Choices Made

If you think I was being a little bit of a baby the other day about the criticism of Charm City that I stumbled upon, I wouldn't necessarily disagree with you. I looked at it again, and it wasn't all that terrible, and had some truth to it. The larger part of my problem was not what was said but who said it, and the forum in which they said it. I won't waste any more time thinking about it, it is not that big a deal. It just caught me at a vulnerable moment so I may have overreacted a little bit.

You do have to have a thick skin in this business, as this stuff happens all the time. I try to be supportive of other filmmakers I have come to know, even if whatever they are creating is not really my thing. I learn a lot more (and accumulate more allies) by keeping an open mind than by ripping everyone else's work apart. I believe that there is no one that I cannot learn something from, though sometimes it is learning what NOT to do. But those lessons are equally if not more important than learning HOW to do things.

I know I made a lot of rookie mistakes on Charm City and I am fine with that. I would like to believe that 98.5%... okay, maybe 94.5%... of the cast and crew who worked on the film would willingly work with me again. And that's the other thing about this business, at least in Baltimore. You're going to end up working with people you are not crazy about if you do more than one or two projects, so the fewer lines you draw and enemies you make, the better. There might be cast or crew from Charm City that I would not hire again. But I will not always be in the driver's seat, there will be other productions (knock on wood!) like Juju that I freelance on and am not in charge of hiring or casting, and may find myself working side by side with someone not of my choice.

Anyway... I just finished three days of pick-up shots for Charm City. I think one more day and I will have everything I need. I need to get three of the actors together that day, and that has been tough, but we will get it done. They have been very cooperative and I am grateful for that. We really took our time with the scenes we shot this week and they look great.

Michelle wasn't available yesterday but my two lead actors were, so Eric filled in as DP for me so we could knock some stuff out. After we wrapped last night, Eric and I looked at a LOT of the footage from the 2 weeks of principle photography. I am really happy with it, all of the elements are there. The acting is great, the cinematography is sharp, and I have to say we had some stellar locations that combined make the film look even better than I had hoped for. I was initially worried about so much of the footage being shot in the interiors of bars, but now I think it will be fine, as it will be broken up with a lot of other stuff, and it is a well-balanced mix. We had three bars but they each have a different look and feel to them; five homes/apartments, which were even more distinctive - two very luxurious mansions, a warehouse apartment, a "masculine", straight-forward house, for lack of better description, and a more feminine, artsy house; our outdoor scenes (for which the weather was perfect) were very Baltimore - Federal Hill Park, Mount Vernon Square, and the War Memorial across from City Hall; also my friend Steve's house served as our Courthouse interior (and Steve as our Justice of the Peace), and Charles Lawrence's gallery in Fells Point doubled as Moxie Gallery. Those interiors were so rich and colorful, I can't wait to start editing those scenes. I am probably forgetting a few locations, but those were the main ones and I believe a good mix. We also have a few car scenes of conversations in moving cars.

What I am missing a lot of is single coverage, or close-ups of one person at a time. It is an ensemble cast and in some of the scenes there were sometimes EIGHT people coming and going from the same conversation. I'd still be filming if we did the wide shot and then shot singles of EVERYONE. So I had to make a lot of choices along the way of where I had to skimp on coverage to stay on schedule and under budget. These pick-up days have been nice because they were scenes that were important to get a lot of coverage and we took our time because we only shot about 2 pages a day. We averaged SEVEN pages a day during principle photography, and there were a couple days in there we did ten or eleven! But again, I think I have a balanced mix of scenes where I do and do not have coverage. And I myself LIKE scenes that show more than one person during the conversation. I think they help the actors to stay in character if they know the camera is on them. It is easy to let performance slip if you know it is someone else's close-up and you are not in the shot, plus it is easier, I think, for the actor not to OVER-do it if they are in a scene with someone else. Sometimes if they know it is their close-up, they ham it up a bit too much. And especially for a "talkie" with loads of dialogue about personal relationships, I like to see the body language of the person who is not speaking in the scene. I think in important moments that is just as important as focusing on the person who is talking.

So I can live with all of that. I find myself saying that a lot, now that I am in post. It's a good thing, because if I couldn't live with it, I still wouldn't have much choice in the matter. It is in the can and I only have a little bit of money leftover for post-production.

Well, I have to go finish putting together the schedule for Juju's pick-up days so I better get rolling. One more week of that to get through, then I can really concentrate on editing Charm City. Can't wait to really dig in.

No time for love, Doctah Jones

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!

Ask Not What Movies Can Do For You...

If you are reading this right now, there is one question you should be asking yourself: What can I do to help Jeanie make her movie better? Luckily, the answer is simplicity itself: you can be in it!

I still need many, many extras. The more the merrier. If you want to be in this flick, contact my Production Manager, Rebecca Clear Dean, IMMEDIATELY at rebeccacleardean@comcast.net. I especially need extras for THIS SATURDAY, August 2. SO get on board already! Bring your mom! Bring your friends! Bring a book! Filmmaking is a LOT of hurry-up-and-wait. But on the flip side, it is an opportunity to be immortalized!

My brain is so fried yet so clickin' at the same time. I am extremely stressed, but even more excited. I know that my entire team - film crew, actors, and production team - are well-prepared. Five loooong days of rehearsals with the actors, hours and hours of pre-production meetings with Michelle and her crew, and Rebecca and the interns and myself as well running all over town gathering wardrobe, props, permits, artwork for the finale... I still have quite a bit to do in the next 48 hours, but we are in pretty good shape.

All the tiny details, you wouldn't believe how long the list is...yesterday I went to two of my actors' homes to finish choosing wardrobe, plus pick up artwork from one of them...the housekeeper's uniform and the judge's robe that I ordered on the internet came in yesterday... the robe is cheap-looking because it has a bright silver zipper in the front that is not at all hidden, but that is why God invented gaff tape - it can fix ANYTHING. Got in touch with my friend who is loaning me the sweetest limo you ever saw for one of the scenes, and another cherry classic car for a different scene...made some tiny tweaks and put the final, FINAL lock down on the script - no more changes, it is what it is now. Realized I STILL need a hot latino guy for the finale, so I called my friend and investor Mikey B. to dredge one up for me. Mikey is a concierge and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Manhattan, he can make ANYTHING happen! Hung up all the wardrobe from the actors who have handed theirs over to me and started sorting them. Made another run to Sam's Club, where I am maxing out my credit card $200 at a time. I have gone there almost every day for the last week, filling my car to the brim with soda, water, disposable plates and utensils, condiments, coffee, juice, snacks, etc. I have been stockpiling for weeks. OOPS, still have to order the flowers for the finale, MUST do that in the morning. And thank goodness my cousin Janet called me to volunteer to be an extra, she is making a cake for one of the scenes and I hadn't talked to her about it in months! But she's on it. Oh, I went to Utrecht art supply and bought $155 worth of black foamcore boards. Even better than duvatene (blackout cloth) for blacking out windows. Man, the money is FLYING out the door.

I really have a million things to do so I have to be going, but every day someone new tells me that they are actually reading this thing, so I don't want to leave you hanging just as we are getting to the good stuff! It is SO much work and I am exhausted fairly consistently, yet at the same time, as soon as I open my eyes in the morning I pretty much spring out of bed. Partially because there is so much to do, but mostly because I am excited to be doing it. The best part so far, though, has really been all the people who have come through for me. Every day the pot sweetens as someone throws their own personal contribution into it, whatever that may be... a location, a piece of equipment, their dad as an extra, a cake :), their time... their support. It means the world to me and keeps me going.

But right now what is keeping me going is the realization that if I don't get some laundry done tonight, I am going to have to go commando through this shoot. Peace out.

Confessions of a Three-Headed Monster

Mmkay, I am so brain dead it took me a couple tries to remember the passcode to sign on to my own blog so I can write this to you. Yesterday was mentally exhausting. Today was emotionally exhausting. Both were physically exhausting. And it ain't half what it is going to be on shooting days.

But I'm not really worried. Today was our second day of rehearsals and for me it just flew by. The adrenaline is starting to kick in, I think for the actors, too. Yesterday took a little longer, as we were getting our "legs" for it.

Also, yesterday morning I finished the production schedule. I have to say that BY FAR the hardest part of this whole thing so far has been making the production schedule. I have years and years of scheduling experience, and the cast was amazed that I had their rehearsal schedule to them within 48 hours after our table read, when they gave me their availability for the month. But production schedule is a whole 'nuther animal.

It is not just about who is available when. It is about WHERE is available when, what is happening (in the scene), who it is happening to, and finally, lastly, who is available when. I have been doing event planning for a long time, and I am pretty darn good at it, if I do say so myself. But the highest maintenance wedding you can imagine is CHUMP CHANGE compared to a production schedule. I chipped away at it continuously, but it was still looming over my head, especially in the last week. My brain would not shut off for more than three hours at a time, so no matter how exhausted I was or what time I went to sleep, I would wake up after three hours and not be able to go back to bed. I finally finished it yesterday early afternoon. And last night was the first good night's sleep (almost seven hours! Joy!) I have had in well over a week, if not two.

Yesterday I let everyone go after 6 hours of rehearsal, though we had scheduled eight. It was enough, we weren't really in a rhythm yet, though we accomplished what I wanted to. Today everyone had a much better feel for it, and we rocked it, going the full eight hours, but making all of it count. The actors and I are collectively breathing life into the script. Now it is up to the actors to get off book for next week, and THEN to keep what we have set down in their brains up to and including when we actually FILM it.

All in all, today went very smoothly and I was very happy with it at the end of the day. What made it tough was doing one very short scene at the end of the day, involving Thom. It was the first time I cried in front of any of the cast. I guarantee you it won't be the last.

In fairness to you, as if you are reading this you must have some interest in indie filmmaking, I need to say for the record that I don't write down everything that happens. Things do go wrong, people who promise you things do fall through, you will have disagreements with people, there is never enough time in the day, and as we are entering production money is flying out the door at an alarming rate. But as they say, a fish stinks from the head down, and for this production, I am the three-headed monster: Writer/Director/Producer. I'd be lying if I said it was easy to lay down the law, steer the boat, keep the creative juices from getting stagnant, and maintain a positive attitude all at once, and all the time. But if I didn't do exactly that, this thing would fall apart in a Charm City minute. Granted, that is about ten times as long as a New York minute, which is one of the many reasons I love this town. But still, it is just a minute.

Table Read

What a great day. This afternoon, the entire ensemble got together for a "table read" of the script from start to finish. I probably should not have scheduled this the day before a holiday weekend, as the people who had to travel the furthest to be here got stuck in DC beltway traffic. But everyone made it.

To call this cast eclectic would be an understatement. Their range in age, ethnicity, and pure style blend together beautifully, and truly capture the diversity that, to me, personifies Baltimore.

Everyone jumped in with their ideas and suggestions to tweak the script. It is important to me that everyone have their say, and take ownership of their characters. The collaborative effort absolutely made the script stronger and funnier. And I think the actors appreciated being asked their opinions, and knowing that their voices were heard.

One of the things that surprised me when I started wedging my way into the microcosm that is filmmaking is how poorly actors are often treated, and how willing they still are to do things for cheap or free. To many directors and producers, actors fall pretty far down on the list of priorities, after gear, locations, and well below film crew. Of course, any of those things can make or break your film. But so can acting, of course! It doesn't make good business sense to treat them like cattle. Not to me, anyway. I don't want to be that director.

Today's reading brought it home to me, and I think to the cast as well, that this is really happening, we are really doing this. And not only that, but we are going to do it very well, and have a great time while working our asses off. We had a lot of laughs today, and the natural chemistry that surrounded the table let me know that the tough choices I have had to make so far were the right ones.

In a nutshell, I could not possibly be happier with the way things are going. Tomorrow I am driving to my secret retreat in the Poconos, to spend the holiday weekend alone (well, I'm taking my dogs with me), rewriting the script to incorporate the changes we made today, and to start plotting out the rehearsal and production schedules. But tonight, I am just going to enjoy the moment, the sweet satisfaction of a productive day, and I am going to sleep like a baby.

Stateside

I have returned from Jolly Olde England, and lovely though it was, I am very glad to see my dogs and my own bed once again. Wherever my travels take me, as soon as I see that Baltimore city skyline I can't help but smile, and my heart says, "I'm home."

This weekend was very hectic but much fun, extremely busy at my "day job", and on top of that, Saturday was my birthday and about a dozen friends helped me celebrate in various ways throughout the day and evening. Work was still busy today, and Eric Thornett from Piranha Pictures was filming at my hotel once again.

While I was in London I stopped by the gift shop of the Globe Theater and there I found a little something for Eric - a bottle of stage blood. As I write this, that very bottle is being used in my attic. Tonight he filmed his villainess chopping off someones head with an axe, her weapon of choice. Along with my little tiny bottle of blood, Eric is also using half a gallon of homemade blood that he whipped up himself. I think the ingredients are Karo syrup, creamer, food coloring, and chocolate sauce. My attic floor and two of his actors are now covered in it.

I'm not one to see films with a lot of blood and/or gore, but now that I am learning how it all takes place behind the scenes, it is kind of fun to see how it comes together. No blood or gore in, "Charm City," but I may have a more open mind about such things in the future.

This week is all about getting ready for the big callbacks on Sunday, June 8. The actors have been studying hard and preparing to do battle for their roles. I have never had to do that, and I must say I am glad. I think it would be completely nerve-wracking. I have been in front of the camera, which is nerve-wracking enough, but I did not have to compete against anyone else to be in that position. I give actors much credit for their sheer courage.

I have some great people coming in, and I am looking forward to it, though it will be a lot of work for everyone involved. The hard part for me is keeping an open mind right now, trying not to lean towards any one person for a role before seeing what they are capable of. An important part of the process is taping the whole thing, then afterwards giving it a few days to clear my mind and then watch the tapes, several times over, a few days apart between viewings. "The camera sees things the eye doesn't," as I have already been told countless times by my filmmaker friends, and it is true. In the first round of auditions, some people looked great to me in person, but after watching them a few times I thought differently. Maybe in person I thought they gave a strong performance, while when I watched it on film a few times, I could better see that they were a bit, "hammy." And some people that didn't "wow" me at all in the auditions, seeing them on film made me appreciate that they were very natural, which is what I am hoping to find for most of the actors I will be casting.

But in Baltimore, it is a fine line between "natural" and "hammy". Eric helped me by being one of the three people who watched the tapes with me at different times. He liked some people that I found a little too plain, either in appearance or delivery, and he thought the people that I liked were often a little hammy. I think our difference in opinion can largely be attributed to geography (though I will state for the record, in case he ever reads this, that he disagrees). Eric doesn't live in Baltimore, and he doesn't know a lot of permanent residents here. I, on the other hand, do, and I gotta say - people in Baltimore are...hammy!

I gave it a lot of thought after he and I watched the tapes and had our differences of opinion. Eric has been doing this a lot longer than I have been and I have a great deal of respect for his experience and advice. I questioned myself and wondered if I was making amateurish choices. I watched the tapes again, and compared notes with Ann Mladinov, who sat in on the live auditions with me.

Although Eric's feedback helped open my mind to give some people a chance that I might not have considered, I honestly think that most people, real live people, in Baltimore are at least a little bit over the top. Going through a list of friends in my head, particularly the ones that the characters in this film are loosely based on, check, check, check, they are all, "a bit hammy." And in many cases, the "bit" is superfluous.

And THAT is why I love this town.