The re-shoot in South Africa (photo) of scene 30 went perfect and was just ready in time to complete the first rough cut of the film. Together with most of the producers we watched the work of the last weeks. Their comment was exactly the same as our own: the beginning doesn’t work yet. The next day Wouter and I made six different new beginnings with the material we have, like fast sketches. Immediately it was clear which solution did work and which didn’t.
So we created a totally new beginning for the film. The consequences are that we’ll have to throw away a lot of scenes that I shot. Scenes with lots of extra’s, with expensive rain machines, with an old bus full of Chinese people as well as one with a specially handmade wedding dress… But I can kill all my babies, when I know it’ll make the film better.