A whispering “Action”

Second last day of shoot with Joan Chen. It was 5th November 2006, a Sunday. It was in Ward 8 of Alexandra Hospital.

We were running a few hours late by this time.

There didn’t seem to be many scenes.

• Joan Chen and Tracy Tan running into hospital.
• Joan Chen and Tracy Tan looking at man in coma in hospital.
• Joan Chen sitting on a chair looking at man in coma in hospital.
• Joan Chen and… actually, that was it.

And all would’ve been fine. But again, Joan Chen was perturbed by the FAD’s “action” call. Which frankly, wasn’t that loud. Nor was the first actually, come to think of it. This time she actually requested that the director yell for action.

Or should that be whisper?

But hey, there are a lot of people on set. Calling for action isn’t just for the actors, right?

Well, the FAD wasn’t the only one on the receiving end of Joan Chen’s requests.

On the final day of shoot – many hours overrunning as well – we were shooting just outside Vivo City – a place I wouldn’t have visited if I’d not been on this shoot – Joan Chen requested that everyone who didn’t need to be in her eyeline next to the camera to move.

As Set Photographer, I have to closely match the angle and shot that they’re taking, so I try and plant myself close to the Director of Photography (DOP) and try and replicate what he does.

In this case, I was clearly “everyone”. Okay, I know I’m not the skinniest person in the world and my weight might make two and a half fairly skinny Singaporeans, but you don’t have to rub it in.

Also, I find it strange that I should be in Joan Chen’s eyeline, since she has never so much as looked at me. Past, yes. Around, yes. But never at.

Since Joan Chen has ignored me when she’s not acting, why not pretend I’m not there when she is acting?

Plus it was already past 7pm and let’s just say the DOP won’t waste lights on lighting the area behind the camera.