MY FIRST DIRECTING GIG!!

It's been too long since my last post.  I have been extremely busy with the Save BC Film campaign which has been very successful in propelling the BC film industry into the political spotlight. We have met with political leaders, held rallys, and have been in the news and media in some form almost every day for 3 months.  I also worked on a movie since the last post, and spent a week babysitting my granddaughter so, yes... extremely busy.

One of the great opportunities I had with SBCF was to write, produce, and direct a commercial for the cause.  I have wanted to direct for about six years and so this was a dream come true.  I had a wonderful day, in torrential downpour, working with an amazing crew to make this PSA.




Everything you see on screen, every person in front of and behind the camera, every piece of equipment (and boy did we have some fabulous equipment - can you say Super Techno Crane?) was donated, free, and given without hesitation. People were calling us offering to come work for the day. I was floored at the generosity. But this is our livelihoods. And for most of us, it's not just a job, it's a passion. We just want to get back to work.

My FABULOUS Crew

To read more about what is going on in film in BC, go to our website at www.savebcfilm.ca and visit our FaceBook page.  You can use the link or just type Save BC Film in the search bar.

WORKING ON MR.YOUNG

I spent Wednesday and Thursday at the studio in Burnaby for the production of Mr.Young. Everyone seems really great and I think this is going to be a fun show to work on.

I am breaking new ground for Vancouver Script Supervisors. The AD (assistant director) on the show has worked on sit-coms in LA and handed me two scripts and paperwork from one of the shows she recently did. What a huge help it is to me. I went through it and it answered a lot of my questions, and those it didn't - she did. Also, a script supervisor from LA answered my plea for help on a discussion board I belong to with her phone number and two words - 'call me'. So I did and she was immensely helpful. Thank-you Jane Slater! But what both of them said, which has helped me more than they know is, "This is your deal. You're the first script supervisor up here to work on a sit-com. You set it up however you want and just make sure that the editor can work with it. You're the boss - this is your world - just go for it." So that's exactly what I have done and I am thrilled with the results so far.

This won't mean anything to anyone except another script supervisor but I have to say it anyway because I am so excited... I have halved the paperwork involved. HALVED. There's no facing pages; just the lined script and the shooting log - which I have completely revamped for a multi-camera format; there's no detailed descriptions of what each camera is seeing - the editor doesn't need it as they get a line cut feed (basically that's a feed of what the cut should roughly look like generated by the technician in the control room who is switching the feed between the four cameras as we shoot per the directors instructions at the previous days technical rehearsals); there is only one line on the script page for four cameras and it goes straight through all dialogue and action with no squiggles needed because all four cameras see everything - there's one line for each take, and the line starts over at pick-up spots; there's still a DPR at the end of the day, but only two days out of four (as we only shoot two days). There's lots of notes to take on the other two days for changes in the script as we block and rehearse. I will go over the notes with the writer's assistant and the script will then be rewritten to reflect the changes. Rewrites happen a LOT and so I don't do a one line synopsis - I go off of the AD's. I don't do a pre-timing, I time at the table read-through on Tuesdays and when we reherse; I've created a form that has all timings for each scene so that the writers and director can see how it all compares and make changes accordingly. Basically it all means that the workload is drastically - DRASTICALLY - reduced for me. I heard the director say that sit-coms are the best kept secret in Hollywood and I am starting to believe it!!

Here's a look at our sound stage, still under construction. We did a test taping of one scene last night. It went great. We film before a live studio audience on Friday afternoons at 5. The audience arrives at 4. If you want to be part of our audience you can get the information here. We welcome large groups such as school drama classes, etc. Bus pick-up will be arranged.

1)My rolling podium where I will do all of my work from.
2)School Courtyard
3) Down the Soundstage

IT'S OFF TO WORK I GO!

Well, the Caribbean seems just that little bit closer today.

I got a text from another script supervisor this morning asking if I was interested in working on second unit for the next four days. Of course I said YES! It's another in the series of 'Buddy' puppy movies so I will probably be working with the pups every day. Should be a lot of fun.

Then an hour or so later I got a call from the Production Manager (PM) of a show starting May 3 asking if she could lock me in. I knew about this gig from talking with Kim, who is also to be the DP, on line. He told me who was directing and then suggested I give the PM a call after the weekend. He also said he just wrote an email to the director, suggesting he hire me as scripty. I went straight over to the directors FaceBook page and posted a message on his wall saying 'Pick me! Pick me!' The three of us worked together on a movie in the summer of 2008 and had a great time. I was back to chatting with Kim when I saw that the director had responded, so went to see what he said and he had written "Gee you're quick. I just wrote a letter to Kim to tell him you were my first choice." Thus I was pretty confident I would get it, but nothing is for certain in this business so getting the call today moves me one step closer. I don't count on anything until the deal memo is signed and I hope to get that done next week.

A bit later I was talking to Ron, the director I spent Christmas with, and he said he will be coming up in May to prep for his two shows and we will start shooting the end of May. So that's fantastic. It will dovetail nicely with this show ending. ALSO... yes, more good news... he has another bigger show in July that the producers had been talking about shooting back east but now has been decided will be shot in Victoria. SO... it looks like I will be staying fairly busy until the end of July or so AND get to spend some time on the Island in the summer again. YAY!!

I can't tell you how great this feels.

And I can almost feel that Caribbean breeze and the soft warm sand under my feet!