Production of the second series of the Tribe is now into its third week of principal photography. So far, the first four episodes of series 2 have now been filmed.
The shooting schedule is divided up into blocks. There is a new production block every two weeks. Each block represents four episodes. The production films about 9 minutes of footage every day throughout the entire production – which is two episodes per week – and a lot of work! The footage for the first four episodes that was filmed in the first two weeks of production is now entering post-production, where it is compiled and edited by the post-production team. A rough-cut of footage is compiled and the material is refined even further through a process of more cuts until the Executive Producer locks-off the particular episode and the editing process finishes – this is when the episode reaches its final cut and the finalised edited footage then enters the next steps of post-production where music and sound effects are added (the first four episodes of series 2 will reach that stage in approximately two to three weeks time).
As soon as episodes are filmed in production they therefore enter post-production – and the production and post-production processes continue alongside each other, with production of series 2 due to finish in March 2000 and post-production scheduled to finish in April/May 2000.
The production process sometimes involves two units involved in a parallel day of shooting, as has been the case last week in the production. This is where there is a Main Unit that and a 2nd Unit. Each unit is made up of the directing teams, camera department, lighting, sound, art department, make-up, wardrobe, animal wranglers, chaperones, safety, and technical staff, as well as catering and logistical support. Each unit has certain scenes to shoot and the shooting schedule per unit normally focuses on particular locations.
Last week, the Main Unit filmed in and around city location exterior scenes whilst on the same day, the 2nd unit filmed interior studio scenes at the same time. During this second week of production (i.e. last week) our teams worked on Sunday to take advantage of some streets in the downtown area being locked-off to accommodate the Tribe. Members of cast sometimes go back and forth between units depending on their schedule. For example, a cast member may have some scenes to film in the morning in the exterior city locations but in the afternoon they may need to return to the studio production base to film interior scenes – but in the early evening they may need to go back to the Main Unit to film additional exterior location scenes.
Cast members also need to return to the production centre for schooling with their tutors between scenes – and a cast member who is filming on location needs to return back to the production centre for schooling if they have a break in the shooting schedule before their next scenes are due to be filmed. The cast members travel back and forth between the Main and 2nd Units (and the production centre) with chaperones and security teams and their movements are co-ordinated and managed to maximise their shooting times and the overall efficiency and productivity of the production.
Of course, although the cast and crew of the Tribe work very hard – they also have moments of relaxation and leisure. The cast get on very well and like to socialise whenever they can out of filming hours. Likewise the crew. There is always some special occasion to enable everyone to get together. On Sunday, Sarah Major (PATSY) celebrated her 11th birthday, which was the cause of a party and gifts being given. On Tuesday evening, there is another party to celebrate the launch of the Tribe in New Zealand.
The weather in the second week of shooting series 2 (16th August – 20th August) was: