The Film Shoot from HELL

I started writing in my journal (wishing that I had brought my laptop) to pass the time as I waited for the air-head director to set up the shot.

We were suppose to start shooting this film at noon. This film shoot started weeks ago and was suppose to be done in a day. I since have returned to re-shoot this thing 3 times. Mind you this film will probably be 5 minutes long. It's not the sequel to anything and I have two words to say. Today, the other actor (who isn't really an actor but a friend of the film maker) didn't show. The film maker was an hour late. I waited at Dunn Bros. for her. It was a beautiful day outside. Trying to be Zen about the moment I paused to enjoy the setting. Alone, sipping chai, sun streaming through the window...ahhh...deep inhalation...and out.

When she arrived she didn't know what to do. She just sat there looking at me for suggestions. How the hell am I suppose to know what to do? All I know is that I left my living room in disarray, covered the painting roller smothered in Terracotta orange with saran wrap, scrambled an egg and drove down the freeway at 60 mph eating an egg and toast (not too hard as long as I don't have to change gears) so that I could be on time to this damn shoot. My 8 year old calls and is crying because his dad is busy writing a paper and won't help him scrapbook - geez...I have better things to do!

So, I suggest that maybe we could shoot the scene without him. I've driven here, I've wasted an hour of painting time and I'm not coming back to try this again. I'm doing this for free. She didn't even offer to pay for my chai (which any respectable inspiring film director should do). Couldn't we just set up the last scene where he comes to my apartment door and shoot me saying, "You're welcome" and cut him in later? Isn't that how they do it anyway, piece all the good scenes together? She doesn't think it will work but decides to end the script early without us actually meeting at the end. Did she ever think of re-writing it...duh?

The saving grace is that this location is a cool looking condo and while I wait for her to load the film and set up the lights, I'm sitting on a comfy couch admiring the large warehouse windows and the Eastern art placed selectively about. I could see The Professor and I ending up in a pad like this down the line. Low maintenance, close to the urban bike paths, and modern.

The two shots we took, after set up, took all of 15 minutes! I guess that is the difference between no-pay student films and the big time...Julia Roberts is never inconvenienced and is told to sleep, shop and relax while they set up. :)