We finished our first week of filming!!! And it was for the most part fabulous. We got almost everything we needed, only owing a bit that we will shoot on cool neighbor Carol's place. I can't believe I have no time to write in here, but I am always running or on the phone, it seems. We shot four days on the island, four precious days on the beloved farm. That's all we had. But the team was incredible, and we made our days (only losing the cemetery scene, saving it for later . . .). This is the best crew I ahve ever worked with on any film. Cameraderie, work ethic, brilliance, longsuffering with no complaints . . . they utterly bless me. I could not be more grateful for them. They are making the dream real . . . I had to keep pinching myself to remind myself that after two and a half years of planning, it was really happening! And on the island, on my favorite land in the world! The crew began calling it "Camp Dark Horse" because it was so lovely. Several verifiable miracles occurred. One time we were setting up for a scene, rehearsing it, actors in the wrong clothes, and this light hit them - they looked like Botticelli angels. The DP and I looked at each other. It was ten minutes to lunch. Could we? We asked everyone present, threw different clothes on them (thanks to Tamia) and went into crazed get-it-done mode, and two takes later, we had our miracle shot. Two takes, and then we had to go to lunch. I was weeping with gratitude, because before that happened we had been over an hour behind schedule. The fight scene went well with Finn and Bran both bravely smacking into each other for hours. The divers-with-seal puppets spent a ling time under water, and it was variously useful, but I think we got stuff to use at the end. The Finn and Cathy kissing scene, the beach scene with the kids, and the Steadicam shot by the old chimney for the Lower Cabin went pretty well. But the breathtaking one was my favorite scene in the movie, the "It's just dirt" scene of Dana and Fiach dancing on the rock. We covered it with two cameras because it was so important to me. And we GOT IT!!! I am more relieved than I can say. And quite tired. And madly trying to raise the last money to finish the movie . . . please pray, if you are so inclined. I need the help . . .