Representing The Real – Documentary Shoot
Representing The RealOur documentary was set in Eskdalemuir in the Scottish Borders, and we filmed on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th March. The focus of our documentary is local activist and spokesperson Julie Macleod, a long-term resident of Eskdalemuir and practicing Buddhist at the nearby Tibetan Buddhist monastery known as Kagyu Samye Ling. Julie is working to raise awareness and oppose the further development and operation of high-powered rifle ranges in the area.
Day 1 – Friday 18th
We left early on Friday morning, and in hindsight I’m glad we left far earlier than we perhaps needed to, as we ended up having to follow a lengthy diversion and got lost multiple times. We arrived at Julie’s house situated down a rough, unsurfaced farm-track road on time, so I was glad for the few hours leeway we had with travel time.
We began setting up for the interview and were met with technical issues with sound recording, which whilst preventable, were a valuable lesson in the importance of testing equipment prior to a shoot. Thankfully we had multiple methods of sound recording and opted for what worked at the time. I’ve realised with documentary shooting you can’t necessarily plan in pre-production the same way as you would for a fiction/narrative film, but that familiarisation with equipment and troubleshooting before on-set is crucial.
We interviewed Julie on both days, and when the interview commenced on Friday we shot b-roll for use in post-production. After making our way back along the farm-track road, we followed directions to the AirBnb we had booked for an overnight stay called ‘Marilyn’s Motels’ at the recommendation of one of our lecturers who knew the owners. We had a quick dinner before leaving to catch one of the many daily prayer sessions at Samye Ling.
The session we were present for was a Chenrezig prayer. It began with a dedication to specific people, followed by chants and hymns and intermittent meditative periods. I personally found it incredibly interesting and peaceful to witness and partake in (once we got some footage, naturally). We didn’t stay for the full hour, and decided to leave and get some rest for another full day of filming on Sunday.
Unfortunately due to timings that was the only prayer session we were able to attend, and as it was the end of a long day for everyone we weren’t able to achieve the technical standard desired but made do with what we could realistically achieve. In documentary filmmaking, you have to be ready to record at any given moment as a lot of the most fascinating and rare moments happen without a plan or warning. In the future I would ensure my team is always fully equipped in order to best capture these fleeting moments of beauty.
Day 2 – Saturday 19th
We woke up and got ready to leave before our checkout time of 11am, and to be at Samye Ling as early as possible before our set meeting time of 2pm with Julie. We arrived at Samye Ling around 11am, and got to work shooting b-roll and sound effects (including wild tracks and ambient noise). This took us far longer than anticipated as there was a lot to see and an incredible amount of detail in the monastery grounds.
After finishing at Samye Ling, we made our way back to Julie’s house for the second and final interview. Instead of filming the interview outside her house like on Friday, we opted to walk all the way up the hill to the firearms range itself. I wasn’t sure if we could gain access to it, but found the gate was unlocked. We tried to find a location that would block some of the wind so we could conduct the interview with minimal wind interference.
Following the final interview, we explored the firearms range and Julie told us more about Gardner’s Guns and the importation of American gun culture to the UK beginning in the British countryside. We had to be back in Edinburgh soon after, but are extremely grateful to Julie for her hospitality, openness, and time given to the filming of our documentary.
Final Thoughts + Lessons Learned
Directing and producing our documentary taught me a lot, despite moments of difficulty and uncertainty. More than anything, I am proud we went to Eskdalemuir and Samye Ling to make our documentary on a subject we are passionate about.
The experience taught me the necessity of consistent communication and openness, and the need to check in with your crew and resolve any issues without allowing them to develop and linger. It also taught me that with effort, engagement, and persistence, you can make almost anything happen. Regardless of the final outcome, it has been a valuable experience to have in my first year of the film course and has pushed me to better myself as a filmmaker and person.
Photo Gallery of Samye Ling
