Rome, day 17. Mostly a regular work-day, with consistent progress in music, sound and graphics. I’m in production mode.
Up insanely early again. Filmed new material in mostly empty, rainy streets. There is half-an hour of nice, gloomy light and empty streets between 5:30 (when the street-lights are turned off) and 6 (when the cafes open and traffic intensifies). So I’m usually out around 5 to move to locations within 5:30.
Filmed in very central locations, but was mostly left alone. Only filming in or close to roads is really hard; there is rarely more than a few seconds without a car, even in smaller streets. All roads lead to Rome and it seems during night this is where all cars go.
Went home, eggs and bacon and coffee for breakfast. Reviewed the material, got some better shots today, it improves for every time. I want to film a little bit more before I start producing it, but spent a few hours cleaning up, preparing the material for further graphics work.
Just before noon, hiked up to the Janiculum hill, just above the house, to record a close-up of the daily canon. I’m recording the cannon shot every day from a different position and today decided to head up close. Was a lot of people watching the canon, CHATTING, tsssk, those ignorant savants. I withdrew to a nearby park, looking for some optimal positions. But, we’re not in Germany. They fired the canon two minutes early. Being aware that I actually AM in Italy, I had the sense to keep the recorders running, just in case, but they weren’t in optimal positions. I got OK street sound versions, but not the clean close-up I wanted. So have to get back up there again.
Happy being outside, continued roaming, went for a walk around the hill and unfamiliar parts of Trastevere scouting locations for morning shots, recorded street sounds – like the bouncy sproing of the pipes inside the street walls. I don’t know what’s flowing through them but it’s nice to know it’s easy to stop. Maybe it’s Russian gas.
Also keep adding water drinking fountains. Had a very traditional Roman lunch. Started raining heavily while having lunch, has been raining and storming quite a lot the last few days. But that’s good working conditions. Went back to the house, worked on sound editing and instrument building for some hours.
The rain let up for a few hours in the late afternoon, went for a run along the Tiber. It’s a really wonderful place to run, the soft evening light falls down through the trees, the noise of the city disappears.
The eastern shore is mostly empty, almost like running in wilderness. Aaaaall-most. At least you don’t have to stop for traffic lights.
Went back to the house, worked on composition and music for some hours. Now a cold beer, report and life-threatening emails at my favorite hide-out bar in an alley. There’s a world cup game going in the nearby bar. Tomorrow I expect most of the day will go to preparing for an artist presentation at the house in the evening.
Here’s a picture of maneki-neko, copy-paper, a golden owl, circus horses and reflection of a Roman street.
