Pre-production
The project has had a long lead up. Originally the project started out as a drama but after some feedback and more thoughts it changed direction and morphed into a video poem. This meant it was to be a lot more visual and esoteric. The beauty of the wood is a photographers paradise. Pre-production was very much about discovering various locations within the wood and documenting them over the seasons. Video setups were also considered and as people use the wood a lot, a lot of interest was raised. This lead to the future inclusion of interviews and a more historical underpinning.
Production
The production phase of the project was very much based on capturing the beauty of the wood. This meant some very early starts to experience the dawn chorus. A majestic time of the day that offers an orchestral reverence for those willing to skip breakfast. The crew varied during the filming period. More were needed to film the interviews. These varied between grabbing Vox pops to proper sits down interviews with those who have a lot of local knowledge of the surrounding area and the wood itself. There have been several custodians over the years and capturing the history of the wood was very important.
Post production
The editing phase of any project is quite a time consuming affair. But it’s a labour of love and for those that have experience it, it becomes an awe inspiring journey. The most important aspect of any film is the story. How well it works is down to the material that’s been filmed and what audio has been recorded. Fortunately Tony found more than enough to skilfully put together some marvellous interviews and B-Roll. The edit gently delivers the wood in all its glory over the full range of seasons it was filmed. Hopefully over the coming years the film will be of interest to locals, supporters and of course potential sponsors, all of who recognise the value of having a quiet space in such a fast paced world.