Having a Bad Day
You know, there are some days where everything just goes wrong. I mean everything.
The HMU team is not talking to the costume designer, the DP is about to have a meltdown because a location won’t let them take down the TVs that are blocking the shot and now the owners are threatening to kick everyone out, there are a million extras and not enough food, you are tired, you are hungry and you think…we are almost through this shoot and it’s all about to fall apart…and oh, there is a loud event going on right near where we are shooting because no one bothered to check…
This literally was a day I had on a set of one of my features. Not kidding. These all happened on one day.
Famous moments from that day:
HMU team is fighting with costumer, I yell action, they freeze, I yell cut and our costumer starts in again loudly and immediately “And, another thing…”
But he doesn’t quit and neither does the HMU team because they are committed to see it through.
While we are shooting one of the longest, heaviest dialog scene there is literally an outdoor boxing match going on just blocks away. “In this corner, weighing 250 pounds…” LOUD. OVER LOUD SPEAKERS.
The sound guy is ripping his hair out, but he stays and tries to smile for the rest of the crew who he keeps making go back again and again to start another take.
Extras show up to be fans of the band and are expecting to be fed. Pizza anyone?
The actors applaud the extras and thank them for making the scene great.
DP considers walking out and tells her crew.
They say “what about Shari?” And she stops and changes her mind. This is key.
I didn’t think we would make it through that day but we did. You know why, I treat my crew with respect. The crew treats the actors with respect. The actors respect the crew and so on. Despite differences and stress and conflict, we are a family, a closely knit team.
Though there were disagreements and disappointments, we all stuck it out for each other.
This is the most important lesson to learn in life, be good to each other and then even when things go bad, you will not be left alone.