Just finished Week 1 of production on, "Juju," so I have not had a lick of time to touch anything having anything to do with, "Charm City." But that is good, gives me a month or so away from it to get some perspective before attempting to edit or even to schedule the 2-3 days of pick-up shots that I need to complete photography. We have two more weeks on Juju, possibly even a little longer. Then one of the actors I need for pick-ups for Charm City is out of town until the second week of October, which I am actually glad for, I really will need a break after this.
Every production is its own education, and I am learning something new every day, especially about SAG (Screen Actors Guild) rules and payments. There are seven SAG actors on Juju, and about a dozen non-union actors. Although the paperwork can be a pain, if you are an actor, which is not the most secure job path in the world, I can see why actors work hard to get into SAG. Among other benefits, SAG actors get overtime after 8 hours on the set. Non-union actors usually get a flat rate, no matter how long the day goes - Wednesday we shot for NINETEEN hours. One of my non-union actresses is pretty sick right now, but she's not in the hospital because since she is a working actress, and non-union, she has no health insurance. It is such a difficult way to make a living. There is really nothing glamorous about it.
Which is true for most if not all jobs having to do with filmmaking. It is a lot of hard work. But when it is all said and done, hopefully you have a great piece you can be proud. I don't have children, but I think making a movie is a lot like what I have heard about childbirth - it is a pain that you forget. When you are in the midst of it, you may find yourself wondering why you thought this was a good idea, swearing you will never do it again, and possibly demanding pharmaceuticals at the top of your lungs to help you get through it. But then you have this beautiful creation that you had a hand in manifesting, and you start thinking about doing it all over again, because you only remember the good stuff.
At least that's how I HOPE it works. I'll let you know when my movie is done!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Recovery Checklist
Internet up here is spotty at best. I have access for a few minutes here and there, then it fades just as I am about to send an email or something, so I will keep this short.
Recommended items to speed recovery after shooting a feature-length film:
1. Dogs (squeezable, and they won't hold it against you when you are cranky and unbearable)
2. Convertible
3. Gorgeous weather
4. Friend with real estate in a desirable location
5. Unlimited access to said real estate
6. Nice restaurant near said real estate
7. Outlet shopping near said real estate
8. At least one credit card you have not maxed out on the feature-length film, to be used at said restaurant and outlets
9. Box of wine
I am pretty well set.
Back to Baltimore and on to the next film tomorrow. I have been hired as Production Manager on a film titled, "Juju," which starts production on Monday. It is a paying gig, which should just about cover the 2-3 days of pick-up shots that I need to schedule with Michelle to complete my own film, as well as the damage I did at the outlets today. But hey, I am going to be one well-dressed Production Manager!
Recommended items to speed recovery after shooting a feature-length film:
1. Dogs (squeezable, and they won't hold it against you when you are cranky and unbearable)
2. Convertible
3. Gorgeous weather
4. Friend with real estate in a desirable location
5. Unlimited access to said real estate
6. Nice restaurant near said real estate
7. Outlet shopping near said real estate
8. At least one credit card you have not maxed out on the feature-length film, to be used at said restaurant and outlets
9. Box of wine
I am pretty well set.
Back to Baltimore and on to the next film tomorrow. I have been hired as Production Manager on a film titled, "Juju," which starts production on Monday. It is a paying gig, which should just about cover the 2-3 days of pick-up shots that I need to schedule with Michelle to complete my own film, as well as the damage I did at the outlets today. But hey, I am going to be one well-dressed Production Manager!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Post Time
I am so exhausted. I was driving today to return some of the gorgeous artwork that I had on loan for the production from Oletha Davis, Linda DePalma, and Ellen Burchenal, and I found myself wondering, "Why is my car going so slowly?" The answer to this question was, "Because you need to exert energy to press down on the accelerator pedal." Even that was an effort. I went to my friend Christie's going away party tonight - for five minutes. I just have nothing left for anyone until I can recharge my batteries for a few days. Tomorrow morning I head to Mikey's cabin in the Poconos to do just that.
Last night was the Wrap Party at the Wind-Up Space. Beforehand I took Michelle Farrell (Director of Photography), Michael Bordenick (Executive Producer), and Eric Thornett (Production Consultant, Touchstone, Sounding Board and Junior Therapist) to dinner at the always outstanding Prime Rib. I cannot describe to you how nice it was to relax for that little bit of time, and to be in such good company. I could not have survived this without all three of them keeping me sane. I feel so much lighter today, such a weight off of my shoulders. Of course, that may just be that floaty feeling I get from sleep deprivation.
The party was so much fun. Tucker and the boys rocked it out while we screened some raw footage (thank you Greg Almond!) on the big screen behind them. The Wind-Up is such an awesome place for just such a party, and for filming on location as well. It was cool to see footage of scenes we shot there playing on the wall in the very same space! I think the actors especially appreciated being able to see some of the work they had done come to fruition. It takes so long to edit a feature-length, I was glad to give them a bit of immediate gratification, and it was really fun for me also.
Later in the evening, from out of nowhere I was presented with a beautiful cake decorated with a "slate" that had "Charm City" and my name on it, a card signed by members of the cast and crew, and a gleaming golden, "Oscar", also with my name on it. I was astounded. Some people hate surprises or surprise parties. I love them. I have thrown several for other people, and I know how much planning and thought goes into anything like that. It meant the world to me that my crew and cast would be so thoughtful about doing something nice for me after I had worked them so hard for weeks. It was a moment of overwhelming satisfaction, appreciation, and just plain happiness that I shall never forget, and I thank every one of them from the bottom of my heart for giving me that moment and that memory.
I have learned so much in the last few weeks (and months) and I have so much still to tell you about, but I want to leave it there for now, I want to enjoy the feeling of this moment before rehashing everything that led up to it. It definitely had (and will continue to have, in post, I'm sure) its ups and downs, but for the most part it was simply an amazing experience, and the biggest challenge in my life thus far. That is no exaggeration. But here I am, smile on my face, and gratitude in my heart to all of the people who helped me to manifest my vision into tangible reality, I hope you are enjoying the moment with me. You deserve it.
Last night was the Wrap Party at the Wind-Up Space. Beforehand I took Michelle Farrell (Director of Photography), Michael Bordenick (Executive Producer), and Eric Thornett (Production Consultant, Touchstone, Sounding Board and Junior Therapist) to dinner at the always outstanding Prime Rib. I cannot describe to you how nice it was to relax for that little bit of time, and to be in such good company. I could not have survived this without all three of them keeping me sane. I feel so much lighter today, such a weight off of my shoulders. Of course, that may just be that floaty feeling I get from sleep deprivation.
The party was so much fun. Tucker and the boys rocked it out while we screened some raw footage (thank you Greg Almond!) on the big screen behind them. The Wind-Up is such an awesome place for just such a party, and for filming on location as well. It was cool to see footage of scenes we shot there playing on the wall in the very same space! I think the actors especially appreciated being able to see some of the work they had done come to fruition. It takes so long to edit a feature-length, I was glad to give them a bit of immediate gratification, and it was really fun for me also.
Later in the evening, from out of nowhere I was presented with a beautiful cake decorated with a "slate" that had "Charm City" and my name on it, a card signed by members of the cast and crew, and a gleaming golden, "Oscar", also with my name on it. I was astounded. Some people hate surprises or surprise parties. I love them. I have thrown several for other people, and I know how much planning and thought goes into anything like that. It meant the world to me that my crew and cast would be so thoughtful about doing something nice for me after I had worked them so hard for weeks. It was a moment of overwhelming satisfaction, appreciation, and just plain happiness that I shall never forget, and I thank every one of them from the bottom of my heart for giving me that moment and that memory.
I have learned so much in the last few weeks (and months) and I have so much still to tell you about, but I want to leave it there for now, I want to enjoy the feeling of this moment before rehashing everything that led up to it. It definitely had (and will continue to have, in post, I'm sure) its ups and downs, but for the most part it was simply an amazing experience, and the biggest challenge in my life thus far. That is no exaggeration. But here I am, smile on my face, and gratitude in my heart to all of the people who helped me to manifest my vision into tangible reality, I hope you are enjoying the moment with me. You deserve it.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Still Alive
And that is all that I have the energy to write. Last day of filming tomorrow. Wrap party Friday. 9pm-close at the Wind-Up Space, 12 West North Avenue. See you there...
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Two-Martini Breakfast
Today is a day "off", as in, no filming, though that certainly is NOT as in, no work. I have a very long list of things to do and people to talk to, but while I have a moment here at 7:50a.m. before my phone starts ringing off the hook and the cavalcade of emails begins, I thought I'd give you an update, as in, vent.
Actually, it's not too bad. Well, it is, but I am still enjoying it and we have gotten a lot done.
Day 2
Day 2 was filming the big finale scene at Government House. The place looked beautiful, with artwork by Linda DePalma, Oletha Devane, Ellen Burchenal, Dr. Leslie King-Hammond, Caren Shelley, and even myself on the walls, tables, and mantlepieces. We had a good many extras, and all our primary actors were dressed to the nines for the big to-do.
This day was and will probably remain the biggest filming challenge of the production. I had my heart set on as lengthy a continuous shot as we could manage. I talked to Michelle and her crew about it on one of our pre-pro days. At first they were a little reluctant, but Michelle quickly got on board and welcomed the challenge. It took us from 8:00am to 6:00pm, TEN HOURS, and about 50 people including extras to get the shot completed, and it will amount to about one MINUTE of filming. There is no scripted dialogue in the scene, so there was seven pages of scheduled dialogue we didn't get to that day, and we went over 12 hours for the day so it cost me another $100 to order pizza for everyone for a second meal. But the important thing is that WE DID IT! On a budget like mine, a shot like that is usually out of the question, it takes SO much time to set up and SO many takes, though I think we got it in less than 10 takes. This is Michelle's tenth feature-length film and she said is was the hardest shot she has ever done. I am so psyched about it, I can barely wait to start editing. Now I just have to figure out when I am going to shoot those other 7 pages we missed, that is the hard part now.
Also on this day, Tucker's band was in the scene. The harmonica (among other instruments) player, Wayne Werner, is also a jeweler who makes incredible custom pieces, and he and I had worked out a deal for a bit of product placement. He made two stunning custom pendants just for the film, and he brought them along. Cheryl and Tiffany, my actresses who will be wearing them in the scenes, were so excited, but not as excited as I was - I get to keep one of them!
Everyone was so patient that day, especially the extras who had so little to do for most of the day, but stuck around even when we ran late. Some of them even called off work or went in late so they could stick around and be a part of it all. That was awesome.
At the end of the day, Michelle was frustrated because she felt we hadn't "made our day" (filmed all pages scheduled) for the second day in a row. But the continuous shot that took us ten hours was never really factored into that on paper, it is just something we talked about briefly beforehand, and we were able to make it work. So, I was okay with that. Pretty satisfied, actually, and very proud of the whole crew that made it happen. So happy, in fact, that I forgot about the fire alarm that went off when someone accidentally hit a pull station. Things happen, not a big deal, just a little more stress on the pile.
But the best part of the day for me was when we were done, when I finally got a chance to talk to Al Letson and Eric Thornett at the end of the day. Al flew up here from Jacksonville for no other reason than to be in my movie. The first day we didn't even get to his scene, though I am still hoping to pick that up sometime while I am in post-production. The second day he was an extra and it was all hurry-up-and-wait, and he had no dialogue. Finally the third day, he had a great scene at Dougherty's and it worked very well.
Al is in pre-production for his own show on National Public Radio, "State of the Re:Union", so he doesn't exactly have nothing on his plate. But he still made time for me and my project and that means the world to me. I hadn't seen him since February and it did me good to spend a little (too little) time with him. We didn't have much time to speak privately, but we squeaked out a few minutes. In the film, he is nicknamed, "The Voice of Reason," and he is exactly that to me. He is a solid sounding board and always tells me the truth, and I trust his opinions and respect his creative vision. He gives me a little nudge when I need it, whether in a project or in a personal matter. I would feel stupid if I ever failed in front of him, not because he would try to make me feel that way, but because I know that the only way I can fail would be due to my own laziness, and I would never want to lose Al's respect. He told me I had, "brass ones," for even attempting that continuous shot. That felt great to hear.
I've only known Eric since January, but he has quickly cut through the ranks to become another barometer against which I measure my own success and fortitude. More importantly, he is someone I know I can call at anytime, and often do. He came out Friday night (he lives an hour away) just to help me all day Saturday. He was never further than arm's reach all day, and if I asked him for anything it was done in seconds, and if I didn't ask him for anything, he asked me if I needed anything. I was so spent by the end of it all, but once the last pizza-eaters left and Al went to bed, Eric stayed up with me for awhile, cleaning up the kitchen and just talking. He is another one that if I were to fail in front of, I would be so disappointed in myself. I know that wouldn't effect our friendship, but it does drive me. It is good to have people around you like that when you are taking on such a huge challenge. And just as important to have people around that make you smile, and to put an arm around you at the end of a long day.
Day 3
Day 3 was our first of two days filming at Dougherty's Pub on West Chase Street, a few blocks from where I live in Mount Vernon. This is a fantastic place to film, so easy, because it is one of the few WIDE bars in Baltimore, plus it is very easy (relatively speaking) to hang lights from the drop ceiling. Another plus was that the artwork on the wall this month (they change up the first Thursday of every month) was by local artist Jillian Jenkins, and it could not BE any more perfect for filming. She has gorgeous black and white prints that practically jump off the wall, interspersed with a couple large-scale paintings and some smaller pieces grouped at one end. Her artwork figures prominently in some of the scenes and I am happy to show off her work and increase my production values at the same time.
We were pretty on-schedule on this day. Though we didn't get as much coverage (close-ups of individual actors) as I would have liked, simply because of time restrictions, the wide shots look very good and I have plenty to work with. Especially one shot in the pool room, using a jib ON a dolly made for a VERY cool shot that I can't wait to use.
Day 4
Another day at Dougherty's. Call time was a brutal 6:00am, and thankfully our last call that early. This one started off a bit rough, issues with transporting the gear. Not worth it to get into the details of it, but those problems combined with an early call time did not make for a pleasant launch for the shooting day, and Michelle and I snapped at each other a bit, unfortunately in front of the crew. I don't like that kind of thing, and had we been in my regular environment of the hotel business, I would have labeled it very unprofessional of us both. But making movies is a whole 'nuther animal, and there is no time to talk privately, and sometimes no luxury of having a private place to do so. Since all eyes are on the Director and the DP at all times, it would have made an even bigger deal of it than it was to step away, so best to get it out in the open and get it over with.
I don't know if that little exchange had anything to do with it or not, but the film crew was so great to me for the rest of the day, I never had to wait for anything. We moved very quickly, and my sound connection and half apple were always on hand. An apple box is simply a wooden box that is used to make people taller or to sit on, and a half apple is just half as high. Michelle is at least a foot taller than I am, which makes it difficult for both of us to have a good look at the monitor while filming, so I stand on a half apple, or sometimes I have to do things like climb on top of the bar or a booth. One of the crew, Z, was always there with a sound blanket for me to kneel or sit on when I had to do that. Little things like that make the day so much less painfully, literally and figuratively.
The (very) good thing about Michelle and me both is that once an issue is resolved, we can both let it go pretty quickly and move on. And that is exactly what we did, and it turned out to be our best day so far. We finished 8 1/2 pages including coverage, and we even finished 10 minutes early!
When I stepped outside of Dougherty's for a moment at one point, I met a woman who was standing in front of Tyson's bar next door. Her name is Allison Pasarew, and she had been talking to some of my crew and she asked if I needed any more artwork for the film, she had a couple pieces hanging in Tyson's. So I took a look, and after filming was over I came back with my car and borrowed two of her pieces which I will use in a scene we are shooting tomorrow. God Bless Smalltimore.
Also, I can't say enough about our Production Crew. We have an army of interns who have just been amazing. Regina Guy, Corey Davis, and David Sarmiento were my first-enlisted and they are my A-team. They are all there every day, pretty much from beginning to end, never complain, do anything asked of them and do it quickly, very self-motivated and don't wait to be told what to do, if something needs to be done, they just do it. Regina makes breakfast for the crew every day, which means she is up even earlier than them or me, so you can imagine how tired she was yesterday, as she had to be here and have breakfast made by 5:30a.m.! The rest of the crew are great as well, Erinn is our make-up artist, Shernay, Bill, Dylan, and Lin are other Production Assistants (and often extras), and also Brittany Sweatt, though sometimes I forget she is actually mine because Michelle stole her from me, and she has been doing a stellar job with the film crew as slater and monitor mover, among other things. She just wrapped production on Renee Zellweger's film, "My One and Only," so she has great experience under her belt already and is usually one step ahead of everyone.
That's not the long of it, just the short of it, and you probably already think it is too long, so I am going to sign off now and tackle a to-do list as long as my arm (and my other arm, and both legs...). That has something to do with the title of this posting, which I almost forgot to tie in. As I have had zero time to do anything personal, every glass in my apartment needs to be washed, except for the martini glasses, so that is what I had to use at breakfast this morning. We are filming a couple scenes in my apartment tomorrow, so I'd better get on that.
Actually, it's not too bad. Well, it is, but I am still enjoying it and we have gotten a lot done.
Day 2
Day 2 was filming the big finale scene at Government House. The place looked beautiful, with artwork by Linda DePalma, Oletha Devane, Ellen Burchenal, Dr. Leslie King-Hammond, Caren Shelley, and even myself on the walls, tables, and mantlepieces. We had a good many extras, and all our primary actors were dressed to the nines for the big to-do.
This day was and will probably remain the biggest filming challenge of the production. I had my heart set on as lengthy a continuous shot as we could manage. I talked to Michelle and her crew about it on one of our pre-pro days. At first they were a little reluctant, but Michelle quickly got on board and welcomed the challenge. It took us from 8:00am to 6:00pm, TEN HOURS, and about 50 people including extras to get the shot completed, and it will amount to about one MINUTE of filming. There is no scripted dialogue in the scene, so there was seven pages of scheduled dialogue we didn't get to that day, and we went over 12 hours for the day so it cost me another $100 to order pizza for everyone for a second meal. But the important thing is that WE DID IT! On a budget like mine, a shot like that is usually out of the question, it takes SO much time to set up and SO many takes, though I think we got it in less than 10 takes. This is Michelle's tenth feature-length film and she said is was the hardest shot she has ever done. I am so psyched about it, I can barely wait to start editing. Now I just have to figure out when I am going to shoot those other 7 pages we missed, that is the hard part now.
Also on this day, Tucker's band was in the scene. The harmonica (among other instruments) player, Wayne Werner, is also a jeweler who makes incredible custom pieces, and he and I had worked out a deal for a bit of product placement. He made two stunning custom pendants just for the film, and he brought them along. Cheryl and Tiffany, my actresses who will be wearing them in the scenes, were so excited, but not as excited as I was - I get to keep one of them!
Everyone was so patient that day, especially the extras who had so little to do for most of the day, but stuck around even when we ran late. Some of them even called off work or went in late so they could stick around and be a part of it all. That was awesome.
At the end of the day, Michelle was frustrated because she felt we hadn't "made our day" (filmed all pages scheduled) for the second day in a row. But the continuous shot that took us ten hours was never really factored into that on paper, it is just something we talked about briefly beforehand, and we were able to make it work. So, I was okay with that. Pretty satisfied, actually, and very proud of the whole crew that made it happen. So happy, in fact, that I forgot about the fire alarm that went off when someone accidentally hit a pull station. Things happen, not a big deal, just a little more stress on the pile.
But the best part of the day for me was when we were done, when I finally got a chance to talk to Al Letson and Eric Thornett at the end of the day. Al flew up here from Jacksonville for no other reason than to be in my movie. The first day we didn't even get to his scene, though I am still hoping to pick that up sometime while I am in post-production. The second day he was an extra and it was all hurry-up-and-wait, and he had no dialogue. Finally the third day, he had a great scene at Dougherty's and it worked very well.
Al is in pre-production for his own show on National Public Radio, "State of the Re:Union", so he doesn't exactly have nothing on his plate. But he still made time for me and my project and that means the world to me. I hadn't seen him since February and it did me good to spend a little (too little) time with him. We didn't have much time to speak privately, but we squeaked out a few minutes. In the film, he is nicknamed, "The Voice of Reason," and he is exactly that to me. He is a solid sounding board and always tells me the truth, and I trust his opinions and respect his creative vision. He gives me a little nudge when I need it, whether in a project or in a personal matter. I would feel stupid if I ever failed in front of him, not because he would try to make me feel that way, but because I know that the only way I can fail would be due to my own laziness, and I would never want to lose Al's respect. He told me I had, "brass ones," for even attempting that continuous shot. That felt great to hear.
I've only known Eric since January, but he has quickly cut through the ranks to become another barometer against which I measure my own success and fortitude. More importantly, he is someone I know I can call at anytime, and often do. He came out Friday night (he lives an hour away) just to help me all day Saturday. He was never further than arm's reach all day, and if I asked him for anything it was done in seconds, and if I didn't ask him for anything, he asked me if I needed anything. I was so spent by the end of it all, but once the last pizza-eaters left and Al went to bed, Eric stayed up with me for awhile, cleaning up the kitchen and just talking. He is another one that if I were to fail in front of, I would be so disappointed in myself. I know that wouldn't effect our friendship, but it does drive me. It is good to have people around you like that when you are taking on such a huge challenge. And just as important to have people around that make you smile, and to put an arm around you at the end of a long day.
Day 3
Day 3 was our first of two days filming at Dougherty's Pub on West Chase Street, a few blocks from where I live in Mount Vernon. This is a fantastic place to film, so easy, because it is one of the few WIDE bars in Baltimore, plus it is very easy (relatively speaking) to hang lights from the drop ceiling. Another plus was that the artwork on the wall this month (they change up the first Thursday of every month) was by local artist Jillian Jenkins, and it could not BE any more perfect for filming. She has gorgeous black and white prints that practically jump off the wall, interspersed with a couple large-scale paintings and some smaller pieces grouped at one end. Her artwork figures prominently in some of the scenes and I am happy to show off her work and increase my production values at the same time.
We were pretty on-schedule on this day. Though we didn't get as much coverage (close-ups of individual actors) as I would have liked, simply because of time restrictions, the wide shots look very good and I have plenty to work with. Especially one shot in the pool room, using a jib ON a dolly made for a VERY cool shot that I can't wait to use.
Day 4
Another day at Dougherty's. Call time was a brutal 6:00am, and thankfully our last call that early. This one started off a bit rough, issues with transporting the gear. Not worth it to get into the details of it, but those problems combined with an early call time did not make for a pleasant launch for the shooting day, and Michelle and I snapped at each other a bit, unfortunately in front of the crew. I don't like that kind of thing, and had we been in my regular environment of the hotel business, I would have labeled it very unprofessional of us both. But making movies is a whole 'nuther animal, and there is no time to talk privately, and sometimes no luxury of having a private place to do so. Since all eyes are on the Director and the DP at all times, it would have made an even bigger deal of it than it was to step away, so best to get it out in the open and get it over with.
I don't know if that little exchange had anything to do with it or not, but the film crew was so great to me for the rest of the day, I never had to wait for anything. We moved very quickly, and my sound connection and half apple were always on hand. An apple box is simply a wooden box that is used to make people taller or to sit on, and a half apple is just half as high. Michelle is at least a foot taller than I am, which makes it difficult for both of us to have a good look at the monitor while filming, so I stand on a half apple, or sometimes I have to do things like climb on top of the bar or a booth. One of the crew, Z, was always there with a sound blanket for me to kneel or sit on when I had to do that. Little things like that make the day so much less painfully, literally and figuratively.
The (very) good thing about Michelle and me both is that once an issue is resolved, we can both let it go pretty quickly and move on. And that is exactly what we did, and it turned out to be our best day so far. We finished 8 1/2 pages including coverage, and we even finished 10 minutes early!
When I stepped outside of Dougherty's for a moment at one point, I met a woman who was standing in front of Tyson's bar next door. Her name is Allison Pasarew, and she had been talking to some of my crew and she asked if I needed any more artwork for the film, she had a couple pieces hanging in Tyson's. So I took a look, and after filming was over I came back with my car and borrowed two of her pieces which I will use in a scene we are shooting tomorrow. God Bless Smalltimore.
Also, I can't say enough about our Production Crew. We have an army of interns who have just been amazing. Regina Guy, Corey Davis, and David Sarmiento were my first-enlisted and they are my A-team. They are all there every day, pretty much from beginning to end, never complain, do anything asked of them and do it quickly, very self-motivated and don't wait to be told what to do, if something needs to be done, they just do it. Regina makes breakfast for the crew every day, which means she is up even earlier than them or me, so you can imagine how tired she was yesterday, as she had to be here and have breakfast made by 5:30a.m.! The rest of the crew are great as well, Erinn is our make-up artist, Shernay, Bill, Dylan, and Lin are other Production Assistants (and often extras), and also Brittany Sweatt, though sometimes I forget she is actually mine because Michelle stole her from me, and she has been doing a stellar job with the film crew as slater and monitor mover, among other things. She just wrapped production on Renee Zellweger's film, "My One and Only," so she has great experience under her belt already and is usually one step ahead of everyone.
That's not the long of it, just the short of it, and you probably already think it is too long, so I am going to sign off now and tackle a to-do list as long as my arm (and my other arm, and both legs...). That has something to do with the title of this posting, which I almost forgot to tie in. As I have had zero time to do anything personal, every glass in my apartment needs to be washed, except for the martini glasses, so that is what I had to use at breakfast this morning. We are filming a couple scenes in my apartment tomorrow, so I'd better get on that.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Day One
This will be short, I am whooped and grungy and sweaty and I have the weirdest sunburn ever. On our first day of shooting we were outside all day. I had on a top with a wide-scooping neckline and was wearing a big clunky necklace and no sunscreen. Oh, well. The least of our problems today.
It was a long, rough day, but we all survived, and we actually got everything done except for one small scene that I can either live without or shoot later. So, now I know that if things are going well, we will easily make our days.
Al Letson got in today and unfortunately it was his scene we had to drop. But it was a great way to end my day to come home and get a hug from him. And Eric is on his way here and we'll probably go grab some dinner. Also I got to hang out with my little cousins, Joey (age 9) and Sean (age 7), because they were in one of the scenes. They were very excited about it, mainly because they got to say, "douchebag," close to four hundred times.
We experienced some setbacks with transporting the gear, which is too long of a story to get into, and the problem still isn't solved. But that is my priority tomorrow and we'll figure something out. The shots we did get done look gorgeous and I look forward to playing around with them in post-production. Michelle has a lot of great toys in her bag of tricks, and a good crew that knows how to use them.
We had a plethora of Production Assistant interns, many of them with little or no on-set experience, but everyone did great, did anything asked of them, and I did not hear a single complaint out of any of them all day. That is SO important on a set, and I think just in life in general. I like to surround myself with positive energy, and we have a whole lotta that going on. Even though it was a full 12-hour day, and though it wasn't brutal it was still pretty hot, and we had limited access to bathrooms, one of our interns, Dylan, said as we wrapped up, "this was actually more fun than I thought it was going to be." That's a pretty good sign in my book!
I was SO proud of my actors today. All that rehearsal time really paid off. They were completely off book, had their physical cues down pat, they were totally rock solid. There was a lot of focus on the things that went wrong, so I think maybe it went unnoticed that the actors really got everything right, but they did. They made my life a bit easier today and they should be proud of themselves.
Tomorrow we shoot the big finale scene and that will be another killer day. But then I hope (knock on wood) the worst is over. And that is pretty much why I planned the production schedule this way. Get the outdoor scenes shot first, in case of bad weather, we would have a chance to reschedule, and shoot the finale scene next so we don't have this huge day looming over our heads and stressing us out.
Everyone, especially the film crew, are tired dogs. But to me, for my first day of filming a movie, ever? I am quite happy with the outcome. In everything I do in life, if I am having a hard time or things aren't going my way, or tough decisions have to be made, I just ask myself, "Is anybody going to die?" The answer has never been yes. So, whatever the issues are, they can either be solved, or lived with. End of story.
It was a long, rough day, but we all survived, and we actually got everything done except for one small scene that I can either live without or shoot later. So, now I know that if things are going well, we will easily make our days.
Al Letson got in today and unfortunately it was his scene we had to drop. But it was a great way to end my day to come home and get a hug from him. And Eric is on his way here and we'll probably go grab some dinner. Also I got to hang out with my little cousins, Joey (age 9) and Sean (age 7), because they were in one of the scenes. They were very excited about it, mainly because they got to say, "douchebag," close to four hundred times.
We experienced some setbacks with transporting the gear, which is too long of a story to get into, and the problem still isn't solved. But that is my priority tomorrow and we'll figure something out. The shots we did get done look gorgeous and I look forward to playing around with them in post-production. Michelle has a lot of great toys in her bag of tricks, and a good crew that knows how to use them.
We had a plethora of Production Assistant interns, many of them with little or no on-set experience, but everyone did great, did anything asked of them, and I did not hear a single complaint out of any of them all day. That is SO important on a set, and I think just in life in general. I like to surround myself with positive energy, and we have a whole lotta that going on. Even though it was a full 12-hour day, and though it wasn't brutal it was still pretty hot, and we had limited access to bathrooms, one of our interns, Dylan, said as we wrapped up, "this was actually more fun than I thought it was going to be." That's a pretty good sign in my book!
I was SO proud of my actors today. All that rehearsal time really paid off. They were completely off book, had their physical cues down pat, they were totally rock solid. There was a lot of focus on the things that went wrong, so I think maybe it went unnoticed that the actors really got everything right, but they did. They made my life a bit easier today and they should be proud of themselves.
Tomorrow we shoot the big finale scene and that will be another killer day. But then I hope (knock on wood) the worst is over. And that is pretty much why I planned the production schedule this way. Get the outdoor scenes shot first, in case of bad weather, we would have a chance to reschedule, and shoot the finale scene next so we don't have this huge day looming over our heads and stressing us out.
Everyone, especially the film crew, are tired dogs. But to me, for my first day of filming a movie, ever? I am quite happy with the outcome. In everything I do in life, if I am having a hard time or things aren't going my way, or tough decisions have to be made, I just ask myself, "Is anybody going to die?" The answer has never been yes. So, whatever the issues are, they can either be solved, or lived with. End of story.
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