Second Unit - practice

I didn't know what was ‘the second unit’ even thou I have heard about them.

One day assistant director of them  contacted me and asked me to instruct the extras for the close up shoots of Blood Oath signing scene.

As I watched, I could figure that they were shooting the close up or slow, detail shots of everything without revealing extra's faces.

He explained that they will shoot like picking brush up, actual signing, cutting their thumbs for blood stamps and maybe for the actual brush movements with writings.

And we've got a day and a bit to make all the beginners to be able to write - bearable to watch on a big screen.

Impossible.

But we had to do this.
I just let everyone write. So that they get used to handle the brush, being confident to write letters.

Sometimes, or often, quantity covers quality.

They were nice guys, hard working and friendly. We enjoyed practice together but they often struggled with controlling the sumi ink. 

It became one of my feelings now and am doing so unconsciously but they can't guess how much ink they should put on their brushes. Either too much or too dry.

Those kind of things, you just have to get used to it often.

Same thing for western calligraphy with pen writing.

Kai was the only person who has Westerners skin tone so they've chosen the right coloured handed guy who was a Japanese. Kai (Keanu) is left handed. But he, who has a right coloured hand, wasn't. He tried and thought, then decided to use his left hand to sign! I can't even write with my left!

Their faces were never seen on screen but they put their kimono on, hair done and make-ups too. And they moved as if they were actors. 

And I was with them for the shooting, too.