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Today we move into "splits" on our schedule. Production is generally aminimum 12 hour days of sun up to sundown ("day"), sundown to sun up("nights"), or half day and night like today's 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. ("splits").Since Mark needs a bright sunny day for a couple of scenes before night scenesin the neighborhood, we're starting splits at 1 p.m. We meet at the parking lot next to the post office, and a bunch of us arestanding around waiting for our shuttle. Waiting and Waiting. Waiting.Waiting. Julia arrives and throws some of us into her car and drives us over,since there's some problem with the shuttle. I get to the location, and thehoney wagon isn't there yet, so make-up is standing around. Rosie's craftservice table has the makings for peanut butter and banana sandwiches, whichbecomes the hit of the morning. The sky is overcast and Mark can't believe it. Wait and wait. Eventually, we shoot exteriors of Melody's [CENSORED], then Melanie Lynskey and Lisa LoCicero show up for their sceneof [CENSORED]. Production assistant Trent is pulled to be Manon the Street who takes their [CENSORED], and we shoot it. Next!
So we're back in the tiniest laundry room ever, and the camera has moved so Ican stand behind a dryer, which is still a lousy position to watch forcontinuity. I can't really see, and it's really quiet and any movement makesa racket. So we're all watching and we're not moving and we're not breathing... and the power goes out. Mark will not cry. Mark will not cry. Mark will not cry. Power back, we finish the scene, and spend the next couple of hour setting upthe [CENSORED] scene. And it starts to rain. Mark can't find anyone to fire. We wrap after 1 a.m., I don't leave before 2 a.m., get home practically asleep... |
We move into another apartment building (one where Mark used to live for 2 1/2years) to shoot in the tiniest laundry room ever. There's not even room forme behind the washers, dryers, nor hot water heater. I'm stuck just outsidethe door. This is not only chaos for lights and camera, but the artdepartment is ducking in and out trying to dress the set. During rehearsal itlooks like some art department guy I don't know (it's day 2 - I don't knowmost of the crew yet) is about to burst in on them to put in a laundry basketfor set dressing and I authoritatively try to stop him. He nods to me likeit's okay and walks on in. I close my eyes dreading the interruptionreaction, and he starts saying lines - he's a character in the scene! Yikes!We all work together for over an hour, eat lunch, come back, and it's buggingme how familiar this near art department guy is. Finally I look up hiscredits in my cast list - he's James Michael Tyler, Gunther from Friends! I'd even been looking forward to seeing him! Dark hair and a mustache, I didn't recognize him. He was pleased. |