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196 Lights, Camera . . . Interpretation! 12 Della Goswell, Andy Carmichael, and Sofya Gollan This chapter examines the roles, relationships, and experiences of the three authors: Sofya Gollan, a deaf filmmaker, as well as Andy Carmichael and Della Goswell, two Australian Sign Language (Auslan) interpreters, during the production of a film. Sofya is a graduate of the Australian Film Television and Radio School and is the only deaf person currently making films in Australia. That pioneer status has required her to find innovative ways to work on film productions, and within the film industry, to incorporate sign language interpreters. The chapter explores the interpreting demands and strategies used by the director -interpreter team throughout various production stages and settings. These include initial financing meetings; auditions; preproduction office work; shooting on set; and postproduction phases, including editing and sound-mixing. The chapter also incorporates reflections from other crew members who are new to the dynamics of interpreted filmmaking. The film chosen for this case study is one that Sofya both wrote and directed: Preservation. It is a one-hour period film set in Sydney in the 1890s. The main character is a taxidermist, living alone in her family home, who takes in a boarder to make ends meet. The relationship that develops between these two characters forms the basis of the story. As with all films, the journey from the written page to the silver screen involved a number of production stages, most of which required sign language interpreting. Stage 1: Development Development is the stage of writing and refining the script and of seeking funding for the project. Usually, the writer teams up with a director and producer to form a core production team. Because Sofya was writer and director for Preservation, she needed only to find a producer, so she approached a colleague whom she had met at film school and could communicate with easily. For these initial meetings, no interpreting was required; she speaks for herself and could speechread the producer quite well, especially in one-on-one settings. Sofya explains how she felt about communication on the job: I can lipread well depending on the person who’s speaking and the setting we’re in. For face-to-face conversations, I usually manage without an interpreter , but there are always some people whose lip patterns throw me completely . For this project, I wanted to feel comfortable that I could communicate with the majority of the other crew or actors alone, if I had to. The interpreters were not always available, and besides, it’s important to build rapport with individuals on your team. Having an interpreter there as a third person does change the dynamic and distances me a little. Sofya did need to line up interpreters to be ready for important meetings with funding bodies. For continuity, she sought interpreters who were willing and available to work on the rest of the project, if it was funded, and who would present a positive image from the start. She also needed interpreters with particular attributes: • Passion about the filmmaking process. The process can be long and tedious, so something more than glamour needs to maintain an interpreter’s interest. • Knowledge of industry jargon. Film-specific terminology is used in meetings and on set. • Physical and mental stamina. Working days are long. • Grace under pressure, well presented. The interpreter’s image and behavior is closely allied with that of the director. • Team player. The interpreter must be able to work effectively with his or her co-interpreter and the rest of the film crew. • Punctual and reliable. Filmmaking is expensive, and time is money. • Fast linguistic processing skills. Because Sofya speaks for herself, she needs to be able to contribute in meetings and to respond on set with minimal delay. • Discretion and judgment. These qualities are critical, especially in relation to the shifting boundaries of the interpreting role. • Willingness to negotiate remuneration. This characteristic is important for interpreters, just as it is for all the crew on a budget film. Andy and Della were approached because they met the criteria and were tried and tested; both had worked as an effective team with Sofya on short films in the past. Sofya needed interpreters she could trust to adapt to the range of roles required throughout the production process—from the neutral conduit strictly relaying information to the close ally that Cook (2004) describes as a diplomatic interpreter, taking the initiative to make cultural adjustments to the message. Meetings with Funding...

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