Filming The Darkling Plain

Oh, the glamour of filming a low-budget movie.

Some shots from the filming of The Darkling Plain, a short.

We had no permits. We did our scenes out in the middle of Soho and the meat packing district surrounded by passersby who had no idea what was going on. There was a scene where two characters (played by myself and another actress) had to chase a woman down the street and take her purse and then run. The woman was wearing a long black cloak, like a witch out of a fairy tale. We were nervous that someone would think this was ACTUALLY a crime being committed, so we called the NYPD and had a cop detailed to our freakin’ movie, so that he could make sure nothing went wrong. The cop was great. Chillin’ out with us and our tiny crew. We asked favors of building owners to let us go on the roof. We filmed our movie in three days.

The thing about the film was – it had Canada Council money behind it, and they are a powerhouse – and so that attracted really good people. We had a world-class documentary filmmaker as our director of photography – he did the job for free. He had many friends, professionals, who filled out our tiny crew – these were all top-notch people who have careers, who did this as a favor for their friend, but also because it seemed like a cool project. It was a modern noir with a creepy fairy-tale aspect. It was filmed in black and white. There were challenges for a filmmaker that seemed compelling – so it was fun for them as well. We were very lucky to have all of those guys. The film looks great.

The film is 25 minutes long but the thing is the little engine that could. It premiered at the Montreal Film Festival in 2002, in a huge theatre – as though it was a full-length blockbuster – (that’s what the Canada Council can do!) – and we sat in the seats in the audience, eating popcorn, watching our giant talking heads up on the screen. Since then that film has gone everywhere. Italy, Berlin, London – it just won’t end. Jen and I joke that when the thing finally finds distribution, we will be 123 years old and have to be pushed down the red carpet in wheelchairs.

Our crew. That was pretty much it.

Shelagh talking to “our” cop.

Our cameraman on the roof in Soho.

Getting our makeup done on the streets in Soho. A person came up to me around that time and said, in the thickest New York accent possible, “Didn’t I see youze in Fiyah stahtah?” Uhm … that would be Firestarter? So I suppose that means you think I am Drew Barrymore, age 10?

Lying in wait for our prey in the meat packing district. I do remember that this was a crucial moment because the light was creeping towards us in a line on the sidewalk. We had to get our 5 shots in that area in something like 20 minutes. We all kept looking at the line of light and shadow on the sidewalk, anxiously, like it was a creeping enemy.

I love this one. This is Cheryl, our old lady in the black cloak, coming down the sidewalk. See that scary line of light and shadow?? Get the shot, get the shot! I don’t know who took this because I am hidden from view ready to leap out and attack the poor old lady.

We shot for two days in a huge warehouse loft which was supposed to be where we, the two main characters, who were squatters, lived. With the lights on in that small space, it soon became dangerously hot. We were drenched in sweat, all of us. Drinking gallons of water to stay hydrated. It was nuts. But so much fun. There was a moment when Jen and I were having a tearful scene on one of the mattresses on the floor. And I looked up at one point during a tiny break, and we were SURROUNDED. I became aware of the hilarity of it. Huge men just HOVERED over us, quiet, with light meters and booms and powder puffs to dab our sweat off, and cameras … it was hysterical. Like: who are all these people and what are they doing here??