Venom: Mark the Date (Nidhi Madhani)

SHOT LIST – ALWAYS

I initially joined Venom: Mark the Date as the 1st Assistant Director. I had previously taken on the role for A Fairytale in the Laundry Room, which had been a much smaller production. I began by creating a preliminary strip board schedule to determine how we could break up the scenes and how much filming time we would need. 

At the start of Trinity Term in Oxford (April 2022), we had a crew meeting to develop and edit the script. It was a great way to create a collaborative environment and to make everyone feel heard and included. However, I also believe there were too many voices involved in the discussion – everyone had different ideas, and it became difficult for the writer to develop the script into a narrative everyone felt happy with. 

I was involved in the casting the process (this was the first film production where I got to be involved with casting). During this stage I also assumed the role of Co-Producer. We got to see many talented actors, and we both agreed that everyone we cast was incredibly well-suited to their roles.

We had numerous scheduling issues. This was in part due to location issues, but I also think the Director was disorganised, which led the actors to believe it was acceptable for them to cancel on scenes hours before shooting. I learned a lot about communication during this production. The Director was also the lead actor; I would be hesitant to work on a project again where this is the case: it is difficult for the director to comprehend both the larger narrative and to immerse themselves in the character. It is also an immense pressure on them. The director was frequently more than 30 minutes late, which meant filming was consistently delayed. I was unable to convince them to prepare a shot list ahead of time and to share it with me, which meant I struggled as the 1st AD. As a result, filming almost always went on later than expected and this created a divide between the cast and crew. 

If I were to work on a production like this again, there are several things I would do differently. First: I did not love the script, and I would be more selective and choose productions where I am excited about the narrative. Second: If an actor bailed on filming more than once, I would recast them and reshoot their scenes (the constant rescheduling was frustrating and not worth it). Third: I would not work with a director that refused to listen, communicate, and compromise. A crew is a team – it is not solely about the director's vision. The Director also broke numerous items of kit and my personal belongings (such as my clapperboard), and she refused to replace or pay for any of it. 

I am grateful for the experience because I learned a lot about the responsibilities of a Producer and what I value in a crew and production. I also learned that 1st AD is not necessarily a role that I enjoy or that I am particularly suited to (although perhaps I should try the role again in an environment where the director and cast respect the purpose and authority of the role).

UPDATE (FEBRUARY 2023): After nearly ten months, the film was completed for the OUFF Short Film Festival 2023. The film was submitted more than two weeks past the final deadline (we accepted applications from unfinished films and had an additional deadline by which they needed to be completed). We were accommodating because we wanted to create a positive and supportive environment; however, perhaps we should have set firmer boundaries. The edit turned out better than I expected, but it was received as a piece of satire (and it was very much not intended to be). I'm glad it is finally finished.

-Emma