Wednesday 28th July - Tuesday 3rd August
Only two and a half weeks to go. Everyone is gearing up for the "Finale" which is the Benefit Concert that Sean finally gets together with the Bootmen. We are shooting it over four nights at the White Bay Power Station, a derelict but magnificent disused power station in Rozelle, Sydney. It is tall and imposing with birds flying in and out of the myiad broken windows and it replicates vividly the feel of our BHP location in Newcastle.

It has been a vast job for the Art Department who have had to build scaffolding towers , a stage that lifts up, a swimming pool, a stand for the band on the first floor - you name it, they've built it. Not to mention supplying tip trucks, abseilers, angle grinders and a flying fox. All on an extremely tight budget considering the ambition and scope of the scene.

The crew has been augmented for these days numbering approximately 100 and on one night we have 400 extras. This scene is the climax of the film so we're pulling out all the stops.

Everyone is tired but the excitement of Cesary Skubiszewski's music, the extraordinary location and the brilliance of the tap is keeping the adrenalin pumping. Safety is again an issue as we are shooting at night. We have our safety officer on red alert, together with numerous additional assistant directors to corral our extras.

As with all sets I have ever visited or worked on, there are always, it seems, hours in every day of waiting around while a few people work feverishly while everyone else waits for their moment. During these times I have had the opportunity to talk to members of the crew. Was impressed to find out that Harry , our Safety Officer, owns four cars. How do you drive them all I asked. "Lamborghini when I'm angry, the Merc when I'm happy and the Nissan when I'm thinking", he replied. I didn't dare ask about the fourth.

I am proud to record that six of our principal cast are gaining their first experience of working on film and two have never acted professionally before. And they've all turned up trumps.

While lighting continued for the finale, I asked the other Bootmen what they would most remember about the film. Chris Horsey (Angus) said "getting a free overnight bag from Fox Searchlight," Matt Lee (Johnno) said, "Having so much fun bashing up people bigger than me!". Lee McDonald (Derrick) said, "the catering and the stunts" and Drew Kaluski (Colin) said "dancing in the last scene that we'd all worked towards and all the people I've met."

What about your dislikes? I asked.
Chris , "Working a 12 hour day, like normal people. I've gotten away with 3 and a half hours a night for ten years."
Matt, "Envying Chris Horsey's costume."
Lee, "Having the pressure of getting a tap step right, when you know the camera is rolling."
Drew "All the waiting around!"

Summing up, they all felt that the story of the film encapsuated many of the things that they had been through growing up as tap dancers, and they were proud to be able to put their skills on film.

The "home run" feel is in the air amongst the crew. It emerges in different ways, exhaustion, excitement at the thought of a break or anxiety about what's next. The big finale night went off brilliantly despite a lot of extremely cold wet dancers having to tap repeatedly in freezing cold water and arctic temperatures at 3am. All credit to the extras who turned up three nights in a row to cheer and stamp. Enthusiasm wears a bit thin by 5am, but they kept up the energy - helped, no doubt, by the brilliance of the performance they were witnessing.