I was struggling to take the script beyond the 90 pages, which in hindsight was a bad sign. I was limited by the parameters of the story taking place within one day, so I couldn't see where to go with it. Gab was encouraging me to write a few scenes at the end where we'd see Beth on the streets. I agreed to write them so that they could be added to the shooting schedule, but I really wanted it to end with Beth leaving the house. I have a great respect for Ibsen's 'A Doll's House', where Nora just leaves at the end. I think it is a very powerful statement. It inspired me to have the characters just to walk out after their actions and not be seen again with a reactionary shot.
Gabby: As we worked through the script and plugged slight holes in the characters and plot, we started to base Mike's job on a temp job that I had done a few months before. I got the sack after 3 hours for not working miracles and making people pick up the phone when I called them...it was very cathartic to put this soul destroying experience into the script!
I had an idea to, like James says, shoot an extended end to the film. I was worried that if we didn't hit the tone and pacing correctly we would cross the line from providing a powerful but anticlimatic ending, to just a frustrating let down for the audience. Although I totally understood James' vision, I felt that for the sake of one more shot, we could avoid a potential disaster that we would kick ourselves for later.
