Sleep is still screwed up. My mind won't shut off, though I have far less to do on a daily basis at the moment. I have not watched (and therefore have not edited) any part of the movie (other than the trailer a couple times) since I watched it straight through last Thursday. It is hard for me to stay away from it, even though I was looking forward to a break from it. There are things I know are wrong with it that I want to work on. But that won't change what I will be showing at the screening on Saturday anyway, so I am not watching any part of it for nine whole days so that I can see it with somewhat-fresh eyes, to see what else I need to fix, or maybe even what moments are just fine and I am being too critical of them.
I kind of miss seeing my cast every day, too, and I am looking forward to seeing almost all of them on Saturday. Every time I watch a scene, I think about the goofy things that happened while we were filming it. Unfortunately, since we were filming on the P2 cards, we didn't have the luxury of just letting the camera roll all the time and capturing a lot of those funny offscreen moments, because we had to conserve space on the cards. There were some days we filled them completely. But I remember the little screw-ups that were amusing, and for the most part have forgotten the ones that were annoying. Like having kids, you forgot the bad stuff quickly enough that it makes you want to make more...
Probably my favorite blunder was made by my brother. He came up from Florida in order to see me on the set for a day before going to Ocean City with some of my other relatives on vacation. I felt bad because I had ZERO time to hang out with him really, but it meant a lot to me that he was there and got to see behind the scenes for a day. It was one of the days we were filming at the Wind-Up Space, and I threw him into the scene as a bartender. You'll see him in the first scene that takes place there. Though he threw in a couple other lines that one would just naturally say to customers ("What can I get ya?", etc) I only gave him one SPECIFIC line. He had to hand a beer to one of the main cast, whose character name is Thom who is playing in a band in the bar. All Ted (my bro) had to do was hand Thom a beer as Thom walks offstage, and say, "ThomBomb!" This is Thom's nickname, and this action established that Thom is a regular, everybody knows and loves him.
As with any and every scene, we had to do it a bunch of times, due to noise issues, getting it from different angles, and getting a couple safeties once we got it right. Ted did good the first 5 or 6 times. How could he not, it is one word, right?
Somewhere around the 7th take I think, the five other people in the scene hit their marks and delivered their lines perfectly, and my brother approaches Thom with the beer, reaches in his direction, and clearly says, "ThomJOHN!"
No one flinched (and BELIEVE me, it was all I could do not to burst out laughing, but this was one of the days we were running short on card space), Ted walks off camera and looks at me like, "WTF?" Just the look on his own face, wondering how the hell he could have possibly screwed up ONE word, is an hysterical moment I will never forget. And, of course, will never let HIM forget.
Showing posts with label wind-up space. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wind-up space. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
Picking up the Pieces
It feels like a long time since I have written, though it has only been a little over a week. I got SO much done up at Mikey's cabin, which is good because I don't feel like I've accomplished much this week. But that's not true at all. Tuesday and Wednesday we finally shot the last of our pick-up days, involving actors Cheryl Scungio, Orlando Gonzales, and Johnny Benson. And of course Michelle was back with her crew.
Both were relatively short days. Tuesday was only six hours of filming, all at Fin Art, the gallery of artist Charles Lawrence, in Fells Point. We had already filmed there one full day way back in August during production, but there were a couple scenes we didn't have time for that day. There is no A/C in the gallery, so in August it was a million degrees, and Tuesday we had the opposite problem - no heat. But that is a lot easier to deal with and the day went FAIRLY smoothly. There was still one bit of a scene that we missed, I'll just have to live without it. The scenes that we did get are great and I really needed them. But we, as a team, weren't really clicking along that day, I felt. Chemistry was fine, speed just wasn't there. It wasn't exactly the same team that was together in August, and even if it had been we hadn't been together for a few months, so there was no groove. And something I love about my cast but often slows us down is their real-life chemistry. They all really like each other and they never stop talking. This happened even in initial production, but throw on top of that that they haven't seen each other in months, and it leads to me getting a little cranky because I have to call actors to the set several times, each time, and then ask for quiet several times, each time. But, you can never have it all. I'd rather have that and they just think I'm kinda bitchy than have actors who think I'm great but hate each other so they don't talk at all. Their real-life chemistry really shines through onscreen, and that in the end is what counts.
The scenes in Fin Art are some of my favorites, the set is SO rich and colorful, it is exactly what I wanted those scenes to be. I have said many times I could not be happier with the casting, but the same can be said of the locations. I am lucky to have a diverse group of loyal friends and creative compatriots who allowed me into their homes and businesses to use them as sets. Charles Lawrence's Fin Art is but one example. Others are Russell DeoCampo (The Wind-Up Space), Bill Dougherty (Dougherty's Pub), and Lynn Hafner (Dionysus Lounge) for my bar scenes, and I even have a scene in Baltimore Theater Project (thanks, Anne Fulweiler). Other friends who loaned me their homes, and sometimes their onscreen talent, are Phil Baty & Ron Peltzer ("Mrs. Simpson's" home), Steve Shen (interior courthouse scene), Dave Herman (Bentley's apartment), Greg Mirkin (Tony's house), and Caren Shelley (Gracie's house). Add to that some exterior scenes in Mount Vernon Square, Federal Hill Park, and the War Memorial, plus of course Government House (Mrs. Talford's mansion and Mel's apartment), and loads of Baltimore B-roll, and I have quite a rich and textured palette in my hands. It is truly shaping up to be almost exactly as I had envisioned.
Wednesday filming went a bit smoother. Knocked out the scene at Theater Project, one more scene at Greg's house, and FINALLY a certain car scene that we had filmed part of back in August. This was yet another lesson learned. SInce it was a car scene, I wasn't thinking of it as an exterior scene, and you should always shoot your exterior scenes first. But a car scene IS an exterior. Think about it, you have to have the trees and lighting match, and natural lighting is seasonal. Luckily, for me, it was a night car scene, so that wasn't quite as important. Not so luckily, for actors Cheryl and Orlando, it was a car scene in my car. A convertible. With the top down. And wearing summer clothes. And don't forget Orlando had to drive with a light shining in his face!
Cheryl was wearing a thin halter dress. I really don't even know how she did it. When I arrived at Theater Project earlier that day, around noon, by the time I walked less than half a block from my car to the theater, my fingers were numb. Cheryl had to do this scene in a car in motion at almost 8:00pm! As I walked up the steps to Theater Project, I was very aware of what I was going to have to ask her to do later, and I thought, it's a good thing this is the very last shot I need her for, because she is going to hate my guts after this. Orlando wasn't much better off, but at least he had long sleeves.
But they were troopers and did not even complain! They know it is a piece that was crucial, so they stuck it out.
Michelle was great, too. She doesn't have in her gear package the lights that are specifically designed for car interiors, and they are outrageously expensive to buy or even rent. But she promised me they would figure something out, and they did. The scene will cut together well. This was the scene that kept me up nights. If I didn't have it, I would be completely screwed, it was so important to the entire rhythm of the film.
SO, make SURE you get your car scenes during initial production!
Continuity... always an issue. No matter how low-budget your project is, bribe some anal-retentive friend into being your continuity person, and take photos of EVERYTHING. I swear, in my next movie, no one wears any jewelry! That killed me more than once. And if you are directing, you can't possibly keep track of these things, props, etc. When we were filming the last scene at Greg's house on Tuesday, Cheryl (Gracie) walks onto the porch with two bottles of wine in her hands. While they were setting up for the next part of the scene, from the interior, where she actually enters the house, I thought I'd be smart and expedite things a little. I needed some cutaways of the wine being poured, and the wine bottle with at various levels of being full, to indicate time passing. So I opened one of the bottles. And then the lights were ready for the next part of the scene. Where she enters with the two bottles. One of which is now open.
CURSES!!!!!
Luckily, most of my friends drink and Greg is no exception, and there happened to be a similar shaped bottle of unopened wine on his counter, so she carried that.
So. You might think I am a little scattered. But I know that there are plenty of people who, having read this, will want to see the movie just to pick out all these little things. That is fine with me, I will own my rookie mistakes, I am totally comfortable with that. But then, after seeing it once to nitpick the details, you'll have to see it again to catch the storyline that you missed the first time around. So you see, I am scattered. Scattered like a fox ;)
Both were relatively short days. Tuesday was only six hours of filming, all at Fin Art, the gallery of artist Charles Lawrence, in Fells Point. We had already filmed there one full day way back in August during production, but there were a couple scenes we didn't have time for that day. There is no A/C in the gallery, so in August it was a million degrees, and Tuesday we had the opposite problem - no heat. But that is a lot easier to deal with and the day went FAIRLY smoothly. There was still one bit of a scene that we missed, I'll just have to live without it. The scenes that we did get are great and I really needed them. But we, as a team, weren't really clicking along that day, I felt. Chemistry was fine, speed just wasn't there. It wasn't exactly the same team that was together in August, and even if it had been we hadn't been together for a few months, so there was no groove. And something I love about my cast but often slows us down is their real-life chemistry. They all really like each other and they never stop talking. This happened even in initial production, but throw on top of that that they haven't seen each other in months, and it leads to me getting a little cranky because I have to call actors to the set several times, each time, and then ask for quiet several times, each time. But, you can never have it all. I'd rather have that and they just think I'm kinda bitchy than have actors who think I'm great but hate each other so they don't talk at all. Their real-life chemistry really shines through onscreen, and that in the end is what counts.
The scenes in Fin Art are some of my favorites, the set is SO rich and colorful, it is exactly what I wanted those scenes to be. I have said many times I could not be happier with the casting, but the same can be said of the locations. I am lucky to have a diverse group of loyal friends and creative compatriots who allowed me into their homes and businesses to use them as sets. Charles Lawrence's Fin Art is but one example. Others are Russell DeoCampo (The Wind-Up Space), Bill Dougherty (Dougherty's Pub), and Lynn Hafner (Dionysus Lounge) for my bar scenes, and I even have a scene in Baltimore Theater Project (thanks, Anne Fulweiler). Other friends who loaned me their homes, and sometimes their onscreen talent, are Phil Baty & Ron Peltzer ("Mrs. Simpson's" home), Steve Shen (interior courthouse scene), Dave Herman (Bentley's apartment), Greg Mirkin (Tony's house), and Caren Shelley (Gracie's house). Add to that some exterior scenes in Mount Vernon Square, Federal Hill Park, and the War Memorial, plus of course Government House (Mrs. Talford's mansion and Mel's apartment), and loads of Baltimore B-roll, and I have quite a rich and textured palette in my hands. It is truly shaping up to be almost exactly as I had envisioned.
Wednesday filming went a bit smoother. Knocked out the scene at Theater Project, one more scene at Greg's house, and FINALLY a certain car scene that we had filmed part of back in August. This was yet another lesson learned. SInce it was a car scene, I wasn't thinking of it as an exterior scene, and you should always shoot your exterior scenes first. But a car scene IS an exterior. Think about it, you have to have the trees and lighting match, and natural lighting is seasonal. Luckily, for me, it was a night car scene, so that wasn't quite as important. Not so luckily, for actors Cheryl and Orlando, it was a car scene in my car. A convertible. With the top down. And wearing summer clothes. And don't forget Orlando had to drive with a light shining in his face!
Cheryl was wearing a thin halter dress. I really don't even know how she did it. When I arrived at Theater Project earlier that day, around noon, by the time I walked less than half a block from my car to the theater, my fingers were numb. Cheryl had to do this scene in a car in motion at almost 8:00pm! As I walked up the steps to Theater Project, I was very aware of what I was going to have to ask her to do later, and I thought, it's a good thing this is the very last shot I need her for, because she is going to hate my guts after this. Orlando wasn't much better off, but at least he had long sleeves.
But they were troopers and did not even complain! They know it is a piece that was crucial, so they stuck it out.
Michelle was great, too. She doesn't have in her gear package the lights that are specifically designed for car interiors, and they are outrageously expensive to buy or even rent. But she promised me they would figure something out, and they did. The scene will cut together well. This was the scene that kept me up nights. If I didn't have it, I would be completely screwed, it was so important to the entire rhythm of the film.
SO, make SURE you get your car scenes during initial production!
Continuity... always an issue. No matter how low-budget your project is, bribe some anal-retentive friend into being your continuity person, and take photos of EVERYTHING. I swear, in my next movie, no one wears any jewelry! That killed me more than once. And if you are directing, you can't possibly keep track of these things, props, etc. When we were filming the last scene at Greg's house on Tuesday, Cheryl (Gracie) walks onto the porch with two bottles of wine in her hands. While they were setting up for the next part of the scene, from the interior, where she actually enters the house, I thought I'd be smart and expedite things a little. I needed some cutaways of the wine being poured, and the wine bottle with at various levels of being full, to indicate time passing. So I opened one of the bottles. And then the lights were ready for the next part of the scene. Where she enters with the two bottles. One of which is now open.
CURSES!!!!!
Luckily, most of my friends drink and Greg is no exception, and there happened to be a similar shaped bottle of unopened wine on his counter, so she carried that.
So. You might think I am a little scattered. But I know that there are plenty of people who, having read this, will want to see the movie just to pick out all these little things. That is fine with me, I will own my rookie mistakes, I am totally comfortable with that. But then, after seeing it once to nitpick the details, you'll have to see it again to catch the storyline that you missed the first time around. So you see, I am scattered. Scattered like a fox ;)
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...
Monday, July 21, 2008
This One Goes Out to the Ladies...
This morning PM (Production Manager) Rebecca, intern Corey (sans bow-tie! practically scandalous for him - but understandable, as physical labor was involved), my friend and neighbor Phil Baty (who is in the first and last scene of the film, and insists that I introduce him to everyone as, "The Star!!!") and I drove to the warehouse studios of several artists that Joyce Scott put me in touch with, who are generously loaning their gorgeous artwork to the production. Artists Linda DePalma, Ellen Burchenal, and Oletha DeVane have their work spaces in a very cool old sewing factory building near Television Hill. I couldn't even tell you how high the ceilings are, maybe 20 feet? Maybe more? The windows take up almost all of the exterior wall, so loads of light. Color me jealous.
Another artist that Joyce introduced me to was Dr. Leslie King-Hammond. She has a piece of her work currently on display in the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. We are not able to borrow that one, but she is lending a similar piece to the film for the big finale scene.
The finale scene will take place over the last 8 to 9 minutes of the film, at a group art exhibit combining Baltimore artists from different generations. Some of my own pieces will be shown in the finale, but of course now I feel like a hack next to the talent of these women. But it is my movie so I get to take a few liberties :) . I'll probably shove my own work in a dark corner somewhere.
It is nice, and reaffirming, to meet and work with such strong and gifted women. As with the cast, I did not look for any certain "type" of person when deciding on my production and film crews, I just chose the strongest, most knowledgeable people I could find that I thought would also be fun to work with, and that is how I ended up with Rebecca as my PM and Michelle as my DP. Throw me in there as Writer/Director/Producer, and as long as this thing doesn't fall completely apart, that is a pretty solid all-girl trifecta that should help us get into any female-centric film festivals. It wasn't something I was thinking about initially, but I am glad it worked out that way.
And while we are getting all girlie up in here... guys, tune out for a minute...
I am keeping this blog for a few reasons, first as a record so that I myself won't forget all the things that I've learned along the way, but also just for anyone interested in the process to be able to get a handle on the gajillion details that go into making a film. Even a small film is a large undertaking, and to anyone who hasn't done it, often it seems glamorous and exciting. Exciting, yes, glamorous, no. Do-able, yes - as long as you don't approach it idealistically. Which is what I really want people to grasp from this blog.
So, one of the million things that I did NOT think about when I started all this - female filmmakers, when possible, should take into account something that men don't have to. Timing. If you are planning a short-term production schedule, there is probably a week to ten days of the month that you should NOT schedule yourself to be in production. Ya follow? Lucky for me, though I didn't plan it that way, that won't be a problem for my shoot.
Oh, and remember that thing I said a few entries ago about having a boy-toy on hand to relieve some stress? Forget it. If you find the time, you won't be able to find the energy, and vice-versa. But as soon as we wrap, all bets are off.
Okay guys, you can take your fingers out of your ears (eyes?) now, just in time to say goodnight. Need to get a good night's sleep, have to focus on breaking down the minutia of the production schedule tomorrow. More stuff I didn't think about at the start of all this, how long it is going to take to move locations, how long to film at each, add up cast, crew, extras, to figure out how many people we have to feed each day (and how much I can spend doing so), how many interns we need on hand, how many vehicles we need, where we are going to park them...
But it will all get done. Then I have a wardrobe meeting with one of my actors, and have to prepare for rehearsals, which we will be doing intensively Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, while at the same time giving a couple interns their first trials by fire, and Thursday doing camera tests with Michelle. I had a good production meeting with Michelle and her crew yesterday. We visited a few of our prominent locations, including the Wind-Up Space, so she can get a handle on how she wants to light and shoot the place. And Rebecca nailed down for me the park & street permits we need from the City, PLUS a permit from Domino's Sugar to be able to legally film footage of their neon billboard over the Harbor to be included in the film! I am very excited about that, it is such a Baltimore icon, and in real life it makes me smile every time I see it.
There are an infinite number of details that you can't let slip through the cracks. But when you break it down, not one of them is brain surgery. Surrounding yourself with good, strong, smart, flexible, pro-active, experienced, enthusiastic, talented, and fun people is KEY to not losing your mind. That one I got down pat.
Another artist that Joyce introduced me to was Dr. Leslie King-Hammond. She has a piece of her work currently on display in the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. We are not able to borrow that one, but she is lending a similar piece to the film for the big finale scene.
The finale scene will take place over the last 8 to 9 minutes of the film, at a group art exhibit combining Baltimore artists from different generations. Some of my own pieces will be shown in the finale, but of course now I feel like a hack next to the talent of these women. But it is my movie so I get to take a few liberties :) . I'll probably shove my own work in a dark corner somewhere.
It is nice, and reaffirming, to meet and work with such strong and gifted women. As with the cast, I did not look for any certain "type" of person when deciding on my production and film crews, I just chose the strongest, most knowledgeable people I could find that I thought would also be fun to work with, and that is how I ended up with Rebecca as my PM and Michelle as my DP. Throw me in there as Writer/Director/Producer, and as long as this thing doesn't fall completely apart, that is a pretty solid all-girl trifecta that should help us get into any female-centric film festivals. It wasn't something I was thinking about initially, but I am glad it worked out that way.
And while we are getting all girlie up in here... guys, tune out for a minute...
I am keeping this blog for a few reasons, first as a record so that I myself won't forget all the things that I've learned along the way, but also just for anyone interested in the process to be able to get a handle on the gajillion details that go into making a film. Even a small film is a large undertaking, and to anyone who hasn't done it, often it seems glamorous and exciting. Exciting, yes, glamorous, no. Do-able, yes - as long as you don't approach it idealistically. Which is what I really want people to grasp from this blog.
So, one of the million things that I did NOT think about when I started all this - female filmmakers, when possible, should take into account something that men don't have to. Timing. If you are planning a short-term production schedule, there is probably a week to ten days of the month that you should NOT schedule yourself to be in production. Ya follow? Lucky for me, though I didn't plan it that way, that won't be a problem for my shoot.
Oh, and remember that thing I said a few entries ago about having a boy-toy on hand to relieve some stress? Forget it. If you find the time, you won't be able to find the energy, and vice-versa. But as soon as we wrap, all bets are off.
Okay guys, you can take your fingers out of your ears (eyes?) now, just in time to say goodnight. Need to get a good night's sleep, have to focus on breaking down the minutia of the production schedule tomorrow. More stuff I didn't think about at the start of all this, how long it is going to take to move locations, how long to film at each, add up cast, crew, extras, to figure out how many people we have to feed each day (and how much I can spend doing so), how many interns we need on hand, how many vehicles we need, where we are going to park them...
But it will all get done. Then I have a wardrobe meeting with one of my actors, and have to prepare for rehearsals, which we will be doing intensively Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, while at the same time giving a couple interns their first trials by fire, and Thursday doing camera tests with Michelle. I had a good production meeting with Michelle and her crew yesterday. We visited a few of our prominent locations, including the Wind-Up Space, so she can get a handle on how she wants to light and shoot the place. And Rebecca nailed down for me the park & street permits we need from the City, PLUS a permit from Domino's Sugar to be able to legally film footage of their neon billboard over the Harbor to be included in the film! I am very excited about that, it is such a Baltimore icon, and in real life it makes me smile every time I see it.
There are an infinite number of details that you can't let slip through the cracks. But when you break it down, not one of them is brain surgery. Surrounding yourself with good, strong, smart, flexible, pro-active, experienced, enthusiastic, talented, and fun people is KEY to not losing your mind. That one I got down pat.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Wound Up Tight
As I had hoped for, sleep like a baby I did in the Poconos. In addition to the fresh air, that utopic slumber may have had a lot to do with the fantastic food at the restaurant Louis' Prime, and the boxed wine that Mikey (one of my big investors, as well as the owner of my adopted pied a campagne) helped me kill off on the back deck of his cabin, after our dinners on Sunday and Monday evenings.
But Friday and Saturday evening I was all alone in the woods. Not so scared of bears as I was of the obnoxious family from Long Island in the cabin next door, who NEVER SHUT UP. Luckily they hung out on their front porch and Mikey's deck is in the back yard. But their hot tub was on the side of the house that faced us, so we got a couple visual servings of "Straight People Stew" as Mikey calls it.
I got a lot done. Whipped out the rehearsal schedule straight off the bat, which was no small task considering the ensemble cast of 12 people only had ONE day that EVERYONE could show up at the same time. My many years of hotel management experience is paying off in ways I had never anticipated. Underpaid and overworked hotel front desk clerks and restaurant staff are FAR more demanding, unreliable, inflexible, and cranky than underpaid and overworked actors. But in all fairness, movie-making is a lot more fun, though not nearly as glamorous as people who have not done it think it is.
I also was able to complete breaking down the ensemble's wardrobes. That is a crazy-detailed part of it that a lot of people (including filmmakers) don't really consider. Today I spent SIX HOURS with my lead actress, Cheryl Scungio, who is playing Gracie. She has to have 14 outfits to complete her scenes. That is no joke! Think about it: not only are we talking about 14 different clothing ensembles, each has to (1) represent the personality of her character, (2) coincide with her character's ARC, (3) not look like any other character's wardrobe, (4) not duplicate itself in style or color (or if it does so, does so with a specific purpose), (5) be functional or utilitarian to the scene itself ( is she working, on a date, at a bar...), and above all, be (6) economically feasible, as my darling cast are supplying their own wardrobe.
But, as I have found in every other task within the movie-making business, it is a complex puzzle, but it is not brain surgery. Cheryl and I made a day of it, and had a blast doing so. We hit 2 shops in Mount Vernon, nailed a couple burgers for lunch in Broadway Market in Fells Point, another vintage store there, and finally a thrift store on Fort Ave in south Baltimore. Brought our treasures back to my place, mixed and matched it up with the script breakdown, and... it was a lot of work, but the puzzle in nearly complete! For her character. Now I have to do it ELEVEN more times.
That is not all I have gotten done since I got back. Yesterday I wiped a couple MAJOR things off the list. I locked down another fabulous location, the Wind-Up Space at Charles & North Ave. I had not been there before and wasn't quite sure what to expect, but it is not only slick but PERFECTLY slick. A dream for filming - wide open space, and nothing is nailed in place. My DP is going to freakin' wet herself when she sees this place. But it is also so very Baltimore. The building was formerly an old market, now it is a bar and gallery space. Creative drinking, that is what this town is all about!
I have some other hot spaces lined up, but I will write about them in a separate posting so they don't get muddled together. And in the last 24 hours I have nailed down two KEY positions in my Production Crew, which I will also share with you in a later posting. I am trying not to ramble too much in one posting, but it is difficult because so much is happening. We start filming in THREE WEEKS!
So, (hopefully) understandably, I am a little stressed out. Had a minor flip-out the night before last on poor Eric, my filmmaker friend who has served as great counsel to me and is also currently filming his own flick at my hotel. After a (very) few hours sleep I realized I was being absurd and apologized before he even had time to address it, as it was one of those (often dangerous) email exchanges. By the time I actually spoke to him, he was laughing about it. Guys dig crazy. Lucky for me.
But Friday and Saturday evening I was all alone in the woods. Not so scared of bears as I was of the obnoxious family from Long Island in the cabin next door, who NEVER SHUT UP. Luckily they hung out on their front porch and Mikey's deck is in the back yard. But their hot tub was on the side of the house that faced us, so we got a couple visual servings of "Straight People Stew" as Mikey calls it.
I got a lot done. Whipped out the rehearsal schedule straight off the bat, which was no small task considering the ensemble cast of 12 people only had ONE day that EVERYONE could show up at the same time. My many years of hotel management experience is paying off in ways I had never anticipated. Underpaid and overworked hotel front desk clerks and restaurant staff are FAR more demanding, unreliable, inflexible, and cranky than underpaid and overworked actors. But in all fairness, movie-making is a lot more fun, though not nearly as glamorous as people who have not done it think it is.
I also was able to complete breaking down the ensemble's wardrobes. That is a crazy-detailed part of it that a lot of people (including filmmakers) don't really consider. Today I spent SIX HOURS with my lead actress, Cheryl Scungio, who is playing Gracie. She has to have 14 outfits to complete her scenes. That is no joke! Think about it: not only are we talking about 14 different clothing ensembles, each has to (1) represent the personality of her character, (2) coincide with her character's ARC, (3) not look like any other character's wardrobe, (4) not duplicate itself in style or color (or if it does so, does so with a specific purpose), (5) be functional or utilitarian to the scene itself ( is she working, on a date, at a bar...), and above all, be (6) economically feasible, as my darling cast are supplying their own wardrobe.
But, as I have found in every other task within the movie-making business, it is a complex puzzle, but it is not brain surgery. Cheryl and I made a day of it, and had a blast doing so. We hit 2 shops in Mount Vernon, nailed a couple burgers for lunch in Broadway Market in Fells Point, another vintage store there, and finally a thrift store on Fort Ave in south Baltimore. Brought our treasures back to my place, mixed and matched it up with the script breakdown, and... it was a lot of work, but the puzzle in nearly complete! For her character. Now I have to do it ELEVEN more times.
That is not all I have gotten done since I got back. Yesterday I wiped a couple MAJOR things off the list. I locked down another fabulous location, the Wind-Up Space at Charles & North Ave. I had not been there before and wasn't quite sure what to expect, but it is not only slick but PERFECTLY slick. A dream for filming - wide open space, and nothing is nailed in place. My DP is going to freakin' wet herself when she sees this place. But it is also so very Baltimore. The building was formerly an old market, now it is a bar and gallery space. Creative drinking, that is what this town is all about!
I have some other hot spaces lined up, but I will write about them in a separate posting so they don't get muddled together. And in the last 24 hours I have nailed down two KEY positions in my Production Crew, which I will also share with you in a later posting. I am trying not to ramble too much in one posting, but it is difficult because so much is happening. We start filming in THREE WEEKS!
So, (hopefully) understandably, I am a little stressed out. Had a minor flip-out the night before last on poor Eric, my filmmaker friend who has served as great counsel to me and is also currently filming his own flick at my hotel. After a (very) few hours sleep I realized I was being absurd and apologized before he even had time to address it, as it was one of those (often dangerous) email exchanges. By the time I actually spoke to him, he was laughing about it. Guys dig crazy. Lucky for me.
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