Going into the sadness

Location Pub opposite De Lane Lea, Soho | Mood Strangely isolated, as though everyone is talking about someone else's film | Date 9 February 2006
Filed in:
Author (full name): 
Franny Armstrong
Location: 
Pub opposite De Lane Lea, Soho
Mood: 
Strangely isolated, as though everyone is talking about someone else's film
Soundtrack: 
Dodgy jazz duo playing far too loud when the punters want to talk
Ailments: 
Sore throat from shouting over music
Date: 
9 February 2006
Current crisis: 
Left camera in screening room
Current silver lining: 
Solved money crisis

Second funding evening tonight. Last time we were asking for 500 quid a punt, this time it was 5000. Which seems an enormous amount of money to me, but didn't seem to cause too many raised eyebrows. We slightly picked the number out of a hat - but then said people could also get a "half loan" – i.e. 2500. Played the trailer tonight. First time we've had Crude up on the big screen. Seemed pretty coherent to me. Everyone loved Fernand. Friendly Funder spoke again and was even better than last time. Said that one of the problems with climate change is that it's just so terrifying to turn and face it, that most people prefer to keep the blinkers on. But that there's something in Fernand that just makes you turn.

My Dad agreed on email later:
"What struck me about the power and poignancy of the Alps sequence - and which Mark also picked up as 'going into the sadness' - was the sense of "saying goodbye to all we have loved". That is so powerful - beginning to imagine saying goodbye to our planet home. Unbelievably powerful chord to touch. And the sheer beauty of the Alps and Fernand's appreciation of all the detail and the presence of the great grandchildren brings this out more and more. So I hope you won't lose this with all the - vital - cerebral stuff. Love, Dad xx "

Friendly Funder also had a funky idea. After the credits, we could put "The End" in old Hollywood style and then add a one liner: "Is this..." or "You decide..."

We weren't as coordinated as last time as had been working on the trailer right up to the last minute and had skipped the pre-match team talk. But it worked anyway - 70K pledged tonight, with at least 30 more still being considered. So we're halfway to 200K. Not sure where we'll get the next batch from.