‘FURY’ THE MOVIE HORSE
My day starts early. If there is a night shoot, then the day is extremely long. Today is such a day.
My day starts with breakfast in the inky pre-dawn darkness, when the morning choir of bird chatter is yet to begin. I had arrived in this place late the night before along with four other horses and a long line of trucks and other vehicles containing equipment and supplies. People buzzed around, everyone busy with the task of setting up camp, focusing on getting to bed for some much-needed shut-eye. Our handlers backed us out of the horse-trailers and led us into temporary enclosures. They set about filling our water buckets and tying nets filled with fresh hay onto the metal railings. We were given our supper and after a final check, the crew disappeared into the night, leaving us to relax and rest. I know that we are never alone. There is always a night watchman standing guard.
I am not really a black horse, that is all part of the role I am playing – seriously – my red, chestnut coat, the big white diamond on my forehead and my showy white socks are all gone. I am pure black now. I am brushed and cleaned then dressed up for my part. Wardrobe and Makeup. That is how we movie people start every day, every shoot. Throughout the day, there will be constant adjusting and re-adjusting of costumes and props. Once everything is in place, all the tassels and decorations are carefully arranged, our handlers leap nimbly up onto our backs and off to work we go!
We arrive at the set as the cameras are being set up. Oh no! The camels are here today. Those guys are not my favorite characters to have around, they are noisy and rude. They always find the wrong time to grunt or moan – normally when silence is called on set. Silence on Set – that is very important. When a scene is being shot, there must be absolute silence until the scene is over. If there is a noise, then the scene is shot again, and again, and again, and again. Those…… camels!
Today, according to the script, the hero of the story must gallop up a hill on his wild black stallion (me), stop and rear up when we reach the top, dramatically silhouetted against the morning sky, then gallop off and disappear into the distance. Silence on set is called and I stand at the marker ready to take off at a gallop when the action order is given. There is the signal! We fly through a makeshift village, flash past a clay pot seller’s tent and past a man standing on the side of the track holding a goat. Whoooooops!!!!! I did not expect to see that! I duck off the track and into the bush, taking the hero rider by surprise, almost unseating him. Oh dear, we are going to have to do a re-take.
On the second attempt, I know the goat is there, and my rider knows that I might dive off the track. As we approach the man with that goat at a good gallop, I feel my rider urge me on. Fine, I will ignore the silly old goat. We make it to the top of the hill, and my rider reins me to a sudden halt. He turns me side on to the cameras below – and the cameraman sitting in the grass – and I get the signal to rear up. Nice! Balancing on my hind legs, I stand straight up, and paw the air dramatically with my front legs. I am a superb rearing horse. As I land back onto my four feet, we spring off at a gallop again, and follow the track until we are out of sight of the movie set below us. The walkie-talkie radio crackles in my rider’s pocket. ‘Okay, good work. Come back down, we need another shot.’
The day is spent galloping up the hill, shot from various angles. Filming can be very repetitive. At midday, I take a break and watch as the camels do their thing………honestly, they are not very bright!
Later in the evening, just as the sun is sinking low, we get ready to do the attack scene. Big floodlights, and mist machines give the night a gloomy, eerie feel. The stunt doubles are hard at work, falling off at full gallop, ‘dying gruesome deaths’ while their horses gallop off to be caught unseen in the deep shadows by the crew of handlers. We are used to running with no riders into black shadow, we know that there will be someone there to tell us to stop, take our reins and lead us back to the light.
Most night shoots go on through the night, and a wrap will be called just as the horizon is starting to lighten. Then the weary crew will pack up and head on to a most welcome breakfast. We horses, (and camels, I suppose….) are taken back to camp where we have a chance to eat and relax before we are loaded up into the waiting horse boxes. I enjoy acting, I love the variety and the work, but I must say, it always feels good to be headed for home.
Sharlene Frances 