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a30 people & arts
Thursday 25 June 2020
‘Isolation Stories’ turns lens on actors at home, pandemic

By LYNN ELBER to the four corners. ... There
AP Television Writer was a director in London, a
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When DOP (director of photogra-
Jeff Pope and his fam- phy) in Manchester and a
ily were sickened by CO- first assistant director in Ire-
VID-19, getting well was the land," Pope recalled. Pro-
first concern. That accom- duction was guided from
plished, the British writer- what he called the same
producer decided to make multiple "little boxes" that
timely art out of the pan- any conference call user
demic's burdens. knows too well.
"It really drove home to me It turned out to be unex-
how something like this was pectedly gratifying, he
being played out in millions said, engendering "a really
of homes. We didn't really amazing sense of commu-
have the big picture, just nity, more so, really than
what was in front of us," even on a normal film set,
Pope said. "That was the because all of us could see
inspiration for 'Isolation Sto- everything all the time."
ries,' which was a kaleido- Even a veteran producer
scopic approach to what like Pope could learn some-
was happening." thing. To feign the sweat of
In the limited series stream- illness on an actor's face,
ing on BritBox, a quartet of for instance, apply a light
15-minute films offer slice- sheen of petroleum jelly
of-life takes on people un- and spritz it with water, al-
der the quarantine's thumb, This image released by BritBox shows, from left, David Threlfall, Eddie Marsan and his sons Blu lowing the beads to cling
Marsan, foreground center, and Bodhi Marsan, who appear in "Isolation Stories," a series of four
including a pregnant wom- short dramas depicting life in lockdown, produced by Oscar nominated writer and producer Jeff and show on screen.
an abandoned by her mar- Pope. The series is streaming on BritBox. The overall results may not
ried lover; a son tending his Associated Press be as polished as normal,
ill father; a hypochondriac "but I think people will cut
in counseling and a family said. "So it really is a time what it was like to live with- to serve as camera opera- us some slack because we
man with a crumbling mar- capsule, accurately re- in isolation, and it wouldn't tor. In the episode starring had a go" at it, Pope said
riage. To make the series, flecting what we were go- have been as emotive tes- a pregnant Sheridan Smith of the series that aired last
Pope reached out in late ing through for that period, timony if it was done in six ("Doctor Who") as the single month to acclaim in Britain.
March to writers, direc- hopefully brief period, in months' time," he said. mom-to-be, the job went For Marsan, "Isolation Sto-
tors and actors who also time." But the challenges were to Smith's partner, Jamie ries" was a true family en-
wanted to add their voices Eddie Marsan ("Ray Dono- apparent: how to tape Dorn. (The couple have deavor. Two of his four
to the virtual public square van," "Deadpool 2"), who with social distancing and welcomed their infant son.) children played his sons
and, most importantly, do plays the embittered safety paramount, and Sanitized camera equip- and and his daughter shot
so quickly. spouse in one of the self- produce more than video ment was delivered to the footage for a "making of"
"We wanted to film sto- contained episodes, said selfies. The solution required house, Dorn got a crash documentary, also on Brit-
ries about lockdown in the he welcomed the project ingenuity and household course in handling it, and box . His wife was camera
middle of lockdown, in the as "something we could be cooperation. then the production be- operator and lighting tech-
teeth of it, and for it to be proud of doing." After enlisting family mem- came a long-distance af- nician, while their youngest
broadcast while we were "I thought it was really im- bers to play supporting roles fair. child was content to do
still experiencing it," Pope portant to give testimony of as needed, someone had "The crew were scattered home studies.q

‘World’s Toughest Race’ in Fiji to debut Aug. 14 on Amazon

LONDON (AP) — Bear Grylls competitors was held for these people,” said Grylls,
said he was brought to 11 days and across more an adventurer who starred
tears by the determination than 400 miles. It was diffi- in the survival series “Man
of competitors on “World’s cult to see racers drop out vs. Wild.”
Toughest Race: Eco-Chal- after spending so much Grylls noted the field’s di-
lenge Fiji” as they raced time and energy in prepa- versity, including the first
through jungles and over ration, Grylls said. fully African American
mountains to the point of “But at the same time, team competing interna-
exhaustion and pain. those that endured, tionally. Another Ameri-
The series’ new 10-episode whether or not they won, can squad includes Mark
season, hosted by Grylls it wasn’t really about the Macy, a past Eco-Chal-
and with 66 teams from winning,” he said. “This is lenge competitor who
30 countries, will debut an expedition with a stop- has since been diagnosed
Aug. 14 on Amazon Prime watch, is how I always kind with Alzheimer’s, and his
Video, it was announced of see this, and just to com- son, Travis.
Wednesday. The episodes plete it is a huge achieve- “That was a very emo-
In this image released by Amazon, racers compete in the 2019 were taped last fall, be- ment.” tional journey for them to
Eco-Challenge adventure race in Fiji. fore the coronavirus pan- “I unashamedly wept race together, for the son
Associated Press demic hit. at times, seeing the ef- to want to be alongside his
By HILARY FOX Associated Press The nonstop race with 330 fort and what it meant to dad,” Grylls said.q