Most pieces take between two and three weeks and involve more than 40 people from the fabric cutters to the embroiders to the sewers. It's an elaborate undertaking.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
About once a year, I do these long-distance relays with some friends of mine, and it takes about 27 or 28 hours to complete it.
I usually do my hair and makeup in 30 to 45 minutes, and if my hair is dirty, I'll just put it in a bun or a ponytail. If it's in a bun, I'll part it down the middle and do a low bun with a couple pieces in the front coming down.
On the first day I got my wheelchair, I was also given all my clothes for the next day, a little pile on the chair. I was so proud of myself for getting it all on - the socks and everything. Dressing is a struggle, and it can take up to an hour and a half.
I usually do about five cuts as a director. I haven't ever directed a film where I haven't made five passes through the movie, and that takes a long time.
When you think of a movie, most people imagine a two hour finished, polished product. But to get to that two hour product, it can take hundreds or thousands of people many months of full time work.
I've had to make the transition from sweeping in for 15 minutes, doing my stuff and clearing out, to carrying a movie for the duration - in a dress.
My sister-in-law is a painter, and I'll say, how long did it take you to paint that painting. She'll say, It took me maybe three days, but it took me all my life to get the skills to paint that painting.
We always work at least a month to six weeks before we go on the road, usually for something like eight to 12 hours a night. It took six weeks to do it this time. We just play virtually everything we know.
I made every single piece myself, each individual component, so it was quite time consuming.
The series of photographic operations, developing, washing, final drying, takes about quarter of an hour.