‘The Yesterday’
© 2022 Baronesse Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved
The Yesterday Official Poster Poster Art by edwardproducciones.com
PRE-PRODUCTION
2020 London, England set to shoot October 2-11
Pre-Production Locations (link)
NEW!
Calum Graham
“Farewell” (feat. Michael Manring)
Written and performed on harp guitar by Canadian guitarist, composer and singer Calum Graham
https://calumgraham.com/
On being the Producer
“The producer is an entrepreneur who knows how to invent or discover a product, how to make it and how to market it. A creative producer [as opposed to a line producer] will be involved in all aspects of the filmmaking process, including selecting and working with the screenwriter, hiring the director, casting, editing and selecting the composer. This person is often the first one on the picture and the last one off[...]” (LFS official Moodle site).
After much difficulty with the filming industry being rather shut down and existing film projects hobbling along under covid restrictions, I was unable to find an affordable, available producer. Eventually, I was able to secure an independent line producer – a kind of “physical production boss” (Moodle, LFS) to manage the flow of money and production requirements - mostly equipment hire and transport arrangements.
He did a great job obtaining filming licenses in parks and streets, getting paperwork signed and following through with visas and travel bookings for international cast members arriving from India and Bulgaria whose arrival remained entirely uncertain.
A quarantine period and ‘bubble’ were the only way he would be able to interact as per script – sitting together, holding hands, kissing. As a backup plan, I reviewed a list of, in the end, unneeded replacement actors in the weeks leading up to the successful flight.
A FILM BY BENITA VON SASS ABOUT LONELINESS, ABOUT SEEKING THE DEEPER HUMANITY WITHIN THE HUMAN; ABOUT AWAKENING REAL LOVE AND FULFILLMENT BENEATH APPEARANCES, CONVENTION AND FORM
What is Life? Life is What? What Life is …
The Yesterday is a present-day unconventional love story set in London, England.
Starring
Benita von Sass as ‘Josephine’ (Canadian actor The Yesterday)
Manan Joshi as ‘The Shopkeeper’ (Indian Mumbai actor Kabhi Kabhie Ittefaq Sey (2022); The Yesterday (2022); Shubh Laabh Aapkey Ghar Mein (2021); 'Rocky' in Gudden Temse Na Ho Payega soap opera)
With
Dessy Tenekedjieva as ‘Psychologist Friend’ (Saving my Pig)
And
Sensei Ahcene Moussaoui as ‘Karate Instructor’ (7th Dan A Class ISKF international karate competitor - Shotokan lineage Japanese master Enoeda 9th Dan)
Marco Di Tieri as ‘Angry Man’ (Walking to Paris, The Yesterday)
Dan Hazelwood as ‘Lawyer’ (Paper Soldiers, The Yesterday)
Ece Ozdemiroglu as ‘Impatient Woman’ (Cocoons London play, The Yesterday)
Mickie Driver as ‘Button Suit Man’ (Variety Collective singer/entertainer, The Yesterday)
Hannah Marie McGoldrick as ‘Birthday Girl’ (The Yesterday)
Sophia and Maryam Ait Bahcine as ‘Mother and Child’ (The Yesterday)
Ben Tyler as Karate Student
locations and flow of activity during all stages of the shoot. Certainly the artistic vision for the film remained with me - now the Director and Producer.Signing off on the equipment allowed me to store it on my premises. And when our line producer could only attend small portions of the shoot due to covid’s crew number limitations, I was happy I had the dual title. I could store and transport all needed items daily without additional organizational challenges.
Our Mumbai Indian actor Manan Joshi received his visa only hours before the last flight to allow the requisite ‘living in a bubble’ period with actress ‘Josephine’ before the shoot.
When our line producer was not able to guarantee major rentals as an independent, I solved this problem by putting my name on major rentals and agreements as producer myself. Large equipment rental houses would not, for security reasons, deal with an independent line producer or individual - only with companies.
As I had already sourced all of the locations anyway, cast actors, found a composer, hired editors and entered into major agreements - I would just have to accept the producer title too. I passed as much to our line producer as possible, but generally oversaw terms,
The lovely student flat well before The Yesterday …
When our 1st AD had to cancel his trip from Italy to London two weeks before filming due to covid, I was able to prepare a detailed Full Fat Schedule for our nine locations without the ‘Movie Magic’ schedule he had promised.
In accommodating a calendar of venue bookings and licenses I had arranged and juggling cast availability months prior, I had gained knowledge of so many film dynamics – from filming chronologically backwards to accommodate haircuts showing passage of time, to ‘fatigued end of shoot’ looks, actor availability, wardrobe, schedules, daylight v. night time shots – that I found myself truly prepared.
… to the student flat just before and during shooting The Yesterday.
I knew the shots, the locations, the time frames, the budgets and the variables involved. Of course, I couldn’t plan for the unexpected, but I was as prepared and knowledgable as I could be.
When our convenience store location cancelled just weeks before the shoot, I went up and down the streets in my neighbourhood, securing an alternate location that would allow for my storyboarded shots without massive revision.
When our ‘winking man’ came down with covid the day before the shoot, I approached random people on film day, finding a willing alternate couple.
When one actress called moments before leaving on location in the morning saying she preferred not to attend as she was feeling less than 100%, it was too late to hire another. I replaced her with my production design helper who agreed to play the role. I provided an outfit from my wardrobe, practiced the lines and we made it work.
In short, being forced into the additional role of producer actually made me more prepared and confident to deal with many ongoing and sudden challenges of making this film.
Hearing Ben Stiller had starred in, produced, directed and done production design for Tropic Thunder (Stiller, 2008) along with so many other director/actors juggling two or more roles in films like Roman Polanski, Ben Affleck, Clint Eastwood and Robert Redford to name just a few, I felt empowered.
During the filming of The Yesterday (von Sass, 2021), the schedule ran generally seamlessly. Not easily of course, as we were always under time pressure and the many covid restrictions and regulations, but smoothly: in line with the overall vision, and within budget.
THE YESTERDAY GALLERIES - Main Cast; Main Crew; Sound Design & Music; Pre-Production Location Pics
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The Yesterday Main Cast
Manan JoshiThe Shopkeeper Benita von SassJosephine
Dessy TenekedjievaPsychologist Sensei Ahcene MoussaouiKarate Teacher Marco Di TieriMan in Store Dan HazelwoodLawyer
Ece OzdemirogluEnglish Woman Mickie DriverButton Suit Man Sophia Ait BahcineMother on Street Maryam Ait BahcineChild with Balloon
Jane TraskWinking Man’s Girlfriend Hannah Marie McGoldrickBirthday Girl/Co-worker Rory BaynhamMan in Window Trystan LeverWinking Man
Andrew FegenMan’s Voice from Street Ben TylerKarate Student Spandana PatanaikWife’s Voice in Convenience Store
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The Yesterday Main Crew
Alexander HarrisonDir of Photography Benita von SassDirector, Producer Ben RichardsonLine Producer Andrew FegenEditor
Oscar HarrisonUnit Prod Mngr/Focus Pull Daniela Stephan#2 Asst Cam/Grip Majer CristianSound Recordist Rory BaynhamSpark
Francesco IbbaSpark Anthony HughesGaffer Paul BurtonSecondary Editor Scott Trotter1st AD
Alex TristramTransport/Prod Design Asst’ Hannah Marie McGoldrickProd Design Asst’ Joe Worthy#2Unit Sound Darius Mirsadeghi#3 Asst Camera
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The Yesterday Sound Design & Music
Anna SulleySound Design Luke PlunkettComposer Chris NormanVocals/Guitar Artist Calum GrahamHarp Guitar Artist
Kolja BrandComposer Calum GrahamHarp Guiter Artist (feat. Michael Manring)
With hit songs from amazing performers and bands including: Chris Norman, Kolja Brand, Calum Graham, Donovan, Tavares, The Three Degrees, Lobo, Echo & The Bunnymen, Heart, Air, and Tommy James & The Shondells …
(Images of artists and album covers carry their own copyright and were sourced from (part of) public domain source available on Google)
The Yesterday Pre-Production Location Pics
Random Socializing shots in pre-production for use as framed desk pictures, and others:
Finsbury Park location pre-production scouting, and final:
Nido Tower location (Josephine’s work place) pre-production scouting, and final:
Fitzroy location pre-production scouting (Josephine’s dining room, living room, powder room), and final:
Fitzroy location pre-production scouting - Georgian townhouse in Fitzrovia, London where Daniel Day Lewis’ film ‘Phantom Thread’ (Anderson, 2017) was shot, and final:
Abney Park Cemetery / Nightclub / Nido Tower office (Josephine’s office) pre-production location scouting, and final:
