Further developments!

My rental 4wd, Land cruiser;

Continues day to days:

Al this info I need because I have a camera man who wants to take way to much light into the bush. This al because he never have been filming in the bush and he wants to be sure he can do what he wants. Witch is not nice, he wants to work with so much light that we could give a live-concert for the Aboriginals. And he want to bring in from the Netherlands, witch means that it needs to go in cargo. This works with cargo passports, called Carnet’s, and cost something (what is not coming from my budget) and also needs to be cleaned excessively, because there is a good chance that it will be hold by the Australian authorities and kept in quarantine. This because the Australians keep everything witch is from natural, organic or alive in out side there country. And I do know its coming from “Single film Company” in the Netherlands witch is not one off the cleanest company’s. Beside that we have the problem of connections with leads (wires and electric connections), so that will mean that I have to buy a load of connectors and converters to make everything work properly. Aldo the deal from the Netherlands is attractive, I have doubts of let it come from there. On the other hand, I have been calling in Australia to get everything from here, the complete package I ended up with a company (the cameraman had found) witch is one off the biggest and most expensive in the world, Panavision. This in the only company here in Australia (Asia) who can deliver me the complete list my cameraman wants to have. The whole list is available, but for a excessive price, that I was wondering off there stands (statieven) are made from silver!? And this is minus transport, what is always a hi price in Australia, because you are always looking at week(s) of transport (by truck, because by plane it would at least be tripled). So a rapid decision should be made soon, the shoot starts in about 2 weeks. I also found much more realistic light packages (witch I think would be more than sufficient) but, I am not the cameraman, who is specially hired to make nice shots, and never did any reality before.

You have to know that we film with 4 cameraman, 3 are from the reality crew, one is for interviews and the last one (called the d.o.p.) is hired to make nice shots and give it a nice continuity. I can get the complete list also cheaper in Australia, but then I have to transport it in from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, witch is no option, since I am a filming crew and not a parcel-company. I want name any amounts in this web log! Well this is a nice example off one off all the thinks I do for work.

Like trying to rent 14 4wheel drives while your company did not give you a credit card. Like trying to find hotel rooms in Darwin, while there is a horse race going on and its in the middle of a national Holliday, if I have bad luck, after Sunday me and my art-director and his assistant do not have a room any more. Where to sleep, I haven’t the faintest id, but that makes things nice again. And some times gets your hart and brain work twice as fast as when you jump from a plane. I have to go to the outback” wild country eventually, but I want to go as the last one, because I also have to make sure everything is paid for. So I herd that in the Netherlands the cast is all found (complete), 6 girls. But in Belgium there are still only 2 found from the 6! Oeps … we are shooting in 2 weeks, 3 days travel in advance … I am curious how that’s going to evolve. So tonight, I walked to a terrace alone, because my good old pall, the location-producer went this afternoon to Kununurra in advance. First the id was that we would travel together, but …. I am not leaving before its all arranged here and paid for as much as possible. While I was sitting there, a strange animal climbed down the tree. (see picture) And I was even able to touched it and stroked it. It took some fruit pees from down ground down the tree an run up again. And that in the middle of a terrace whit lots off people.

Finally I have a car, walking true Darwin is not a very big issue, its not a big city and if you are used to walk a lot true Amsterdam, it’s a peace off cake.

Off the road vehicles are about more then half off all cars here. But its not comparable with the (pc trekkers) shiny brands driving true the western city’s in Europe. This is the land where you see the real off the road vehicles, its standard to have a snorkel on your car (to drive true water) and a bull bar and a radio, all cars have 2 separate fuel tanks build in. Two spare tires and a lot more, like spare parts and water. At least these are no bullshit off the roads, I never have seen a shiny BMW or Volvo’s or Porsche’s or all the models you see in our city’s. Even the Range Rover I have not seen, some times you see a Land Rover, Defender and a bit more the classical old Land Rover models. But most off all it’s the Toyota’s, Land Cruisers, sometimes even with twin rear wheels.

All drugs are available here, if you talk to people about it, it seems to be no problem to get it. Even my local producer (witch is a large woman from about 46) has access to large quantities off cannabis. A couple off days ago I was holding a very large dried top of grass witch was offered to me to buy. (of a part off it) And the day after I have been smoking just a very tiny joint with my location producer before he travelled to the outback witch we did get as a present. But still, I come from where its widely available and have no urge to buy or smoke any. Beer, that’s what the general people here use the most. And not just one, I never have seen so many kinds off brands for sale, as well in the bars as in the shops or supermarkets. Australians love drinking, lots and loads. Yesterday I have seen a Drive Thru Bottle Shop, I was amazed and took a picture, see below. Very strange, you are not to be drunk driving your car, but you can go to a alcohol drive inn.

The Aboriginals can’t handle alcohol, is what most people say here, never give them anything to drink, because it will go wrong with them. Some times you see them sleeping on the road or the sidewalks. Drunk or not, the Aboriginal people seem to have an entire different live between the Australian people. I did not figure that one out yet!

I will move to the outback around the 27 this month, and I know internet is pore in the outback, especially loading up pictures, (its all via satellite) so I am not sure off I will be able to this. So ……. Till next time! (I have some work to do, lol)