When I started the process of shooting work for the Leaving Dublin project I expected at some point or another to meet a problem on the streets.But to date this has not been the case. In fact I would go so far as to say every one we met along the way were interested and supportive,the worst you could say of any one person is that they were unconcerned or indifferent.
This cycle I am afraid came to its end on a recent shoot where we met less than hospitable people.
Ironically it was the closest shoot to my own home I had ever planned in a part of town I thought to be inhabited by the nicest you could meet.
How wrong could you be!
But Hey this was Henrieta Street, and I fully understand that on several occasions the natives have been corralled into their homes by large film crews waving city council permits granting them permission to shoot footage for hours on end.
Our shoot would have taken 20 minutes after setting up,we where 4 people in a family saloon car with one flash head and a tripod.
How ever once the flash had tripped once two crazies approached us to enquire what we where doing.
I answered in a friendly manner,and was quickly told you can't do that here.(we where disturbing their sleep,at 9.45pm.and their street was private property)
From the tone of the conversation that followed I realized we were talking to a couple of mentally disturbed cranks who needed to get their way so we decided to leave rather than to trade insults(one of them had been rude to our sitter as she explained why we were working there)
In the meantime rain had started to fall so we retreated to my house for a cup of tea and a strategy meeting!!
Our Sitter on this occasion was Meghan mac Lachlan, A young woman who recently left Dublin for Seattle in the U.S.A.Meghans mother is Irish and she had done a lot of research into her family tree and had uncovered addresses occupied by family members in the past,2 on Henrieta street,one on Bolton street,one on Dominick street,and on the other side of town Crampton place and Dawson street.
She was anxious to shoot at one of these sites and I had tested a few of them out in the research phase.
However Rain was our real enemy on the night,had we not been disturbed it would have been all done before the rain started,but now we had a problem.
You see Meghan was leaving for Seatle early the next morning and her shot at this stage was looking doubtful.
She then had an idea, a place dear to her grandfather was close to the dropping well pub in Windy Arbour and it should be sheltered from the rain.
So of we went into the night blindly.
We arrived on set at 11.30 and the rain still coming down, Meghans hair was wet from the walk and she set about drying it while we set up.It was a slow process that night and I have to commend the patience and Ray, Artur and indeed Meghan,their commitment to the process always on full tilt.
We left the site glowing with a great sense of achievement at around 12.30 with another great shot from this series in the bag.
Thanks again to Artur Sikora,Ray Hegarty and Meghan for all their help and resolve on the night.
And a special thanks to the two dudes from Henrieta street who inspired us to new heights of creativity in finding a solution to the problem of finding shelter from the madness and the rain.
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thank you
David
