8:07PM Mike Leigh after Secrets & Lies

Made the films he wanted to make the way he wanted to make them, not interfered with. . .
So he wouldn’t change anything
And enjoys watching them again

60s
John Cassavetes
art Happenings

Peter Brooke

“It occurred to me that actors could be artists.”
Like life drawing, looking closely, completely focused, you could hear a pin drop
Realized that wasn’t happening in acting school

(Actors are not merely interpreters)

Shadows (Cassavetes)
Fascinating to see now, but not a great disciplined dramatic work
His work’s heart was on the right place
Killing of a Chinese Bookie is his fav

Casting
The bottom line is working w character actors
People who don’t play themselves, who play characters in the world
And intelligent actors

Dick Pope cinematographer
Shoots everything
8.5 minute takes for those long scenes

Builds the scene in the space with the actors, then brings in cinematographer after
Shot reversals to cut into it but didn’t need to use them (cafe and bbq scene etc)
The credit to the actors: “Put the camera there”
Wanted to hold on the bbq table since inside there would be a lot of cuts in that tiny living room

The actors do incredible research on their characters.
Study their careers, watch their fav movies etc
That leads to specific language (class education etc)

I can’t talk about the writing as a separate thing. It’s the creation of the whole