Surprise visit

Just after I finished the last blog entry and checked my watch - it was hour 12 - I saw our union VP drive up. It was 430am so I was quite surprised (although someone told me they had seen him the day before at 4am too). Turns out he's here to pull the plug at 12 hours (like he was yesterday). Grimly, we head upstairs where they are knee deep in the final scene of the night - a stunt scene with windows breaking and lamps being thrown. JF (our union VP) basically tells the producers that we are done working for the night. They in turn beg me to ask him for some leeway and I think to myself, why am I in this position right now? It's 430am and I'm tired and I just want to go home. But someone's movie is in the balance. It would cost thousands of dollars to stop them now and have it be re-done some other day. So i compromise. I asked JF to give them till 530am and tomorrow (Friday) would have to be a 12 hour day - including wrap. Therefore shooting hours would only be about 11 hours since most departments need a 1 hour wrap (there are 2 kinds of wraps - camera wrap - when we stop shooting and the real wrap time which is after we have packed the truck with all the lights)
That seemed to satisfy everyone and I felt better. This Shop Steward thing is very nerve wracking.

Since we are talking about the word 'wrap'. Wrap times vary, it depends on what scene they finish with. Scenes are scheduled by the Asst Directors (AD Department) based on talent, location and other constraints. It takes a real gift to break down a script and schedule it in 30 days or whatever the time frame is. You try to schedule for ease of lighting set ups, but throw in everything else like the actor has to have 2 hours of makeup or another job on other days or the location only give us 10 hours a day before massive overtime etc etc and you get the schedule. The schedule is our bible for the shoot - based on that schedule, each department prepares the things they will each need for the day. A one line breakdown can say "Night Exterior/Rain Spyder & Eric fight outside the bar" and from that, the lighting department needs to know to order all the lights for the outside specific to the scene, the Props department orders water trucks for wetting down the road, the SFX guys install rain towers, we order lightning, the stunt guys coordinate the fight safely and realistically and hair/makeup also know to do wet hair etc. It's endless. The budget is based on the schedule too.

Of course, once they call 'wrap' everyone has to put things back and start all over again for tomorrow and usually it takes an hour. Sometimes a night scene like the one we are going tonight which is a car stunt/drag racing, it might take longer. ADs account for that time in their plan for the day. You see, because after they have scheduled the movie, the 1st AD is solely responsible for keeping to that schedule and keeping us all moving.

Let me explain a little more. At the beginning of a new scene, all heads of department and the cinematographer watch a 'blocking rehearsal' where the actors and the director work out the scene in the space. The actors get comfortable with the movements and work out with the director which looks/feels right.

Once that is done, the cinematographer discusses with the director how to convey all that in terms of shots - wide, close ups, dolly moves etc. Then with a shot list, we begin to light. The Gaffer gives the AD an estimated time and once that time is over, we are ready to shoot. And repeat.

It's a safe assumption if we are doing 18 hour days, (a) we have way too many shots planned or (b) the AD is not controlling the set well (c) the director doesn't know how to plan his shots & changes his mind often as first timers do (d) the cinematographer doesnt know how to steer a new director or in our case all of the above.

I just think it's bad chemistry. Sometimes, crews just gel well and sometimes they just don't.

Anyway, turnaround invasion checks are due today (Friday) If they don't show today, there's going to be mutiny. I hope they dont show so I can come straight home as opposed to having to work all night.