The Two Overnighters

That's we have ahead of us to finish off the first week. Two nights from 9PM-9AM in a sweltering, smelly, stuff communal shower and bathroom stall. Ah, the glamour of filmmaking.

This first week has been grueling fun. I wake up at 6, leave the house by 6:45 and am onset at 7:30. We have a key meeting to preview the day and then everyone bursts into action for the next 13 hours. Then Jared, Liz and I meet about the next day, bullshit about movies, I get home at 11, drop into bed, wake up and do it again.

Those are the broad strokes. The specifics are that I have learned more about film in four days than I had in a lifetime. And I've learned ways in which good film analysis skills pay off on set when you're trying to figure out how things are going to cut together and you need to explain it to someone in a clear and concise fashion. I've learned that I needed to see what the actors were bringing to their parts before I knew what to do with them. Now that I know that, I'm a little more prepared when we introduce one of the new characters (so far only the seniors and adults have been shot) but I still want to rely on their invention. Jonah closing his eyes at just the right moment, how Justin massaged his bandana when the Bad Company song starts - the moments that I never could have thought of.

The first day it was hard to know what to do with nervous actors when I was so nervous. I was also nervous about stepping on everyone else's job and wasn't making definitive enough decisions about anything from framing to posters on the wall. That was over by noon and by Wed. I finally raised my voice and informed Jared that I must like everyone now cause I don't yell much.

I love to hear the crew compliment each other's work and that they're psyched about the casting and the costuming - seeing those characters jump off the page in distinct and appropriate ways. Wiggins' floopy winter hat and Deej's turtleneck are Oscar worthy choices.

So, two all nighters and then a short day off on Sunday and an early morning on Monday with two long scenes that have 15 actors in each in a room only slightly larger than the itty-bitty rooms that we've been working in. Sounds like next week will be fun too.