"You look so cute," I said, grinning at Alice, who was squirming in her Puritan costume. A bonnet sat slightly crooked on her head, the rest of the dress a dull gray.
"It's itchy," she complained, scrunching her face.
"Don't worry," I said, laughing. "We'll be done in a few hours."
That earned me a reluctant smile. It was day one of shooting The Witch. I'd decided to start with the film's very first scene, the family's trial and exile. We were shooting inside Stardust Studios, where I'd set up to film all the interior sequences: the family's cabin, the witch's lair, and a few others that needed the tight control of a studio environment.
The plan was simple, at least on paper. We'd finish the studio work in a week, then take a short break before heading to Ontario for the outdoor shoot, the forests, the bleak farm, the gray wilderness that would play as much a role as the actors themselves. That stretch would be the hardest part: being away from civilization most of the time, with a lot of logistics required to keep things running smoothly.
The gap between the two shoots was due to the Aquaman release coming up, plus an invitation to the Age of Ultron premiere, so the schedule had to bend around that. It had been a rough few weeks and would continue to be. I had just gotten back from China two days ago after a long three days promoting the movie, not that I was complaining.The trip to China had paid off Aquaman was already tracking ahead of Age of Ultron there.
I glanced around the bustling soundstage. Extras milled about, their Puritan costumes being tweaked by the wardrobe team. I spotted Haley darting between actors with her assistants, pinning a hem here, adjusting a collar there she was in her element.
Everything was coming together as planned. There were no last-minute issues or crises, and for that I was glad for that.
Mom sat next to Alice in her own costume, her face a bundle of nerves, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her apron. Alice, meanwhile, tugged at her bonnet, still grumbling about the itch.
I leaned in, giving Mom a reassuring smile. "Mom, just calm down. All you have to do is stand there with a judgmental look on your face."
She exhaled sharply, her eyes darting around the busy set. "Okay, okay."
I chuckled. "Just picture that parent from Alice's school, the one who annoys you. Channel that look."
Mom's lips twitched into a smile. "Oh, that's easy."
"See? You've got this," I said, giving her a quick pat on the shoulder.
Nathan strolled up, looking very comfortable in his Puritan getup high collar and stiff breeches. "Come on, Mary, still nervous?" he teased, adjusting his hat.
"Everything's fine," I said, waving him off with a grin.
Nathan glanced at the set behind us. "The set is great, Danny. They even fixed the issue with the windows I pointed out last week."
"Yeah, well everything has to be as accurate as possible."
"Looks like you pulled it off," he said, impressed.
I checked my watch. "Alright, it's almost time to start… um, where is Mitchell? I didn't see him."
"He was with Haley. I just saw him," Nathan said.
"Good."
I'd given Mitchell a cameo in the movie, since he kind of looked the part of a 17th-century Puritan colonist. Cam was offended that he couldn't be in it while Mitchell could, and when he asked why, I told him he was too fat. That put me on his shit list for a while.
"They'll bring you over there soon." I gave Alice a quick wink and walked off.
As I headed toward the set, Graves fell into step beside me, along with Harrison Abbott, my assistant director. Harrison had been with Midas for two years, and Paul had vouched for him hard when I was picking my team for The Witch. The guy was sharp, calm under pressure, and had a knack for keeping things moving a perfect fit for the position.
"Okay," I said as we reached the set. "Let's go over it again."
The cameras were already in place, operators tweaking lenses and checking angles. Elliot Kane, my cinematographer, strode over, a storyboard binder tucked under one arm. We'd storyboarded every scene of the movie down to the finest detail, which made it easier for the actors, especially the kids to visualize their marks.
Elliot flipped open the binder, pointing to the opening sequence. "We'll start with the wide shots of the extras first."
I nodded, scanning the set. The scene would take place on an overcast day, so the lighting was meant to feel gray and cold, but something felt off to me. "I think it should be a bit darker," I said, squinting up at the overhead rigs. "It's too bright right now."
Elliot shook his head, unfazed. "No, no, this is fine. I just checked."
I wasn't convinced. "I don't know. Let's check it after the rehearsal."
Elliot shrugged, then moved on. "After the wides, we'll do close-ups on Anya, Harvey, and the kids. Camera B's set up for that. Then Camera C for the over-the-shoulder on Ralph. After that, we swing back to Camera A to follow the family out."
I nodded, picturing the scene in my mind. "Perfect. Let's get this thing started."
========
"Look in the direction I told you," I said to the youngest cast members, Ellie Grainger and Lucas Dawson, pointing toward the main camera setup.
Ellie tilted her head, squinting up at the rig. "There?" she asked, pointing at the lens.
I nodded. "Yes, perfect."
Katie Dickie, standing just behind them, caught my eye. The kids were struggling with the expression I wanted, a neutral face with a hint of fear, like they were witnessing something they didn't understand.
"Hold on," I said, stepping closer. "Ellie, Lucas, you need to look a bit more scared."
Lucas frowned, scratching his head. "Like… how?"
Katie stepped in, crouching to their level with a warm smile. She explained exactly what I meant, how to show fear without overdoing it, speaking with the ease of an experienced actor, and the children understood her perfectly.
Ellie's eyes lit up, her lips turning down in a perfect blend of worry and confusion. Lucas followed, mimicking her.
"Exactly!" I said, clapping my hands. "Thanks, Katie."
She waved it off as she stood. "Don't worry about it. Children are the hardest to direct."
I nodded, turning back to the kids. "Okay, can you do it just like that when we actually start?"
They both nodded eagerly. "Yeah!" Ellie said.
Anya, Harvey, Kate, and Ralph needed far less direction. This scene—the exile from the plantation—was straightforward. They were pros, already slipping into their characters.
"I want you to breathe a bit heavier during the close-up not too much, just enough to show you're holding back panic," I told Anya, adding one more detail.
She nodded, demonstrating. "Like that?" she asked.
"Perfect," I said, giving her a quick smile.
With the rehearsal done, extras were led in and positioned. I scanned the room and spotted Mitchell, Cam, and Lily near the edge of the set. Cam was taking a picture of Mitchell with Lily.
"I knew this would be perfect for you," I said, walking over with a grin.
"I do make a cute Puritan, don't I?" Mitchell said, striking a pose.
Cam chuckled. "You look great, sweetie. If only I were less fat," he said, shooting me a look.
I flipped him off, and he gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. Lily burst out laughing beside him.
Behind me, Mom, Nathan, and Alice approached Alice skipping over, then stopping when she saw Lily.
"Lily," she said, her voice icy.
"Alice," Lily shot back, matching her tone.
"Why can't I be in the movie, Uncle Danny?" Lily asked, looking at me.
I froze, caught off guard. How was I supposed to explain that one? Because you're Vietnamese didn't exactly sound great out loud. Mom, Nathan, and Cam exchanged awkward glances, clearly at a loss.
"Well…" I began, stalling.
"Because you can't act," Alice said.
"I can too."
"No, you can't," Alice said, doubling down. "Leave it to those who can."
"Come on, girls, you're friends."
"Not anymore," they said in unison, glaring at each other.
Oh, right…the doll incident. I'd completely forgotten about that. The great betrayal that had turned Alice and Lily from best friends to bitter enemies. It was a silly thing; I couldn't believe these two had held a grudge for so long.
"It's time you both put that behind you," I said, trying to keep the peace.
Cam shook his head. "It's not easy to forget, Danny."
Mom jumped in. "Don't get started on that, Cam."
Cam raised his hands. "I mean, I'm just saying—"
Nathan cut in quickly. "Nope. Not doing that again, Cam. For the sake of our friendship."
"Okay, okay," I said loudly, clapping my hands once. "Everyone not in the movie over there." I pointed to a quiet corner near the monitors. "Everyone in the movie positions!"
Mitchell, Alice, Mom, and Nathan were led by the production assistants to their positions, and soon the set was ready. The three rulers of the plantation sat at the table. The family Anya, Harvey, Kate, the kids, and Ralph stood before them. Behind them, the extras, including Mitchell,Mom, Nathan, and Alice, took their places as the witnessing townsfolk.
I walked across the set, double-checking every detail.
I paused at Camera A, peering through the viewfinder to confirm the framing. The family stood front and center. I glanced up at the lighting rigs.
The lights still felt a touch too warm on the family's faces, so I signaled the gaffer. "Bring it down a bit," I said.
He adjusted it to my liking. I'd been right, it was too bright earlier.
I checked the monitors one last time, making sure everything lined up.
Satisfied, I settled into my director's chair.
This was it the first shot of the movie with me directing.
The clapperboard snapped into frame, and the clapmaster called out, "The Witch, Scene One, Take One!"
I nodded, my heart pounding. "Okay."
"Picture's up!" the assistant director, Harrison, shouted. "Quiet on set! Roll cameras!"
"Speed!" the camera operator confirmed.
I took a deep breath.
"Action!"
.
.
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r/movies
u/Doriangryr
Daniel Adler's The Witch Begins Principal Photography. His Debut as Director
Super excited for this one! Adler is directing for the first time. The Blair Witch Project is still one of the scariest movies I've ever seen. I'm just hoping he's as good behind the camera as he is as a writer. Anyone else excited for this? Thoughts on Adler as a director?
Top Comments
u/Haerrt5moriosn:
I think Adler's overestimating himself here. Writing and producing are one thing, but directing is a whole different beast. I doubt he can just waltz in and nail it on his first try.
u/Reealker99 replying to u/Haerrt5moriosn:
Come on, man, give him some credit. Adler's worked with big names like Ron Howard, Christopher Nolan, Brad Bird, and Iñárritu. He's been learning from the best in the business.
u/DddanaticX replying to u/Reealker99:
Exactly! Nolan himself said Adler shadowed him on The Dark Knight and was basically co-directing 20% of it. If Nolan's giving him that kind of props, I have no doubt Adler can handle directing one on his own.
u/bordyadedd: If Adler's as good a director as he is a writer and producer, I bet he'll be directing a DC movie in no time.
u/Hamjshed36 replying to u/bordyadedd: Totally agree. I read Nolan wanted Adler to take over the Batman trilogy from him after The Dark Knight. If Christopher Nolan has that much faith in the guy, Adler's gotta be the real deal as a director.
u/Ryanreidee: Adler doing anything other than completing the promised Percy Jackson series sequel.