This was the first day of shooting of Snow Globe in the home of writer, Director Tracey Jane. This scene was to be shot in the den right off of the entry hall. I liked the painting of an angel with golden wings above the piano. A portrait of a classical quilled scribe had to be replaced with a more generic 1970s abstract in muted izod colors.
GregoryMohn was behind the camera and he wanted these shots to be a worms eye view looking up at the giant piano. The piano itself had been moved from another room, but that task was complete by the time I got to the set. Arturo worked the boom to record sound.
In this shot Little Birdie (Addison Sanders) pushed a small footstool close to the piano so she could reach up for the snow globe. Her mother Grace (Audra Darbyshire) was up on a stairway landing and saw what their daughter was up to and she ran down the stairs to stop her. Addison’s true parents were in the hallway to coach and offer support. It was so cute watching the young actress accomplish each task in turn and then freeze in embarrassment. Tracey was wonderful in keeping the young girl’s energy up. Audra, was quite believable as Addison’s mom. She got on her knees and interacted playfully. There was a warmth to every playful shot.
There were so many close ups to be shot, of the young girls feet padding across the floor, of her pushing the stool, and the moments as she reached for the globe. There was only 1 snow globe, so it was treated like a golden talisman. It could not, and must not be broken.
What would be an instant in the final edited film, took hours to shoot. I was asked several times, how I could sketch so fast, and yet each sketch took several hours to complete. Artists function in slow motion recording an instant in a world of ever evolving, fast paced chaos.
Tracey Jane has a habit of telling stories that reach in and grab me by the heart. There is wonder and aspiration followed by sorrow and then hope. In my mind she was directing this film with one hand tied behind her back, because she had injured her left hand and it was still in a cast. This short is told in a nine page script but the emotional resonance spans decades. I respect and admire any artist who can strum my heart strings so effortlessly.