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DIRECTOR'S JOURNAL
DAYS 6-10
DAY SIX: "Full Steam Ahead" (enter Rhino)
Call to set - 9:00am ET
This day was a HOT one! And I don’t mean the kind of hot that one might and should associate with a film titled “The Slut Always Rides Shotgun”. It was sweat down the crack of the butt hot! But we all maintained and got through it keeping busy with delivery of lines, awesome performances, and quite the interesting stories of a time in L.A. from actor Mike Fallon [RHINO]. Thanks for keeping cool on this hot day Mike. We got through it with great time and had a case of beer to show for it at the end. Well, that and some great shots! Every film day I see more and more that this film is going to be something … different. Grand and different. Thanks again for everyone making it happen. Day 7 awaits!
Call to set - 9:00am ET
This day was a HOT one! And I don’t mean the kind of hot that one might and should associate with a film titled “The Slut Always Rides Shotgun”. It was sweat down the crack of the butt hot! But we all maintained and got through it keeping busy with delivery of lines, awesome performances, and quite the interesting stories of a time in L.A. from actor Mike Fallon [RHINO]. Thanks for keeping cool on this hot day Mike. We got through it with great time and had a case of beer to show for it at the end. Well, that and some great shots! Every film day I see more and more that this film is going to be something … different. Grand and different. Thanks again for everyone making it happen. Day 7 awaits!
DAY SEVEN: "Family First" (enter FRANK, KAREN, & DAVE'S MOM)
Call to set 11:30am ET
The longest film day so far (14 hours). And one of the most fun! Today was “family day”. We filmed the Lead character, Mike Voutsinos, with his on screen family (Mom, step father and sister), each with their own style. Being that the actress Kim Voutsionos (DAVE’S MOM) is the Leads actual biological mother, she had a bit of an edge. Then there was Al Maffei (FRANK) who came in and just took over every frame with such vigor. And closing the night off was Hillary Pyles (KAREN), who kept such life in her performance that it was an easy and fun closing to the long film day.
After the door was shut on Day 7, and as everyone was getting dropped off in their appropriate jurisdictions we had a brief moment to reflect. Each day that we shoot with a new actor we realize how fortunate we are to have the cast that we have.
I will continue to be thankful.
Call to set 11:30am ET
The longest film day so far (14 hours). And one of the most fun! Today was “family day”. We filmed the Lead character, Mike Voutsinos, with his on screen family (Mom, step father and sister), each with their own style. Being that the actress Kim Voutsionos (DAVE’S MOM) is the Leads actual biological mother, she had a bit of an edge. Then there was Al Maffei (FRANK) who came in and just took over every frame with such vigor. And closing the night off was Hillary Pyles (KAREN), who kept such life in her performance that it was an easy and fun closing to the long film day.
After the door was shut on Day 7, and as everyone was getting dropped off in their appropriate jurisdictions we had a brief moment to reflect. Each day that we shoot with a new actor we realize how fortunate we are to have the cast that we have.
I will continue to be thankful.
DAY EIGHT: “Patiently Waiting”
Call to set – 10am
The morning Sun shined bright and high with the comfort of a good film making day ahead. Little did we know that at the end of the day we would leave the set, leaving behind indeed . . . a good filming day. Heheh. Although an unfortunate incident with cast tripped us up, the dedication of great friendship landed us in what may be a better position (Thank you JenGie!) Three lessons were, not necessarily learned, but experienced this day.
1.) Networking is key. It’s not always what you know, but who you know.
2.) Cover all the angles. Leave nothing to chance.
3.) “Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.” –Napoleon Bonaparte
We stepped our way into the local bar, yet again, taking over their banquet area with a time frame of 10-5, filmed ¾ of our scenes one cast member short, then scrambled for a few hours to find a replacement for said cast member. As time drained from our allotted time, the owner informed us that we in fact could work til about 6pm. Taking advantage of this hour we were able to recast, film the remainder of the scene, and be out the location with minutes to spare. We, the TSARS cast and crew thank Jen Gill for coming through and helping us out of a tight spot. Glad to have you a part of this experience, even if you were cast, as you said, “. . .just small part of the waitress”.
See you all tomorrow for Day 9!
Call to set – 10am
The morning Sun shined bright and high with the comfort of a good film making day ahead. Little did we know that at the end of the day we would leave the set, leaving behind indeed . . . a good filming day. Heheh. Although an unfortunate incident with cast tripped us up, the dedication of great friendship landed us in what may be a better position (Thank you JenGie!) Three lessons were, not necessarily learned, but experienced this day.
1.) Networking is key. It’s not always what you know, but who you know.
2.) Cover all the angles. Leave nothing to chance.
3.) “Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.” –Napoleon Bonaparte
We stepped our way into the local bar, yet again, taking over their banquet area with a time frame of 10-5, filmed ¾ of our scenes one cast member short, then scrambled for a few hours to find a replacement for said cast member. As time drained from our allotted time, the owner informed us that we in fact could work til about 6pm. Taking advantage of this hour we were able to recast, film the remainder of the scene, and be out the location with minutes to spare. We, the TSARS cast and crew thank Jen Gill for coming through and helping us out of a tight spot. Glad to have you a part of this experience, even if you were cast, as you said, “. . .just small part of the waitress”.
See you all tomorrow for Day 9!
DAY NINE: “Two Sides Of The Same Coin”
Call to set – 2pm
This day was thought by some to be a quick and simple shot. I have yet to experience or want for a shot like that.
I came to set blindfolded thinking that we were going to use one room for the scene and was suggested another room by the Assistant Director, Dimitri. In the end this room would prove to be the better selection. The first room we walked into was as it was during scouting in pre-production. I still didn’t have my mind set on every aspect of the blocking. Then when Dimitri led us all to the second room things started to flow in my mind. Without any spoilers whatsoever, the layout provided me the frame to something interesting. The mood of the scene was also altered accordingly. This “quick and simple” shot became something more and also another lesson to drop into the experience-cup.
By not being locked into a specific blocking arrangement and set on one location, I was able to free my mind to alternate possibilities and outlooks on the way this scene could have played out. Now, whether or not the final decision was the right one matters not, because these are the ones we move forward with and were happy with as we walked away from the set for the day.
This was a four man, small set, one scene day. But it indeed was made anything but quick and simple.
Stay your minds open to the possibilities.
See you all at the premiere.
Call to set – 2pm
This day was thought by some to be a quick and simple shot. I have yet to experience or want for a shot like that.
I came to set blindfolded thinking that we were going to use one room for the scene and was suggested another room by the Assistant Director, Dimitri. In the end this room would prove to be the better selection. The first room we walked into was as it was during scouting in pre-production. I still didn’t have my mind set on every aspect of the blocking. Then when Dimitri led us all to the second room things started to flow in my mind. Without any spoilers whatsoever, the layout provided me the frame to something interesting. The mood of the scene was also altered accordingly. This “quick and simple” shot became something more and also another lesson to drop into the experience-cup.
By not being locked into a specific blocking arrangement and set on one location, I was able to free my mind to alternate possibilities and outlooks on the way this scene could have played out. Now, whether or not the final decision was the right one matters not, because these are the ones we move forward with and were happy with as we walked away from the set for the day.
This was a four man, small set, one scene day. But it indeed was made anything but quick and simple.
Stay your minds open to the possibilities.
See you all at the premiere.
DAY TEN: "The Love Story Untold" (welcome HENRY)
I had only met the actor playing HENRY for a brief moment in a parking lot as he was on his way to audition for the role and I had been on my way out to set. His name: Greg Hilbert. His performance: both touching and memorable. Laced in class and charisma, Greg stole the show in one of the most simple and complex scenes of this film- The telling of a grand love tale, 50 plus years in the making, to the lead character Dave during their work shift.
His off-screen loose-tongue joking also helped to melt the hours away. There will be no one cooler than this guy cast. No offense to anyone, but his age brings wisdom and all kinds of other tales that come with his years.
Wisdom. This is what I took away from this evening. Wisdom that is my own. A piece of knowledge that I picked up, that may not be for anyone else. Something that may be applied to in my future. I feel that with each film day there is something to learn, something new. I hope all cast and crew members walk away with something more. A little nugget of experience that they can carry on to their next performance in order to help themselves and others become better. I mean, that is what it’s all about right… heheh, well it’s about a lot of things… but growth through years of experience is what it will have to be for me right now. Loving what I do at any age no matter what the status or the surrounding.
Thank you for being a part of this film HENRY (Greg Hilbert). We’ll see you soon good sir.
I had only met the actor playing HENRY for a brief moment in a parking lot as he was on his way to audition for the role and I had been on my way out to set. His name: Greg Hilbert. His performance: both touching and memorable. Laced in class and charisma, Greg stole the show in one of the most simple and complex scenes of this film- The telling of a grand love tale, 50 plus years in the making, to the lead character Dave during their work shift.
His off-screen loose-tongue joking also helped to melt the hours away. There will be no one cooler than this guy cast. No offense to anyone, but his age brings wisdom and all kinds of other tales that come with his years.
Wisdom. This is what I took away from this evening. Wisdom that is my own. A piece of knowledge that I picked up, that may not be for anyone else. Something that may be applied to in my future. I feel that with each film day there is something to learn, something new. I hope all cast and crew members walk away with something more. A little nugget of experience that they can carry on to their next performance in order to help themselves and others become better. I mean, that is what it’s all about right… heheh, well it’s about a lot of things… but growth through years of experience is what it will have to be for me right now. Loving what I do at any age no matter what the status or the surrounding.
Thank you for being a part of this film HENRY (Greg Hilbert). We’ll see you soon good sir.