Tails

“Tails” refers to the tail slate, the clap at the end of a take when things get flipped around—and this blog is just that: a flipped-around peek behind the scenes of my second feature.

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  • 1 Day Until Filming

    Lead actor got on the plane. I honestly feel like a judgemental ass now for panicking about people not responding to me. I’m so comfortable with silence when I’m with someone in person, but apparently that does not apply over text. Currently, I’m staying up late to greet her and make sure she gets settled…

  • 2 Days Until Filming

    I told my lead about the fire. Tried to keep it neutral and informative since that’s all that it truly was. Now I’m a bit worried she’s going to get on the plane to fly here. Closed on most of my other actors today. Amazing casting progress. But only helpful if I have a lead…

  • 3 Days Until Filming

    There was a fire on campus where we are living and supposed to be filming. No one from the production was involved. One of our crew was scheduled to move into the building tomorrow. Doesn’t sound like anyone was injured, thank God! But it happened in a suite where our lead’s room was supposed to…

  • 4 Days Until Filming

    Getting closer to finalizing some cast, but it’s getting closer to filming and therefore more stressful. Moved furniture around in the main set but no decorating done yet. I know progress was made today, but I’m itching to be able to see more of it physically. The rest of the week should be busy. I’ll…

  • 5 Days Until Filming

    Drove up to our first location today. Art is getting started on dressing the first location tomorrow. Only a few of us up here tonight. Listened to an episode of “what went wrong.” Did not make me feel better. Closed the two biggest cast members today. I know I’m filming someone on Monday. Had a…

  • 6 Days Until Filming

    I’m so used to taking on way more production work. I’m basically feeling panicked over all the production office work I haven’t coordinated or props I haven’t picked out. But we’ve hired people to do those things this time. Amazing people to handle those problems. But it still feels weird. And wrong. I guess now…

  • 7 Days Until Filming

    I hate how little progress I can make on the weekend with casting. Costumes dropped off some boxes. I’m not sure how she was able to do so much without many sizes or many actors cast to dress. I dropped my daughter off with family for the next three weeks. I feel like an ass…

  • 8 Days Until Filming

    One of the strong supporting roles involved nudity. I thought I had an actor locked in. Today she told me she thought about it some more, she’s not okay with the nudity, so she’s bowing out. It feels like every win comes with a loss.

  • 9 Days Until Filming

    We never told costumes that we definitely were not doing a rack check on Monday. It’s something they had requested to be moved. So we did. But we didn’t tell her. And her assistant is flying back early from her vacation to be there. For nothing. I feel awful about that. I can’t believe we…

  • 10 Days Until Filming

    Still scrambling to find a new gaffer. It still sucks to lose both a gaffer and a friend. Made some headway on casting deals but actors still aren’t closed yet. So frustratingly close. I’m hoping we can close some people tomorrow so they don’t all drag out over the weekend. I feel bad for costumes.…