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?

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?

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?"

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?

Rime of the Awesome Mariner

Last Wed:

Albatross is a bar in Astoria. A real bar with a jukebox, a pool table, the occasional poker game and lots of gay karaoke. In other words, a perfect bar. And exactly the kind of place the character of Amy would work in and Hidell would find himself having one last beer in. I really like Albatross.

The first scene we shot was great - Amy and Hidell sharing a cigarette out back by the dumpster. Even though she doesn't smoke and just had a tonsilectomy, R lit up a smoke and gave M hell, exactly as I always pictured Amy would. R gets Amy and it shows in such brilliantly subtle ways.

The second scene - frostbite central. No more shelter from the wind and it's literally freezing out. The only thing that saved poor M from catching pneumonia was the fact that we rolled out of memory on the camera after the third take.

Last Sat:

We invaded R's apartment at 11am and didn't leave until 14 hours later. The longest day of the shoot and one of the best.

The great thing about not having any money is that you have a ton of time. When you are using someone else's money (or your own) to pay for your shoot, you are constantly working against the clock. When money is not in the equation there is no clock. Something doesn't feel right, you can take a two hour sushi break to talk it over with the cast and crew and work it out. This is a luxury that well funded filmmakers would kill for.

Next on Lifestyles of the Poor and Infamous: First kisses and bedtime for bonzo...

Not Getting Arrested Is Always Awesome

Spent Saturday chasing footage around town. Almost got all of it, too. Employees at Port Authority were visibly nervous about the way we were casing the joint, yet security at the U.N. was very helpful and even suggested a couple of angles to us.

Tip #327: The U.N. only hoists their flags Mon - Fri. So that awesome establishing shot of all the member nations flags imperiously flapping in the breeze while your hero stares down the cold blue walls of the Secretariat Building - not happening on the weekend.

Got some great stuff of M being a scary mutha in the bathroom. I keep telling myself, "it's only a movie. It's only a movie. It's only a movie."

Up next: Rime of the ancient lesbian mariner...

Newtons & Coffee

Irony: when you're filming at the film dept. of a major east coast art school and you have to bring in all of your own equipment. Who do these students think they are, using the school's gear to make movies and whatnot?

Originally we were going to film in the summer, so Hidell's costume of t-shirt and jeans was selected. Which is fine, except that we now filming in near winter and the temp on Friday night dropped into the 30's.

Good acting is not about a 1,000 yard stare or screaming "hoo-hah" at the top of your lungs, it's when your body is shaking uncontrollably because you're going into hypothermic shock, but the minute you hear "action" you're as still and smooth as a balmy night in the tropics. M is turning into quite a fine actor.

After working for hours in the freezing cold, fig newtons and shitty office coffee suddenly become the greatest meal ever.

We got to get these exteriors done before it snows. Or the cast catches pneumonia.

Next stop: ahh, um...I'll let you know when we get there...