Monday, January 30, 2012

Seventh Inning Stretch (and other sports metaphors)

Shot R's last scenes last Wed. Didn't think we were going to get to shoot at all as both of our locations were public transit spaces, but M knows just the right way to kick me in the ass and we got things done and done well. Going to miss working with R, though.

I love shooting in NY because no one cares. We're filming on a stalled subway car and the conductor walks through our shot, looks at us, shrugs and goes back to his business. Oddly, it's the homeless people who keep asking us if we have a permit.

With both R and F wrapped, we enter into the home stretch. Only about 12 more days left. However, this is like football where 2 minutes of game time can take an hour to happen. Looks like we'll wrap around late Feb/early March.

Remember back in September when I said we'd be done by December? Hahahahaha...sucker.

Next stop on the Pork Chop Express: well that's the $65,000 question, now isn't it?

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Bowled Over By the MTA

Never trust the MTA. Especially when you're planning on illegally shooting on a train. Despite the MTA website declaring that our train would have "good service" it was in fact not running at all. Neither was our back up train. So what do you do when you don't have a location? You go bowling, that's what.

Shot about an hour's worth of M and R bowling for what will ultimately be 10 seconds of film time. Also shot (what I hope is) the last scene in R's bedroom. Can't believe how gracious she's been about letting us stink up her home. 

Wednesday will be our last day with R. We've been shooting with her for over 3 months. It's going to be weird to move on without her.

Next time on Project Gangrene Light: There's No Authority Like A Port Authority & Who You Calling A South Ferry?

Thursday, January 19, 2012

When Irish Nostrils Are Flaring

There are a lot of hurdles when you're a small film crew working on the street without permits: weather, sound issues, the cops shutting you down, etc. Last night's was the most daunting - coked out Irish couple alternating fighting/crying/making out right next to the camera and sometimes in the middle of our shot.

This must be what dinner theatre feels like. Luckily M and R are becoming old pros at not letting random hilarity ruin their concentration.

Next: "What's a Staten Island?"

Friday, January 13, 2012

For Sale: A Bridge In Brooklyn

Things got crazy right before the end of the year  as we became a well oiled filmmaking machine taking down scene after scene. Stairwells, carousels, bikers, pool tables - nowhere was safe from our monkey business. Then the holidays hit.

Tip # 452: If your film centers around a key prop, say a backpack full of homemade explosives, and you're dragging your cast and crew down under the Brooklyn Bridge in the middle of the night to shoot the big climactic scene where one character gives that prop to another, MAKE SURE YOU BRING THE PROP. It really sucks if you don't. Really sucks.

We haven't filmed in almost a month. But that's going to change next Wed when the gravy train gets back on the wheels. We've got three more days to shoot with R and then we're into the home stretch.

M has had the same haircut for four months now. He wants to shave it so bad. Once we wrap, I'll operate the clippers myself.

Up next: Deja Vu and Where Did My Boyfriend Go?