blog - Spot the Detail
Tuesday, the 11th of July - The detail Shekhar chooses to incorporate into his shots always impresses me. Today there was an intimate scene between Raleigh and the Queen, however Raleigh couldn’t get too close too soon. It took quite some time for him to feel confident to stand close to Her Majesty…
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Mel's Blog - Like a Moth
Monday, 10th July 2006 - In short, today was a rather grim day. In the first half we filmed a Throckmorton devising a way to get back in favour with the Queen, then around lunchtime we watched Throckmorton being hanged on the rushes. Hmmm…not quite what I was after before lunch…but still this is the world of the film – rather extreme and unpredictable times.
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July 13, 2006 | 10:13 PM
Evil Humours
Thursday 13th July. 4.00 PM – ‘A’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. In Elizabeth’s private apartments she and Bess discuss the thorny issue of what to do with Mary Queen of Scots whilst the Queen is bled for her health.
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July 12, 2006 | 04:22 PM
The Consolation of Philosophy
Wednesday 12th July. 10.00 AM – ‘A’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. With the armada sailing Elizabeth’s reign is reaching a crisis and Raleigh finds her in her private apartments late at night, reading.
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July 11, 2006 | 11:21 PM
Death and Divinity
Tuesday 11th July. 5.30 PM – ‘A’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. Raleigh finds Elizabeth in her private quarters as she struggles with the hardest decision of her life.
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Dangerous Liaisons
Monday 10th July. 9.30 AM – ‘J’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. Power in Elizabethan England was concentrated in the hands of a very few families but this could be as dangerous for them as it was convenient.
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Mel's Blog - Dressing Up
8th of July 2006 - In the private chamber, the Queen talks to her ladies in waiting. This scene is full of giggly, feminine energy yet the queen, whilst partaking, is still very much in control and not one of the girls. This scene sets up nicely the complex and intriguing relationship between the Queen and Bess.
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Mel's Blog - Human Needs
7th of July 2006 - Raleigh announced to the Queen today that he wanted to return to the colony. The Queen displayed a great deal of vulnerability during this scene but I won’t give it away entirely! I would just like to note the way Shekhar chose to shoot this scene as I thought it was rather insightful.
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Mel's Blog - Walking in Her Shoes
6th of July 2006 - One thing that became apparent in today’s scene with the Queen, Bess and Raleigh is the tentative nature of all of the Queen’s relationships. It made me think…is it possible that someone with so much power can have true and intimate relationships with those around her?
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July 08, 2006 | 08:37 PM
Queen Elizabeth’s Wardrobe Unlock’d
Saturday 8th July. 2.30 PM – ‘A’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. Elizabeth and Bess Throckmorton discuss Raleigh and his plans for the New World.
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July 06, 2006 | 09:25 PM
Things Ancient and Modern
Thursday 6th July. 11.30 AM – ‘A’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. Raleigh tempts the queen with tales of the open ocean – a place she knows she will never see but can imagine in the pages of the books and charts that lie scattered on the floor..
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July 05, 2006 | 10:13 PM
Mel's Blog - Life in the Web
5th of July 2006 - Today I watched the rushes and appreciated even more the shots chosen by Shekhar yesterday. In particular I noted the opening and beginning shots and what was common to them both – they were both focused on the Queen.
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Mel's Blog - An Unexpected Turn
4th July 2006 - When I woke up this morning and hurried to set the last thing I would have expected was to be standing right in the middle of the dancing scene with Queen Elizabeth, Bess and Sir Walter – as an extra! Indeed for seven or so hours I was a courtly lady from the 16th century. I guess this is the magic of life – you can’t second-guess what’s going to happen next. The make up and costume were so convincing that few people in the crew recognized me… it was rather amusing.
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Mel's Blog - In the Heart of It
3rd July 2006 - During the short time I’ve worked with Shekhar (I once assisted him on a commercial in 2002), I’ve always been aware of his commitment and connection to his actors. Today, the same commitment was apparent.
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Arrivals and Departures
Wednesday 5th July. 11.00 AM – ‘J’ and ‘B’ Stages, Shepperton Studios. Geoffrey Rush’s last day filming with us so a final chance to make sure we have all the coverage we need.
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July 04, 2006 | 07:21 PM
La Volta!
Tuesday 4th July. 9.40 PM – A Stage, Shepperton Studios. A return to the atrium of Elizabeth’s private chambers where Bess Throckmorton and Raleigh dance the volta under Elizabeth’s watchful eye.
July 03, 2006 | 08:25 PM
Lies within lies
Monday 3rd July. 2.30 PM – J Stage, Shepperton Studios. Back in the dank dungeon on J stage where Walsingham returns to interrogate the traitors.
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A Moment Alone
Friday 30th June. 12.00 PM – Petworth, West Sussex. More coverage on our riding sequence today, again in perfect weather, as Elizabeth and Raleigh catch a quiet moment together.
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A Day in the Country
Thursday 29th June. 2.00 PM – Petworth, West Sussex. The first of two days away from studio down in the park at Petworth House filming a riding sequences with Elizabeth and Raleigh.
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New Worlds
Wednesday 28th June. 11.00 AM – ‘A’ Stage, Shepperton Studios. Day two on the pivotal ‘immensities’ scene in which Raleigh begins to capture Elizabeth’s imagination.
