Movie May-Aug, 2017
Part 1
Our friends on Mary Madeline have decided it it time to move on. Rather than sail back to Quebec they have decided to sell their boat and get a new one when they get home. The boat sold almost immediately to a movie company. When we heard that we thought it would be fun if we could be extras so we sent an email off to the company asking them to consider Rhapsody for background shots. The film is supposed to shoot in Rakiraki in June which is perfect. We can do the movie shoot and then go to Savusavu, check out of Fiji and head home We had an answer saying they would keep us in mind and then nothing more. We were busy getting Rhapsody ready to sail back to Hawaii and did not think much about it.
When we started seeing people working on Mary Madeline, we asked again. Turns out the first contact person was fired, so we turned in our contact info again. This time we get a response asking for photos, which we sent Now they say that the shoot is in Suva in July. Ok, we can still make that work. Instead of going north around Vitu Levu we will go south to Suva and then to some of the other islands in the Lab group before we check out. We are almost ready to go. Once again we heard nothing from the film people and once again our boat projects are taken longer than expected. Eventually we got an email asking for photos again and then some people showed up to check us out. More time went by while we finished varnishing and started the search for a new generator. No word from the production company.
Suddenly word came that they were ready for us and could we please be in Rakiraki the next day. It usually takes us two days to get to Rakirki from Vuda, not counting a day to get everything cleaned up and stowed. But the generator had finally arrived and Raijeli had a new home, so we said that we would get there as soon as we could. After all a few extra dollars would come in handy. Two days later we arrived and were directed to where the company had installed several mooring balls along the shore of Nanaya-i-ra . Once we were settled, Dylan, the boat wrangler came, checked us in and told us to stand by. We should show up for dinner at the backpacker resort over the hill and we would find out more then. Shortly after he left, the set decorators arrived. Turns out Rhapsody is supposed to be a “hippy boat” so we were festooned with peace flags, extra gas cans, surf boards, etc. Just before dark we took the dingy ashore and headed over the hill to find the back packer resort. It turned out to be a place where we had taken a dive trip last year and also the same place that Chris had stayed at when he visited Fiji fifteen years ago. The film crew had taken over the whole place and this was where we went each night for dinner and to try to find out what we are supposed to be doing. So far it is all just “not tomorrow, stand by”. Part of our agreement was that we would be put up in a hotel but apparently everything in the whole area is full. Eventually we were told that they had found us a place 45 minutes away and were attempting to arrange transport. It does not sound like that is going to work. It is too far from Rhapsody and too complicated to get back and forth. I had been looking forward to staying in a hotel with all meals provided but we decided to just stay on the boat.
And so we waited. Every evening we went ashore and hiked over the hill for dinner and every evening we were told to just wait. Alan worked on the generator and water maker and I took care of various odd jobs that had been left undone when we left in such a hurry. The weather is stormy and they are paying us for every day that we are here so we just wait. Typical movie business. No one seems to know what is going on, or at least they are not telling us.
Finally, it is time. We are picked up at 8 am and taken across the bay to Ellington Wharf where the film company has taken over the whole area. There are almost a dozen large container units for cameras, costume, set construction, lighting, dressing rooms, dining area, etc. Generators running with cables everywhere, port-a-pottys, people being busy and people waiting. Fijians hanging out a looking to see how much of this money they can collect. We are directed to the dining tents, given paperwork to fill out and invited to help ourselves to breakfast. And we are finally introduced to our extras. Rhapsody is supposed to be sailed by hippies so the film people had found 4 young people who were on a old wooden square rigger anchored in Lautoka and recruited them. They are supposed to sail Rhapsody for the movie while we stand by down below to help if necessary. Except that these kids do not know how to sail. They are backpacking students who paid to be allowed to crew on this ratty old square rigger but have no other sailing experience. There is no way Alan is going to turn Rhapsody over to them. So there we are sitting at the table with the director and all of his assistants, 4 cute young hippy types and us two old dudes, and we are insisting that we have to be the ones sailing the boat. This does not fit with the director’s picture at all but we are not going to give in and it is to late to find another boat. Finally he turns to the costumer is despair and tells her to do what she can and that is the end of the meeting. We are to take Rhapsody to the rendezvous point at 8am tomorrow to begin shooting. Off we go to costume to see what she can to to make us look like young hippies.
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