Jane Wettstone <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Was anybody else disappointed
that THE NARROWBOAT was pretty much cut out of
the move? I took friends to see that scene and then it seemed to be
non-existent. We saw Colin Firth getting into the car, but were hard
pressed to see the boat. Sad. The world is missing out on a good thing.
Sorry Brian.
We did, however, enjoy the movie and the foot-tapping music. I didn't
realize it was going to be so funny having not seen the play.
Jane
Nb Notthisyear
I don't know why you're apologising to "Brian" when it was ME on MY narrowboat
that shared a scene with Colin Firth!
See report below:-
My My, "Mamma Mia" Miraculously Materialises in Maida Vale!
Innocently steering my boat through Browning's Pool @ Little Venice towards
Maida Hill tunnel, I was hailed from the towpath by a harassed-looking female,
who was clutching a clip board, a là Denis Norden, to her bosom.
"Excuse me," she said, "I'm looking for a barge!"
"Well," I said, "If you call it a narrowboat, we can be friends," was my
rejoinder. I thought she was seeking a specific boat but it turned out that
she, Ali James, was the location manager for the film of the stage musical,
"Mamma Mia" & she needed a 'barge passing serenely by' as background for a
scene featuring one of the film's stars. Could I possibly help her out next
Friday 24 August? I knew I had an H.N.A. trip on that day but told Ali that,
if I could get someone else to do it, then I'd be only too pleased to. With my
reply she then took some shots of "Caie Two" on her camera phone[the producer
had stipulated that the boat must be dark in colour] to send to the producer,
currently filming other scenes in Greece. Furnished with my mobile phone number
& name she promised to get in touch if the producer liked what she saw. It was
thumbs up because Ali contacted me a few days' later to ask me to be @ Little
Venice by noon on the 24th ready to shoot! I still was in a
state of disbelief, how often is one in the right place @ the right time?
So, things had to be set up. I'd cleared it with H.N.A. for
another steerer to 'do' the trip. After completing the "London Ring" that I was
currently on, I contacted the "West London Motor Cruising Club" with whom I
used to belong, to arrange for the temporary mooring of my boat. Situated on
the Paddington Arm, W.L.M.C.C. is the oldest club on the canals [1938] &, @
only two cruising hours distance from Little Venice. It would be far more
convenient for the 24th than Coppermill. Trevor Gillam, W.L.M.C.C.s commodore,
agreed to Caie Two's lodging, so,the scene was set [pun intended.]
Friday dawned relatively bright compared to the previous few days
& I was on the move by 08:50, arriving in Browning's Pool by 11:00, tying up
under the Horse Bridge. I wandered over to Maida Avenue & found Nick Oliver,
Ali's assistant for the day. There followed a dizzy spell of introductions to
various personnel that are part & parcel of a film crew. I forgot most names
almost immediately but then my phone rang. It was the BW patrol officer wanting
to know 'what my boat was doing in the pool?' I explained that it was taking
part in filming & would soon be moved from its present position, he was happy
with that--especially as a donation had been made by the film company to smooth
any troubled waters caused by the filming schedule.
I started to wander around the location taking pictures & was
suddenly accosted by a stranger who asked if 'I was the barge-captain?' He
claimed to have 'recognised me from the picture in the office.' His name was
Chris & he was the assistant producer. He explained just where & when he would
be needing the boat. All I could think of was "How is there a picture of me in
the office?" It turned out that, in my initial conversation with Ali I had
mentioned my story-telling for H.N.A. & she had duly looked it up on the
Internet & pinned my picture from the website on the office wall so people
could recognise me on the day, as indeed Chris had just done!
Shortly, Colin Firth [Mr Darcy] arrived to 'do his bit' & filming
began. Colin walked down the garden path to his Rolls-Royce, two dogs
accompanied him & leapt into the car, his chauffeur placed his cases in the
boot & his housekeeper kept up a non-stop chatter as he settled into the car.
Meanwhile, yours truly drifted serenely through the shot in the background.
Having a radio on the hatch helped me to comply with the director's wishes as
my boat passed by the house on Maida Avenue, where, incidentally, Bill Nighy,
the actor, lives.
Parked on Blomfield Road was a telescopic camera crane that
enabled my boat to be seen by the camera on the end of the jib which was
situated over the middle of the waterway & pointing at me, steering the boat
towards it, a couple of extras on the roof for added effect. Within ten feet of
the 'mark' the camera swivelled round to focus on Colin doing his bit on the
garden path of the house opposite. It took maybe twenty seconds to accomplish
before the director told me over the radio to 'back up for another go.' This
was achieved without too much trouble, the steerer of a boat belonging to the
"London Waterbus Company" moaning about my boat being in the way & getting on
to BW about it, only to get a flea in her ear as she was told, no doubt, of the
generous donation to BW as I previously mentioned.
Starting once more from the Warwick Avenue Bridge I decided after
the shot to continue up to the tunnel & go through because there were now two
boats behind me, turning round @ Lisson Wide & back to the pool. I had to
laugh as I heard the director informing everyone with a radio that "The
action-barge will be back in fifteen!"
Nearing the filming point I called up Chris on the radio to
ask him if he wanted to try for a shot coming the other way--he did! So, for a
third time, the boat was committed to celluloid [or whatever the 2007
equivalent is!] & I poodled to a stop alongside Rembrandt Gardens in the pool.
Over the radio I heard Chris say that the boat was no longer required as they
had all the shots they needed. Ali phoned me to say she was on her way over
with a release form & some generous expenses. After that I was free to walk
back over the road & watch the remainder of the filming &
marvel about how much preparation is needed for location works. There had to
be over sixty parking places suspended to enable the various vehicles to plot
up around the location. Colin Firth kindly allowed me to get a picture of me &
him, taken by a minion, just to remind me of the occasion. A writer who lives
in the house being used for filming has the germ of an idea for a book & she
asked me if I'd mind possibly helping out with some background material---watch
this space!!
There's even a few photos to go with it
but I don't know how to post them!
Barry
Nb passedoverforstardom
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