Monday 5th July
Meeting in Sydney with Pacific Power who own disused White Bay Power Station location for our finale. Important discussions about how to control extras (our audience for the performance) and make sure safety code observed. White Bay is one of the last magnificent locations of its kind still standing in Sydney. There is no other location in Sydney we can find that will match so perfectly our locations in Newcastle.

Tuesday 6th July
Drama on and off screen. While night shooting proceeds at the Seven Seas pub in Newcastle, some members of the crew are trying to catch up on sleep. No luck. The Radisson Hotel's fire alarm goes off and the guests are unceremoniously dragooned into the street in their pyjamas. It turns out to be a storm in a teacup.

Wednesday 7th July
Today, we shot a brawl at the Seven Seas pub. The actors threw themselves into it, all keen to handle the fight action themselves, despite stunt doubles standing by. Testosterone rampant. Relief when they all wrapped unscathed.

Thursday 8th and Friday 9th July
Major stunts at the wharves. Sean's motorbike carrying Sean & Mitchell is forced by Huey's (Anthony Hayes) car up a steep ramp and over the top into the harbour. Very cold night, but Adam and Sam are game and are plunged into the freezing water around midnight. No fun, but a fantastic sequence perfectly realised by our stunt team

Saturday 10th July
Great story from Gabrielle Healy, our extras casting consultant. One of her extras at BHP (a BHP worker) had worked at the steel works for 30 years and leaves in September when the steel works closes. He told Gabrielle that the Gladstone bag, which he carries in the film, went to work with him everyday for thirty years but would have to stay on for two weeks after he leaves, so that they've both worked there for the same length of time. He bought the bag with his first fortnight's pay.

Monday 12th July
We're in the Civic Theatre today, which is posing as a fictitious Regent Theatre in Sydney. And we're into the glitter and razzle-dazzle of the Anthony Ford dancers. Sixteen of Australia's top dancers came up from Sydney and turned in a sixteen hour day, tapping pretty well non-stop. Add to that a special cameo performance by Dein Perry himself as Anthony Ford and you can look forward to seeing classic tap magic. It's a fabulous contrast to the rock n roll feel of the rest of the film's tap.

Tuesday 13th July
A chance to watch Adam tapping solo all day. He has had to pace himself, as he is in almost every scene in the film. Showed his brilliance and the technique which helps the camera department considerably. He always hits his mark!!!

Wednesday 14 July
We are very anxious about the continuing wet weather, given this is our last week in Newcastle. We desperately need a break in the relentless pattern of wind and rain. Each day an open-air love scene is re-scheduled for our two leads and we're running out of days. However, the driving rain today suits the particular scene scheduled in which Tony Butterfield, Captain of the Newscastle Knights, makes a cameo appearance. Footballers are definitely natural performers - they have no fear. Tony is great. The crew gamely battle the mud and rain to protect the camera and keep going. It is a very difficult day.

Thursday 15 July
I asked Dein, as a first time director, what was one of the first things he learnt on the shoot. His reply - "When to say "Action!" I asked him to expand, "It's all the words that go before you say it "- standing by - set now - rolling - rolling - speed - mark - set - " I learnt to wait for five seconds silence after all that, then it was safe to say " ACTION" I observe Dein has cottoned on to the process of filmmaking and gained the crew's respect extremely quickly. His background in the theatre of leading a team has proved invaluable.

Friday 16 July
Still no break in the weather. If we don't get good weather on Saturday, we won't complete our schedule in Newcastle and will have to return. Many people keeping their fingers crossed. In the meantime, Drew Kaluski, as Colin, delivers a blistering tap routine on top of five toilet seats - no mean feat.