The next morning, I met Jock, Ralph, and Joe in front of Christ Church College. It was very cold and we bundled up in coats, scarves, and gloves. This day, we filmed Joe's talks about Lewis and Tolkien during the war and how it shaped their beliefs, attitudes, and works. So, we set up in front of Christ Church Memorial Garden, and wired Joe with a microphone. The problem was that this area is right next to a main road, and there was much traffic. Every time a bus or car drove by, we had to stop. Also, Christ Church is a touristy, so when large groups of people arrived, we would have to let them pass before continuing. Because of the audio, this took a long time to film. However, they eventually decided to just get the shot and record a voice-over later.
When we had just finished and began packing up, some of the college's authorities came to us. They told us that we were not allowed to film here. However, we explained that Joe was from King's College; we just didn't tell them that he was at King's College in New York rather than London. This changed their minds, and they agreed to let us film for ten more minutes. So, we packed up and headed to the other side out of their view. This was right by the Botanic Gardens with Magdalen Tower in the background. This is appropriate because Lewis taught at Magdalen College.
We filmed more of Joe's talks on this other side, and it was easier to get because the only noise we had to worry about was the occasional passerby. We finished by recording some of the voice-overs from earlier that morning. During all this, I just helped with whatever was needed whether it was setting up equipment, holding stuff for Joe, or taking pictures. We finally finished, and I was happy to go inside for lunch and no longer be in the cold.
Then, we headed up to a small town north of Oxford to interview a woman who had been Lewis's student when he was teaching at Oxford and who had also taken several lectures under Tolkien. It was a lovely drive through the countryside, and we eventually arrived at this cute house. The sweetest old lady and her caregiver greeted us at the door. She showed us around her rooms which were filled with her paintings and drawings (she was an artist). And, every so often she would ask us if we wanted tea even though she already gave us some.
We decided to conduct the interview in one of her art studios out back. I helped Ralph and Jock set up the equipment, including the camera, lights, and microphone. Then, they settled her in a chair, and began the interview. Because the studio was so small, Jock, Joe, and I watched from the monitor outside. Her caregiver asked her the questions to guide the conversation, but mainly they let her talk. She told many stories of being at Oxford and what classes were like under Lewis and Tolkien. One thing she repeated several times was that she didn't think Lewis looked like a don but like a grocer. She also described how Lewis could fill a room with his lectures because many people wanted to hear him speak. I was in awe the entire time, hanging on her every word. I felt so honored to be there and listen to her. The interview lasted about an hour. Then, we packed up and thanked her many times for her time and stories. That was the last thing I did for the documentary, and the guys drove me home after that.
I do want to say thank you to Jock, Ralph, Joe, and Grace for allowing me to be a part of this experience. And, I would like to thank Kirk who put me in touch with these people in the first place.
British thing I learned:
A don at an English University is a professor.
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