IT'S MY BLOG AND I'LL RANT IF I WANT TO

I have been working on a Lifetime movie of the week, (MOW) with my good friend Ron Oliver as director, for the past two weeks (and he is the only reason I am working on this show for reasons that you will see as you read on). It has been a lot of fun (entirely due to Ron), albeit if a challenge, and I am really enjoying it. There are a couple of reasons for the challenge and all seem to stem from one source: for some reason, although the budget is what is normal for these productions, there doesn't seem to be much money to go around. I am working for the lowest rate I have had in 7 years and I was given just one day to prep, normally I get two or three. Consequently, I was unable to do a timing or a thorough breakdown of the script. A breakdown is where I go through the script with a fine-toothed comb and track all continuity as it progresses through the story; wardrobe, makeup (progression of injuries and their bruisings), props, set dec, vehicles etc. and then place it all into a one-line description of each scene. HERE is an example of one I created for a movie I worked on several years ago. This lack of ample time to go through the script and work through continuity has resulted in a few issues on set. Couple that with the fact that low rates usually results in inexperienced crew and it's a recipe for disaster - as we discovered in our first week.

The on-set wardrobe girl seemingly does not understand the requirements of her position and thus, when I suspected a problem with wardrobe continuity after filming a scene where the main character was no longer wearing her suit jacket and I wasn't sure as to why that was - I went to her and asked to see her continuity photographs for three particular scenes. The on-set wardrobe person always takes photos of how the character is attired right before the scene starts. They also make copious notes as to anything that transpires with the wardrobe during the scene, for example: Jessica removed her jacket and hung in on the back of the chair. She fled without her jacket so she will no longer have it for the remainder of the show. When the on-set wardrobe girl couldn't produce any pictures or notes and, in fact stated that she had none, I was flabbergasted. This was a first for me.

Even if I had enough time to do a proper breakdown, there are things that transpire while filming that I am not aware will occur because I have not been party to the meetings between the director and wardrobe (or other department heads) where those decisions are made. Apparently, there wasn't enough prep time for anyone on this show so those meetings never occurred. But, at the very least, the on-set crew of all departments should be taking notes as to what is happening as it is happening. I am there as their safety net but I am not there to do their jobs for them, as I made clear to the wardrobe girl. I told her I needed to see her breakdown for wardrobe and when and where changes would be made. She assured me she would have it when we returned from our day off. She didn't produce any paperwork for me to see until the third day after our return and when she did, it was of no value to me as it made no sense. So now it seems to fall to me to determine when and where wardrobe changes will occur and to track those changes (the story takes place over three days but our main character is on the run and so wears the same outfit for most of the movie - a skirt and matching jacket with blouse, and a camel coat. She also has a sports team jacket and baseball cap that she will wear at one point as a disguise. The camel coat will be left behind in one scene. The jacket issue was resolved by our ingenious director and now needs to be tracked). We had a long discussion at the monitors one afternoon as to when the camel coat will be left behind and I came up with the best scene in which for it to occur. At that point the director turned to the producer and PM who were sitting there listening and said, "From now on you will give my continuity girl at least two days prep and then we can avoid delays like this one and the four hours we wasted yesterday on the jacket issue." LOVE HIM!!!!!

I always time the script as well to give a total - scene by scene - of how long the show is running. Based on my timing, scenes will often be added or trimmed to bring the script to where it needs to be time-wise. Because I had only one day of prep, and almost half of that day was tied up in a production meeting, I had no time to do a timing. I informed the producers and director of this in an email and received no reply granting me an extra day, so no timing was done. Once I was on set, the producer questioned me as to when they could expect to get a timing. I informed her that there would only be the running timing of the scenes as we filmed, that there wasn't, nor would there be, a pre-timing as they didn't give me any time to do it. This did not sit well with her and she claimed she never gives script supervisors more than one day prep. I have been doing this for too long now to be giving away my expertise as I did when I first started out and I told her that I don't work for free as her other script supervisors surely must have, as it is not physically possible to do a timing and a breakdown and attend a production meeting in a 12 hour span.

What I have come to realize is, the lower the pay and thus the less experienced the crew - the MORE I should be paid as far too much falls on my shoulders. And the buck always seems to stop with me. One of the producers, while discussing the jacket issue, said - "this is continuity's fault" (meaning me). Really? What about wardrobe? She only has ONE area of continuity to watch and that is ALL she has to watch. While the camera is rolling, I am timing it, reading along in case the actors get the dialogue wrong or need me to call out a line they've forgotten.  I am watching where they are and what they're doing while speaking to make sure they're in the same place when we go in tighter or else it won't cut together.  I am watching what they are doing with the props to make sure they do it the same way each time and with the same hand and where the props end up.  I am looking at what shoulder the purses are on and when and where they were put down, and making sure they take it with them if they leave.  I am looking at levels of drinks in the glasses and where in the dialogue they took drinks from them; what was on the computer screen when; if we're seeing anything we shouldn't like crew in reflections or a light stand or a logo that isn't cleared... I have umpteen things I am watching for and trying to track and yet when someone screws up in their department and gets something wrong, it is MY fault and only my fault? I don't bloody think so.

I really love what I do, especially when I get to do it with Ron Oliver and his DP Kim Miles, but it's stuff like this that makes me want to get into another area of film. Either makeup where all I have to worry about is MAKEUP, or producing where I get to make the big decisions. I am kind of ready to phase out of script supervising.  It's a pretty thankless job (except for the odd director, like Ron, who really appreciates the effort and tells you so) and often only get noticed when you miss something.  It really irritates me how we can go again (roll on another take) for the focus puller time after time because he didn't get the subject in focus, and no one seems to mind; going again because the camera operator didn't like his move is never an issue; but if we have to go just once again for continuity - disapproval, frustration, and sometimes out and out anger is the norm (I actually did a series where we had not one single continuity error in 22 episodes, until the second to last day of 8 months of taping, and it was because I couldn't be in two places at once - 'B' camera had been left behind to get an insert shot while the 'A' camera moved to a new location for a new scene.  I went with the A camera, making sure with props that they knew the position of a basket that would be in the B camera insert before I left.  When we got set up at the new location and the monitors were turned on, I could see on the B camera monitor that the basket was in the wrong location so I ran back through the studio, dodging equipment, crew, and sets to find that they were just finished and wrapping the camera.  When I told them they had to go again and why, the Production Manager screamed at me and demanded to know what happened and why I made such a 'huge mistake'.  It was humiliating to say the least but I was furious to be treated in such a manner for my first mistake, which wasn't really my mistake in the first place.)

It's time script supervisors got the grace and same consideration that the camera department gets.  After all, each of those people are dong ONE task.  A script supervisors role is multi-tasking in the extreme and no one seems to realize how difficult and stressful a job it really is, even those who should know better, like Production Managers.

NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT...

Here's the trailer for a movie I worked on in the spring of 2010. It's called DOOMSDAY PROPHESIES.



I can't wait to see the movie.

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

A NEW CAREER

As I mentioned on an earlier blog, a friend in the industry who is a Makeup Key offered to bring me onto one of her shows if I wanted to and if I got kitted up. So I spend the next few months getting a kit together, as I have nothing from my early days doing hair and makeup other than I buy a new pair of scissors every 5 years or so. It cost a bloody fortune! Fortunately, Tana knew of a makeup wholesaler in Burnaby so I purchased most of my actual makeup, and the train case, there. And she gave me a lot of MAC foundations she no longer uses as well as a big Rubbermaid bin full of hair tools and products. I still manage to drop several hundred more dollars in various drug and department stores and the final bill comes out somewhere around $1,400. YIKES!

Then I wait for the chance to use all of my new goodies. I use some on myself, to experiment with different and more up-to-date products and colors than I normally use. I also do the makeup of two friends, one my age and one half my age, just to refresh my memory of how to work on someone else. Then I wait some more.

I finally get a call from Tana. She is working on a show called One Angry Juror and there is a lot of cast as well as a big group of extras. She needs help and, because most of the cast is black, wants to know - am I up for it? I tell her 'I sure am' and then head back to the stores to drop another $600 on makeup for black skin.

When I show up on my first day, there's no room for me in the makeup trailer so I have a station set up in 'extras holding'. The 3rd AD brings me my first cast member and it's a white man playing 'Judge #1'. I need to give his hair a bit of a trim and shave his neck as he's far too scraggly to be a judge. Then I get onto his makeup and - 20 minutes later - he's all done. I'm not nervous at all, in fact, I just fall right back into it and love it.

The second cast they bring me is another white man. This time one of the jurors with a speaking part. As I get started in, I began to wonder if I needed to buy all that makeup for black skin. I have worked with this actor before, several times, one being on a series so we have a great chat. I had recently sent him a script I wrote as one of the main characters was written for him. He loves the script and hopes it gets made. So do I! And, if it does, I hope he gets the part.

Juror 'Eric' done, I wait for my third cast and take the time to get acquainted with the other makeup assistant, Jenna, who is fresh out of school and volunteering on this show. She is making sure all the background are looking camera ready. They are supposed to show up that way, but often they need a bit of touching up or a lipstick change. Jenna is a really sweet girl and I will really enjoy her company in the week to come.

My third cast member arrives, another juror, and he's black! Finally I get to use my makeup. Then he hands me his own foundation. Oh well! I get to use my concealers and powder on him.

The fourth is also a black juror but he only needs a swipe of anti-shine all over his face. That takes all of 2 minutes.

I head upstairs with my chair and a touch-up bag for my four guys and then proceed to spend the most relaxed day I have ever experienced on set. When I am script supervising, there's not a moment I am not 'on'. It's just non-stop attention, pressure, and stress all day. And many a time I have looked behind me at the makeup and hair department, flipping through magazines as they chat about whatever, and envied their position. Today, I get to know what that feels like and it feels fabulous. And, sure, I am getting paid less to do this than to be a Key, but not much less and certainly not enough to account for the difference in responsibility and pressure. I assume that, on a union show, the makeup assistants rate is not as close to the script supervisors as they are on these independent MOW's as I make a whack more money script supervising union than non union. But then maybe they do as well.

All I know is this; walking from my car to the house at the end of a long day doing makeup, I am nowhere near as exhausted as I am when I've script supervised all day. And all I have to do when I get in is wash a few brushes instead of another hour of paperwork. So I am thinking a change in careers is in the wind for me. I will take as much of either jobs I get offered, but if a makeup offer coincides with a scripting offer, guess which one I will take?

OH... and I got a wrap gift on the last day (I worked 4 days) from Tana. THAT never happens when I am a script supervisor!! (I must say that I HAVE gotten a Tiffany's Blue Box, twice, from a very dear Director friend (the one I went to see in Palm Springs for Christmas) while working on shows with him so I can't complain.)

AND... I got to work the second two days in the makeup trailer. SO GREAT!!

I think I might have re-discovered my working passion.

IN A FLURRY OF ACTIVITY

Michael just got back from a week down in Washington to visit his sister who has a holiday place there. We went out for dinner because I told him I needed a stopwatch and he said he had one I could borrow. So we turned the handing it over into a date! We went to Cactus Club and had a lovely time. And why do I need a stopwatch, you ask? Because....

I HAVE A MOVIE!!

Yep. After an entire year of not working, I got a call to do a movie over on Vancouver Island and I got the position. So now I am deep in prep, breaking down the script; timing it, giving each scene a page count in eighths (so one scene may be 2/8 of a page, another 1 4/8), and looking for continuity errors, general mistakes, and putting together my one-line synopsis. And hoping like crazy I haven't forgotten how to do my job once I get into the hectic pace and atmosphere of being on set.

The tenants downstairs have agreed to take care of the cat and plants and get the mail. I need to find the resident son a ride to the airport, and myself a ride to the coast. I asked my daughter if she is up to it, if she will take me and she said she would. But she gets her wisdom teeth pulled tomorrow under general anesthetic so not sure if she will be good to go by Sunday. I need to find a place to stay in Langley for two nights while I go through my suitcases of clothes I have stored there, and pull together what I need for three weeks of shooting in probably every weather but snow. There will be a few night shoots as well and it will be cold by the water so big puffy down coat will be required!

Last night, while out on previously mentioned dinner date, there was a huge electrical storm and it knocked out power just as we were seated. It came back on in short order and we had one or two brown-outs during dinner. When I got back to my place, the internet was down and still was this morning. I tried for several hours to get online. What a time to lose it when I have so many emails to send and receive to the production office about the show! Michael had offered to let me print the script and anything else I needed on his printer. I planned to download the drivers off of the internet for the printer here but now I couldn't get to them. So I called Michael to take him up on his offer. He had me go down to the modem and wireless router and try a bunch of stuff to get it working. He was mystified because the modem lights were indicating that the internet was coming into the house just fine. He offered to come over and fix it... he is an IT guy. I wasn't eager to put him out like that but he insisted. He came over and it turned out that the router had lost the IP address, or something like that, and he had me back on line in half an hour. I offered to take him out to lunch as payment and he took me to a little Malaysian restaurant on the main street of Kelowna. I would have just walked past the place, in fact I am sure I have, many times. It was delicious. What a hidden gem of a place. My friend Donna hired me to paint her bathroom this week so I have a wallet full of cash and this meal came to $16. Not bad at all.

I am on the Island until September 28th. Where I will be after that, I have no idea. I am kinda getting attached to Michael and he isn't into long distance relationships at all, and neither am I, so I am thinking about coming back up here. But I think I will do that only if Disney calls. I wrote to Lance Priebe, the guy who was in the first interview with me, and is the founder of Club Penguin. Basically I said that I was on the island until the end of the month and after that, unless I heard from them, I would be staying on the coast to find work there, that I can't wait indefinitely for them. But that I would be willing to work as a Customer Service Rep until a position more suited to my skill set presented itself. I don't know if it will do any good but I am hoping so. He said he wanted me working for the company so maybe this will get something going in time for when I am done the film.

OR... if I win the lottery... I just found out that Agape Cottages is for sale on Tortola. This is a small B&B type of place that is run by a Christian couple and they give drastically reduced rates to missionaries, pastors and burnt out lay people. Now I could for sure get into that. I have always wanted to own a B&B; my husband and I used to talk about running a place for that exact group of people; and I - as you well know - want to live in the BVI at least part of the year. If I won the lottery, I would get my kids to come with me and help me run the place. Then I'd never leave.