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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  • 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 be. They’re clearly going to be short on housing now.

    Wondering if we should be housing our cast here. Wondering if we should be housing our crew here.

    Not sure if this falls under our insurance or the schools.

    Dorm room where we are filming is starting to look like a dorm room. Walking through art tomorrow.

    Callbacks for one of the major characters is tomorrow. I need to make a decision about another.

    We have an actor who should be flying in and filming next week but the attorneys are still working on his deal.

    All the last minute casting isn’t giving me much time to prep on location.

    Still haven’t finished making all my script notes.

    We film a reporter piece tomorrow that will play on a tv later in the film. I took note of how closely the school allowed reporters to get to the burned dorm room on campus. Seems like what I had planned is realistic.

    Not something I was expecting to confirm first hand.

    Can’t help but worry that bad things come in threes.

  • 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 go insane if it isn’t.

    Behind on my script notes. I need to really focus on those tomorrow.

  • 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 meeting with someone to replace the nudity back out. I think we’re good now?

    Another meeting tomorrow with another actor.

    One of the locations is suddenly MIA.

    Local Guinea pig handler also MIA.

    Starting to think that favors from friends that are cheap are just unreliable.

    Budget feels like it’s exploding.

    Wasn’t able to really FaceTime with our daughter today due to bad service. I feel awful about that.

  • 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 I’m supposed to just be …directing?

    Before, I always had built in excuses for why I wasn’t more focused on directing – I was wearing a million hats! But now I have no more excuses. So if I’m terrible, then that means I’m just a terrible director. No more hiding it behind other work.

    Made a lot of headway with cast deals today but still they haven’t quite closed. Getting so close though. The actors have started talking with me, which I think is a great sign.

    What do directors who actually get rehearsal time even do with their actors? Maybe one day I’ll find out.

    Heard some phantom cries from my daughter last night. Not sure when that will stop.

  • 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 about it. I would love to find a way to keep her closer on future projects. Hopefully this gives me space to focus on addition to the guilt.

  • 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 didn’t go back and confirm with costumes.

    What else are we forgetting to do?

    Cast still isn’t locked in. Attorneys and reps going back and forth forever. It always makes me nervous that they’re stalling for a better project.

    Lead from my first feature volunteered to help out on set on days when she’s available. That will be so helpful for so many reasons. The extra hand. The confidence it will give my new actors that I’m not a weirdo.

    DP hired a new gaffer. He can luckily be on for the whole project. Fingers crossed he’s a good human and good at lighting.

    Finished locking in all the locations.

    Still need to finish going through and making notes on my script.

    Still need to pack.

  • 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. But I also think some of the last minute casting has been good for booking some bigger talent.

    Settled on our show LUT. Stoked to actually have a LUT to work with on set. It’ll help me to not get too used to Rec709.

    I need a new computer but a certain spouse is worried about how much money we’re spending.

    Was reminded today that I need a composer. But I’m not sure what type I’m even looking for…

  • 11 Days Until Filming

    Gaffer just bailed on me.

    He was one of the first crew members we brought on. He came to table reads and gave feedback on the script. I flew him out to a location for a tech scout. I thought he was more invested in the project. I thought he was more invested in me.

    I made amazing headway on casting today. I should feel so much better than I do right now.

    I thought that I had that one box checked for so long. I feel so weirdly betrayed.

  • 12 Days Until Filming

    Made some amazing headway on casting today. Still farther behind than we wanted to be at this point. A lot of people are still panicked for costumes.

    Lead actor finally texted me back and we had a good chat. Was even able to snag their sizes from them. A win for costumes.

    We’re worried our gaffer is about to bail on us. Not sure what we will do without him. Both from a skill standpoint and a creative one. He’s great for morale and fits well with our team. I’m probably being dramatic, but I would feel betrayed if he bailed on us at this point.

    I can’t believe how little time is left and how much there is to do.

    Thinking about filming a fun behind the scenes video with one actor. I’m hoping it’s a good use of our time.

    I want to make sure I have time to go through the script and make notes beforehand. I should’ve started that sooner. I feel like I’m still trying to learn the Scriptation app.