Perhaps you remember me mentioning about wanting to do a short film that takes place entirely in a public toilet two weeks ago. It would've been a masterpiece, shooting would've commenced today, then the craziest shit ever to happen in my brief filmmaking career occured. Being the bad boy filmmaker I am, I had wanted to go on with my project despite not getting the proper permission from the authorities, yet I made a grievous error.
The film had to be shot with the toilet papers being removed from the dispenser, realized that this can only be done with the help of the cleaners, I spoke to the cleaners, asking for their assistance. Yet the head cleaner sold me out by informing the authorities, and the authorities were even hardcore when they called me few hours before filming begun. The phone conversation was like this.
Then, the worst happened. The entire security force of Murdoch University was dispatched after me and my crew. A van was waiting right in front of the toilet where I've wanted to shoot the film. So we went our different ways, with me carrying all the equipment (the mic, the camera, the tripod), hoping to find another toilet as replacement. Yet things went even crazier when security guards started roaming around campus, checking one toilet after another. I was in the gym trying to examine the toilets there before a few guards entered, and I had to walk past them, feigning a nonchalant expression as they went into the toilets, trying to search for me.
I felt like George Clooney in Ocean Eleven.
I felt like Clive Owen in The Inside Man (will write a review of that soon).
Even my tutor, who knew about the situation, wasn't able to do anything. All he could do was allow my team to shoot the film outside school hours, or off-campus (I chose the former, as the latter would most probably be more troublesome). It was pretty intense, being shadowed by nearly every single security person in university, in fact, this incident beats the time when I almost got arrested for filming in a train station last year.
Now, don't get me wrong, although I do like the suspense and attention showered upon me by the school authorities, this was a pretty stressful situation, but I will NOT let such minor obstacles compromise my grand vision, hence I will attempt to shoot the short film during the night, when security isn't as tight. I shall keep you all updated.
The film had to be shot with the toilet papers being removed from the dispenser, realized that this can only be done with the help of the cleaners, I spoke to the cleaners, asking for their assistance. Yet the head cleaner sold me out by informing the authorities, and the authorities were even hardcore when they called me few hours before filming begun. The phone conversation was like this.
Woman: Is this Edmund Yeo?
Me: Yeap.
Woman: The cleaners have spoken to us. I'm afraid we cannot accept your request. And we strongly advise against filming in the public toilet.
Me: Uh huh.
Woman: And we have already informed the securities about this.
Me: (thinks: Oh shit...) I see.
Woman: We will not tell you what to do. But the security guards will stop you from shooting your film if they see you.
Me: (thinks: Screw you, it'll take an army to stop me) Okay.
Then, the worst happened. The entire security force of Murdoch University was dispatched after me and my crew. A van was waiting right in front of the toilet where I've wanted to shoot the film. So we went our different ways, with me carrying all the equipment (the mic, the camera, the tripod), hoping to find another toilet as replacement. Yet things went even crazier when security guards started roaming around campus, checking one toilet after another. I was in the gym trying to examine the toilets there before a few guards entered, and I had to walk past them, feigning a nonchalant expression as they went into the toilets, trying to search for me.
I felt like George Clooney in Ocean Eleven.
I felt like Clive Owen in The Inside Man (will write a review of that soon).
Even my tutor, who knew about the situation, wasn't able to do anything. All he could do was allow my team to shoot the film outside school hours, or off-campus (I chose the former, as the latter would most probably be more troublesome). It was pretty intense, being shadowed by nearly every single security person in university, in fact, this incident beats the time when I almost got arrested for filming in a train station last year.
Now, don't get me wrong, although I do like the suspense and attention showered upon me by the school authorities, this was a pretty stressful situation, but I will NOT let such minor obstacles compromise my grand vision, hence I will attempt to shoot the short film during the night, when security isn't as tight. I shall keep you all updated.
