Written By: Ken HulseySource: Norman England
Let no one say that director Norman England isn't dedicated to his films, even though he almost threw in the towel on his latest film "It's All Good", which is a sci fi film about an alien parasite, after just a couple of days shooting. As dedicated as England may be to his films, he is after all human (we often forget that film makers are people just like you and me) and sometimes the pressures of making a movie can become overwhelming. Fear not, however, the director is back in the right state of mind and the film is going on as planned.
England explains, "There were moments when I thought it would be better just to give up, join a company, and give my life over to 'the man.' But, in the end, I believe it was worth it. Making films is what I'm about. So, as the title of my film reads: It's All Good!"
Ultimately, it was Japanese director and producer Takeshi Yagi, known for his work on the "Ultraman" tv series, that helped England get his head on strait and put the shoot back on pace.
England gives an overview of what took place on the set, "Shooting began in the wee hours of May 6th over in the city of Tokorozawa in a house designed for film shoots. A two-day shoot, time was limited, and everyone had to bust their rears in order to get the coverage needed. But pros being what they are, the shoot went off without a hitch. We had time to get a lot of amazing mini-crane shots and interesting movements between the actors and the camera."
The director also gave high marks to his cast and crew, for whom he had developed a very strong bond with.
"Stephanie, my female lead, is a hard worker with one of the most positive, life-embracing attitudes I've ever encountered. Every moment with her was enjoyable and stimulating. The same with male lead Shogen, who, I believe, is well on the road to becoming a major actor in Japan."
"I am eternally indebted to my director of photography Shu G Momose, my lighting director Hiroshi Ota, Yagi, Lindee, JR, sound man Furuya, make up artist Tomomi Higuchi, creature maker / operator Yoshihiro Nishimura and the 30 or 40 others that have worked to get the film through this important step."
With the major part of the filming completed the production is set to move into the post-production phase with editing, scoring, effects work, and sound design looming on the horizon.
Despite the early problems, England came away from filming with a sense of optimism and a realistic feel for where he is a film maker. "I still have so much to learn and I can see room for personal improvement. But I believe, as my fourth film, that this will be my most polished to date. Of course some of the things I wanted to achieve, I was unable to. But it's like Yagi said, 'no one is able to reach their vision 100%. Don't lament this point.' You do your best with the talent, resources, and time at hand. One can't ask for more than this. I certainly can't."
Indeed, England has grown as a film maker. His first film, "The iDol", showed that he has a great eye for story and visual composition. With his last film, "FEED ME", he was able to get a lot out of a movie using a minimal budget, proving his resourcefulness. Now with "It's All Good" he continues to improve his craft. One can only imagine that a big-budget production is sitting out there waiting for England. It will just be a matter of time before he will be able to utilize his full potential as a film maker.
See Also: FEED ME: Q&A With Director Norman England / Norman England's Bringing Godzilla Down To Size Featured On Gargantuas DVD Release / Famous People Talk About Star Wars / The iDol Is Finally Getting The Attention It Deserves / The iDol (2006)
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