Friday, October 17, 2003

NOT EVEN PIZZA?

Friday--First Day of Shooting

I go to work, but I should have taken the day off. Get many calls from Laura about this and that. I start wondering if I will get anything in the can tonight. I arrive at the loft and Melissa and Neil are already setting up. We have a lot of equipment. We have a lot of lights. Why do I need so many lights? Do I really need a 2K? I asked for them, remember? Yes, I do love those Mighty Moles.

We set up for a long dolly shot. It is the scene where we reveal the pantry (match cut from the supermarket). I am loving the prime lenses. A lot easier to focus than the Nikkor. The dolly tracks are not really smooth and Chris suggests spraying them with hair spray. Bad idea. They start squeaking after that. We get some flour from Digital Pickles to stop the squeaking. Natalia plugs the 2K and the lights go off. Blown circuit. Of course, Torrence starts ranting and freaking "I told you no more than 650 per circuit!" It is true, he told me, but I forgot??? We cannot find the breaker, so we have to find alternate circuits. Torrence goes on and on and on... He seems on the verge of tears. We are stuck with 650s for the whole shoot. I really wanted to use the Mole Richardson lights! Fuck.

Finally, we are ready to shoot. Dulce gives a speech. Laura tells people that if they want a hot breakfast they should eat at home before they get to the set. Diplomacy is not her forte. We do several takes and I notice that the counter on the camera is not advancing. I tell Natalia Alex warned us about that. I call Alex and leave him a voicemail. I am fearful we did not shoot anything tonight. Time to go home. We put everything away at Digital Pickles, except for the prop cans of food in the pantry. Who would steal canned food? The crew did not get any dinner tonight. I know I said we weren’t going to eat any pizza on this shoot, but...not even pizza? Not happy about that.

Lesson/brilliant idea for future shoots: budget for a couple of illegal Mexican workers to hire as PAs so we don’t have to deal with loading and unloading of equipment.

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