We're into single digits in the countdown to our first shooting day. WHAT?!
No worries there's only about 80 billion things left to do between now and then. Including but not limited to:
- contracts and deal memos
- equipment acquisition (beg, borrow, rent)
- shot lists
- procuring the remaining props/costumes
- acquiring enough people to accomplish everything on shooting day (anyone want to help? turns out I only have two hands)
- call sheets
The list goes on and on.....
I'm incredibly lucky to have a remarkably talented, efficient and dedicated production team surrounding me. Bonus: we all have complementary talents and trust each other to get sh!t done in our own departments but allow and even welcome contributions and suggestions. Amazing, right? How often does that happen?
I just wish we had the time to sit in a room together as a group to coordinate and communicate because we're all multi-tasking 100% of the time and I'm never sure I have all the information I need to proceed. I think between the four of us we have twelve paying jobs and a multitude of other commitments.
I also have to learn my lines. Yikes! Luckily, I'm essentially myself and I wrote most of the lines so that should help but that is also going to make it more embarrassing if I mess up. Seriously, can't you picture it. Trish, the Head Writer, playing Tess, her alter-ego, can't remember and spit out her own thoughts. Can't wait... No pressure.
Did I mention I'm excited? Like can't sleep, it feels like Christmas Eve, excited? I've been dreaming about filming. Some dreams better than others, I'll admit. But I seriously can't wait to be back on set. We're a small crew and normally a pretty small cast, minus one day of shooting with 27 people, so it should move swiftly and efficiently. I just have to realize that things will go awry. I can't control everything and all I can do is hope I prepared enough and can make the right adjustments.
Can't. Freaking. Wait.
**Keep an eye out for our facebook page, Twitter feed, website and YouTube channel. this is whY is about to blow up your social media pages.**
Monday, July 6, 2015
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Scheduling...
Breakdowns complete. I emphasize breakdowns (plural) because I have a character breakdown, assigning a number to each of our 67 named characters in the scripts; a location breakdown, which enumerates the number of locations we need and how many scenes occur in each space; the full script breakdown, in order, designating the characters, locations, page lengths, wardrobe and props for each scene; and the tentative shooting schedule, which takes all of those breakdowns and tries to synthesize the information so that shooting days can be assigned to shooting dates. And they're color coordinated.
This is where the scheduling process gets complicated. Like really complicated. Imagine trying to sync up 67 different schedules, not to mention crew, weather, day/night requirements. Then ensuring you have the locations for the right amount of time, uninterrupted, on the same days that your actors are available. Then you have to ensure you have equipment, wardrobe, and props for all the scenes you plan to tackle on a particular day, while trying to minimize all the stuff you have to haul around with you.
The hardest part is trying to minimize the number of times you have to call in a particular actor. We all have lives and I would hate to ruin your day by having you show up for a shooting day when it turns out you only have one line for the entire 7 pages we're trying to shoot. Big scheduling No-No.
You also have to try and keep your cast and crew in a single location on a shooting day and avoid company moves at all costs. Company move: in the middle of a shooting day you have to pack up all of your people and your sh!t and haul it across town to a second space. Not a good use of time, or resources. Plus it always takes longer than you expect to get shooting again. This is why films and shows are shot out of sequence.
Example: Let's say I have a script that jumps from the pool in real time to a studio in the city in flashback, then back to the pool in flashback, then returning to real time in the same location and the flashback scenes involve the main characters to be in the pool and wet, but the real time scenes they're dry. Confused yet? Other things to take into account, your pool location is only available for the first month of shooting. Solution: you film the real-time, dry pool scenes first even though chronologically it occurs after the flashback, followed by the flashback pool scene, so you don't have to wait for the actors to dry off. Then schedule a completely different shooting day in the city possibly months later and hopefully with other scenes from other episodes in the same location. This will give you the most efficient shooting schedule, but now you're shooting completely out of order. Yet another reason why a script supervisor is important. A scripty keeps track of what was worn when, who was in each scene, and which props need to be carried to the next location etc. But I digress.
You also don't want to try and tackle too much in a single day. Remember in my last post we talked about 1/8ths of a page? That's where this comes in. If there are 18 scenes happening on the pool deck, chances are you need multiple days in that location. Unless, each of those scenes are each one-line or a single action and only 1/8th of a page. You can totally knock-out 2 2/8ths of a page, provided there aren't major lighting/make-up/wardrobe changes. Hence the reason your breakdown includes a Day/Night (major lighting changes), wardrobe and props columns. Luckily, or maybe not so luckily depending on how you look at it, we aren't doing any crazy lighting. From a safety perspective you just can't have that much electricity near that much water. Pools and power don't mix. So we've deliberately chosen a more natural style, and thus can get a whole lot more pages done in a single day.
So I think I've managed it... I think. My head is throbbing and I've only gotten into the nuts and bolts for the first six shooting days but that basically includes 50 of our 67 characters, our most complicated location and about half the entire script. So provided all goes well (it probably won't so I'm prepared with multiple back-up plans) I'm pretty sure the schedule will stand without too much editing. I would just ask that anyone in any way connected to anyone involved in this project not schedule any important events like weddings, babies, birthdays, vacations, etc, that may change my actors' schedules. I just can't take any more. Seriously, though.
This is where the scheduling process gets complicated. Like really complicated. Imagine trying to sync up 67 different schedules, not to mention crew, weather, day/night requirements. Then ensuring you have the locations for the right amount of time, uninterrupted, on the same days that your actors are available. Then you have to ensure you have equipment, wardrobe, and props for all the scenes you plan to tackle on a particular day, while trying to minimize all the stuff you have to haul around with you.
You also have to try and keep your cast and crew in a single location on a shooting day and avoid company moves at all costs. Company move: in the middle of a shooting day you have to pack up all of your people and your sh!t and haul it across town to a second space. Not a good use of time, or resources. Plus it always takes longer than you expect to get shooting again. This is why films and shows are shot out of sequence.
Example: Let's say I have a script that jumps from the pool in real time to a studio in the city in flashback, then back to the pool in flashback, then returning to real time in the same location and the flashback scenes involve the main characters to be in the pool and wet, but the real time scenes they're dry. Confused yet? Other things to take into account, your pool location is only available for the first month of shooting. Solution: you film the real-time, dry pool scenes first even though chronologically it occurs after the flashback, followed by the flashback pool scene, so you don't have to wait for the actors to dry off. Then schedule a completely different shooting day in the city possibly months later and hopefully with other scenes from other episodes in the same location. This will give you the most efficient shooting schedule, but now you're shooting completely out of order. Yet another reason why a script supervisor is important. A scripty keeps track of what was worn when, who was in each scene, and which props need to be carried to the next location etc. But I digress.
So I think I've managed it... I think. My head is throbbing and I've only gotten into the nuts and bolts for the first six shooting days but that basically includes 50 of our 67 characters, our most complicated location and about half the entire script. So provided all goes well (it probably won't so I'm prepared with multiple back-up plans) I'm pretty sure the schedule will stand without too much editing. I would just ask that anyone in any way connected to anyone involved in this project not schedule any important events like weddings, babies, birthdays, vacations, etc, that may change my actors' schedules. I just can't take any more. Seriously, though.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Breaking Down a Script
I would say that the scripts for our 12 episodes are approximately 92% complete/finished/edited. And we're about 85% cast for our 60+ roles. Call backs next week! Woot woot! We've also registered the series with the Writer's Guild of America and have applied to be a SAG/AFTRA union production. Sounds fancy, right? This is neither as fancy nor as glamorous as it sounds. It is a lot of paperwork with the primary goal of covering everyone's asses. This in itself is a ridiculous accomplishment. I have no idea how we've done it, especially when you take into account all the other stuff we have going on in our lives.So I've taken off my writer's hat and my casting hat, for now, and I'm moving on to breaking down the script. So I've donned my scripty/production coordinator/line producer hat.
The combined scripts are over 100 pages and some have as many as 12 scenes. Granted some only last an 1/8th of a page but it still requires a location and a shotlist. Note: the industry standards are that script pages are broken down by 1/8ths of a page. So it's not 1.5 pages it's 12/8s or 1 4/8s. This helps with scheduling later. Breaking down the script means you are searching for the nuts and bolts. The scenes, the locations, the time of day, the characters, the page lengths, the props, wardrobe, sound effects.....
If you look at my binder right now you will see colored pencil marks, arrows, circles, highlights, underlines... Everything has a meaning. Most of the time the notations are just to call attention to a particular part of the script. I circle the names of characters that appear so that we make sure to schedule them for those shooting days. Other times, they're more detailed. If a prop shows up in the last line of the scene, then I make a note of it in the beginning to make sure it is either placed in the setting by set decoration, given to the actor responsible for it to bring into the scene, or given to wardrobe to make sure the character is wearing it throughout the scene. You can't just have a prop appear out of nowhere at the end of the scene, cause you forgot. That's shoddy.I worked on a movie where the actor's wrist watch was an integral part of the story's plot line. I needed to write on every scene where the watch was found, if he's wearing it or not, and what time the watch was supposed to read. Fun fact: most of the time the only reference to the watch is "ACTOR looks at watch". So I have to make it up using context clues. Is the character lefty or righty? Does this scene happen in the morning, evening, night? Are their other scenes that happen before or after? Did we already set the watch to a particular time in an earlier or later scene?
So when I break down the script I will sometimes make up arbitrary times in the margins of the scene. We may never refer to the time at all. But if there's a clock anywhere in the scene, it has to be correct. Note: clocks and time are the #1 screw up in rookie filmmaking, mostly because they don't hire scripties. Just saying.
It's a labor of love. I'll eventually circle back to editing the scripts with all the typos, formatting errors and continuity issues I find but right now I can't allow myself to get distracted by story arcs, through-lines and dialogue. Once I have all my reports written, I can start to combine scenes with similar characters and locations to create a shooting schedule. That's a whole other can of worms... I'll tell you about it next time. For now I have to get back to my 4th time through the scripts... Only three left! (Or six if I'm being super OCD.)
Monday, June 15, 2015
Everyone Has Problems
The world is full of problems. Everyone has them and it's incredibly easy to point them out, explain how they became problems and why you can't do something because of the problem. I've decided to see things a little differently. Search for solutions. I sounds cliched, I know. But if you see a problem as an end point rather than a conquerable obstacle then you're done. Game over.
I'm convinced that there is a gang of Hollywood ninjas who's job it is to make crazy shit happen to productions to see if they can handle it. Those who overcome, succeed. Those who fall prey are doomed. The list of crazy things that have happened on the sets I've been on is unfathomable. If most people were to look upon this list, I guarantee most people would throw up their hands and give up before they try. You're location fell through day of a shoot, your DP got heat exhaustion and had to go to the hospital, an airport is 2 miles away and an airplane flies overhead every 45 seconds blowing your sound on any take longer than 35 seconds, it starts to rain in the middle of a pyrotechnics stunt. Not joking. Real life.
When I worked for the Discovery Channel and the Weather Channel we frequently laughed and said, "When reality gets in the way of reality TV..."
People are always looking for the answer to "Why?". Why me? Why now? Why is this happening? No answer will ever be satisfactory, except maybe "It's the Hollywood ninjas f***ing with us." I got to the point where I stopped searching for the answer and started looking for the solution. The fact is whatever happened, happened. The next step is not to investigate why it happened, (unless it can somehow be prevented in the future - Side bar: rain cannot be prevented, I have looked into this.), rather take the time to figure out a solution. One line of dialogue can be added to rectify an overnight blizzard that will screw up your continuity. Maybe it can be changed in post. (Note: do NOT, I repeat, do NOT rely on post, the editors and the budget will hate you.)
I have taken this approach in my every day life as well. Things happen. React appropriately. Don't take it personally. Also, get creative. Yes, you can make lemonade out of lemons, but what about limoncello? A lemon drop? A classic James Bond martini with a lemon twist? (It must be nearing 5 o'clock).
This is my current mantra, and I think it has been the key to getting my life in balance. At the risk of sounding like I'm auditioning to be a life coach, here's some advice. Stop getting in your way and seeing the problems. After college everything was a problem. I can't get a job. My friends moved away. I can't do this. I can't afford that. Blah blah blah. I did a lot of bitching. And I hear other people do it too.
24 hours in a day isn't a problem. Distance isn't a problem. Money isn't a problem (Pride is a problem, if you don't want to work a job that pays you money because you think it's beneath you, then you are not making limoncello. You have decided you can and will only make lemonade. Good luck with that.)
When I left the film industry originally, I needed money to pay for my loans and expenses, so I got a job. I was cutting open boxes in the basement of Macy's and peeling plastic off the new merchandise. I swallowed my pride and fixed the problem and eventually it led to another job, then another, etc.
I wanted to afford to go out, go to concerts, travel. Solution: Second job. I also get a free gym membership with it so saving money and staying healthy. Double whammy.
I'm never around when the shows I want to watch are on. Solution: Netflix, DVR and OnDemand.
I like to read and never have time. Solution: I listen to audiobooks while I work, drive, shower and eat.
I need to stay healthy. Solution: I'm active in my jobs, and stay after work to swim. Save myself the trip. I also eat well and sleep. (Yes, I do actually sleep. I make it a priority because without it nothing else gets done.)
My advice, find solutions, kill as many birds as you can with one stone and multitask where necessary.
I'm convinced that there is a gang of Hollywood ninjas who's job it is to make crazy shit happen to productions to see if they can handle it. Those who overcome, succeed. Those who fall prey are doomed. The list of crazy things that have happened on the sets I've been on is unfathomable. If most people were to look upon this list, I guarantee most people would throw up their hands and give up before they try. You're location fell through day of a shoot, your DP got heat exhaustion and had to go to the hospital, an airport is 2 miles away and an airplane flies overhead every 45 seconds blowing your sound on any take longer than 35 seconds, it starts to rain in the middle of a pyrotechnics stunt. Not joking. Real life.
When I worked for the Discovery Channel and the Weather Channel we frequently laughed and said, "When reality gets in the way of reality TV..."
People are always looking for the answer to "Why?". Why me? Why now? Why is this happening? No answer will ever be satisfactory, except maybe "It's the Hollywood ninjas f***ing with us." I got to the point where I stopped searching for the answer and started looking for the solution. The fact is whatever happened, happened. The next step is not to investigate why it happened, (unless it can somehow be prevented in the future - Side bar: rain cannot be prevented, I have looked into this.), rather take the time to figure out a solution. One line of dialogue can be added to rectify an overnight blizzard that will screw up your continuity. Maybe it can be changed in post. (Note: do NOT, I repeat, do NOT rely on post, the editors and the budget will hate you.)
I have taken this approach in my every day life as well. Things happen. React appropriately. Don't take it personally. Also, get creative. Yes, you can make lemonade out of lemons, but what about limoncello? A lemon drop? A classic James Bond martini with a lemon twist? (It must be nearing 5 o'clock).This is my current mantra, and I think it has been the key to getting my life in balance. At the risk of sounding like I'm auditioning to be a life coach, here's some advice. Stop getting in your way and seeing the problems. After college everything was a problem. I can't get a job. My friends moved away. I can't do this. I can't afford that. Blah blah blah. I did a lot of bitching. And I hear other people do it too.
24 hours in a day isn't a problem. Distance isn't a problem. Money isn't a problem (Pride is a problem, if you don't want to work a job that pays you money because you think it's beneath you, then you are not making limoncello. You have decided you can and will only make lemonade. Good luck with that.)
When I left the film industry originally, I needed money to pay for my loans and expenses, so I got a job. I was cutting open boxes in the basement of Macy's and peeling plastic off the new merchandise. I swallowed my pride and fixed the problem and eventually it led to another job, then another, etc.
I wanted to afford to go out, go to concerts, travel. Solution: Second job. I also get a free gym membership with it so saving money and staying healthy. Double whammy.
I'm never around when the shows I want to watch are on. Solution: Netflix, DVR and OnDemand.
I like to read and never have time. Solution: I listen to audiobooks while I work, drive, shower and eat.
I need to stay healthy. Solution: I'm active in my jobs, and stay after work to swim. Save myself the trip. I also eat well and sleep. (Yes, I do actually sleep. I make it a priority because without it nothing else gets done.)
My advice, find solutions, kill as many birds as you can with one stone and multitask where necessary.
I've never been more happy because I'm overcoming obstacles and making myself happy. No one else is going to make you happy. Fight for it. Writing/producing/acting makes me happy. So I'm fighting for it.
Monday, June 1, 2015
The Agony and the Ecstasy (of Auditions)
If you've ever been to any kind of audition, or even a job interview, you know how stressful the whole process is. Well, try being the person who has to make the casting decision, the one who has to make dreams crumble. Not fun. I mean, it is because you're finally seeing your characters come alive and the production come together but sometimes you have to tell people they just aren't the right fit. And sometimes it's for really crappy reasons. (Disclaimer: We have not actually cast anyone yet, and these are not the real reasons for us casting or not casting a particular person. I'm making this up to show how completely ridiculous the process can be. Please don't hate me).
"I don't like their eyebrows."
OR
"They're not as tall as I expected that character to be."
OR
"Would this character really date this person?"
OR
"They're too perfect."
That's right. You can be black, white, brown, red-headed, blonde, brunette, skinny, fat, average.... and too perfect.
Have you ever read a book and pictured the characters, then when they made a tv/movie version you hated it purely because of casting? Now imagine you wrote the book and you can't find the character you pictured in real life. The struggle is real. Production has to start, you have to pick someone, and somehow you will always be disappointing someone. The fact that this is a no-pay project also cuts down on the candidates so you may find the absolute perfect person and they might not want to do it.
Bonus!! The union. Let's take an already staggeringly difficult process and add a union. I understand the benefits for all involved. I do. I, myself, looked into getting into IATSE for script supervision back in the day. The problem I have is the incredible complexities involved in the paperwork! Do I submit it now before I cast in order to get SAG/AFTRA performers to audition? Or do I wait, see if I need anyone from the union and do it later? Well, when you submit, they ask for a cast list, so that's confusing. And the help line doesn't specify when to do it. They're just generally vague and only slightly helpful. Holy misnomer Batman. How bout "The-only-slightly-helpful-desk"?
This part is not fun!! I just magically want the perfect people to sign on and be done with it! Is that so much to ask?
We started our casting by reaching out to friends and connections from previous work. Thank you social media. And we got some really strong responses. But this is a number's game; the more you have the better the options, right? Actually sometimes more is just more. Like in this case. We posted on two sites last Friday. Two. That's it. Number of responses as of this morning? Over 2,000. Not. Even. Exaggerating.
For someone who loves to swim and to teach swimming, it is weird to feel like you're drowning. The only thing you can do is start cutting. It's pretty obvious when someone is not the right fit, so they're gone. Ruthlessness is tough, but at this point it's survival. All those feelings of guilt and just feelings in general are now a liability. You have to cut until it's merely manageable. And it's all based on headshots at first. I have never felt so superficial. I get why Hollywood and casting directors get a bad rep for being cold and heartless. That's how I feel. The worst part? As I cull through all the photos, I'm starting not to feel. Like these are just photos and not photos of people anymore. And this is just from 3 days!! As I sit here writing this, I now feel guilty about not feeling guilty. So many feels and yet, not enough.
I'm starting to compartmentalize my different roles. You have to in order to maintain sanity and perform each role properly. Producer Trish is cold-hearted, slightly Scrooge-like and level-headed. The stakes are highest here. Production decisions must be made and schedules need to start being created. Writer Trish is much more emotional. She gets all warm and fuzzy when a casting tape comes in with someone doing justice to the dialogue she wrote. Scripty Trish is where I'm most comfortable. There's logic and fact involved. This is not about making decisions, it's about stating fact. And we haven't even gotten to Actor Trish. Yes, I'm acting. Luckily, I play me and I'm doing pretty well at that, given I have 27 years to draw on. I'm also pretty glad that Actor Trish doesn't have to audition for Producer Trish cause she can be mean and I might cut me.
I'm so conflicted. Excuse me while I return to my real job and focus on something so wholly unrelated to this struggle. There are mindless crafts to be created.
"I don't like their eyebrows."
OR
"They're not as tall as I expected that character to be."
OR
"Would this character really date this person?"
OR
"They're too perfect."
That's right. You can be black, white, brown, red-headed, blonde, brunette, skinny, fat, average.... and too perfect.
Have you ever read a book and pictured the characters, then when they made a tv/movie version you hated it purely because of casting? Now imagine you wrote the book and you can't find the character you pictured in real life. The struggle is real. Production has to start, you have to pick someone, and somehow you will always be disappointing someone. The fact that this is a no-pay project also cuts down on the candidates so you may find the absolute perfect person and they might not want to do it.
Bonus!! The union. Let's take an already staggeringly difficult process and add a union. I understand the benefits for all involved. I do. I, myself, looked into getting into IATSE for script supervision back in the day. The problem I have is the incredible complexities involved in the paperwork! Do I submit it now before I cast in order to get SAG/AFTRA performers to audition? Or do I wait, see if I need anyone from the union and do it later? Well, when you submit, they ask for a cast list, so that's confusing. And the help line doesn't specify when to do it. They're just generally vague and only slightly helpful. Holy misnomer Batman. How bout "The-only-slightly-helpful-desk"?
This part is not fun!! I just magically want the perfect people to sign on and be done with it! Is that so much to ask?
We started our casting by reaching out to friends and connections from previous work. Thank you social media. And we got some really strong responses. But this is a number's game; the more you have the better the options, right? Actually sometimes more is just more. Like in this case. We posted on two sites last Friday. Two. That's it. Number of responses as of this morning? Over 2,000. Not. Even. Exaggerating.
For someone who loves to swim and to teach swimming, it is weird to feel like you're drowning. The only thing you can do is start cutting. It's pretty obvious when someone is not the right fit, so they're gone. Ruthlessness is tough, but at this point it's survival. All those feelings of guilt and just feelings in general are now a liability. You have to cut until it's merely manageable. And it's all based on headshots at first. I have never felt so superficial. I get why Hollywood and casting directors get a bad rep for being cold and heartless. That's how I feel. The worst part? As I cull through all the photos, I'm starting not to feel. Like these are just photos and not photos of people anymore. And this is just from 3 days!! As I sit here writing this, I now feel guilty about not feeling guilty. So many feels and yet, not enough.
I'm starting to compartmentalize my different roles. You have to in order to maintain sanity and perform each role properly. Producer Trish is cold-hearted, slightly Scrooge-like and level-headed. The stakes are highest here. Production decisions must be made and schedules need to start being created. Writer Trish is much more emotional. She gets all warm and fuzzy when a casting tape comes in with someone doing justice to the dialogue she wrote. Scripty Trish is where I'm most comfortable. There's logic and fact involved. This is not about making decisions, it's about stating fact. And we haven't even gotten to Actor Trish. Yes, I'm acting. Luckily, I play me and I'm doing pretty well at that, given I have 27 years to draw on. I'm also pretty glad that Actor Trish doesn't have to audition for Producer Trish cause she can be mean and I might cut me.
I'm so conflicted. Excuse me while I return to my real job and focus on something so wholly unrelated to this struggle. There are mindless crafts to be created.
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Writing is Hard
Believe me, the irony of writing about how hard it is to write does not escape me.
Seriously though, trying to write a television show and a blog while holding down two jobs is draining. And daunting. What ideas or stories do I think I could possibly write that could entertain and amuse, and that haven't already been written? No pressure, right? The worst part is that you're limited only by your own imagination. These characters that you've created can be anything, do anything and say anything, so long as it doesn't surpass the audience's suspension of reality and is somehow rooted in truth.
There's an internet's worth of forums, formats and formulas for writing: rules to follow or how to properly break them, strategies to get your creativity flowing, schedules to keep to deadlines, tips to get what you've written read. It's crazy how much writing I've read in order to write (say that five times fast)
The fact is people want to be entertained and they don't want that entertainment interrupted by reality. Anything from a continuity mistake to some wholly unbelievable plot twist is going to make people quit reading, change the channel or click another video. Luckily, I think this is where I have an edge.
For two years all I did was read scripts and poke holes in them. Some of my notes were taken to heart, others were completely ignored and usually to the detriment of the production *pats self of back.
Side bar: For anyone looking to produce anything, this is the reason you hire script supervisors. I know we don't seem as important as the camera or sound or lighting, but we are an invaluable, sometimes intangible, asset to any production. Please don't ask me why I'm important, if you don't know you're production is already in trouble. And if any of my crew friends are on a shoot without a scripty, don't expect the production to go far. I'm not gloating, every production needs someone who has eyes on everything at all times to monitor the level of reality your creating. No script is a pretty evident indication that your production team is a) clueless, b) cutting corners, c) not worried about real quality. Just saying. (I am aware how self-promoting this sounds. Just remember I'm not actually in the biz anymore so this is not an attempt to pump myself up, more of a public service announcement).
Then I would get on set with this script I've poked holes in and would act as the Reality Police to guard against any crazy that could pull the audience out of the story. License plates that are from New York City when we're set in California. Clothes, cars, or technology that don't exist in the 1980s. Reflections of the crew in the main characters sunglasses. Making sure the actor actually looks like they're playing the cello when in fact they are not. Ensuring actors have taken out their earring before shooting because their character wouldn't wear one. (Apparently, six or seven times in this film they do because you're forgetful and stubborn.)
Now, when I'm writing I know where the pitfalls lie and I can (hopefully) avoid them before we even get to the production part of it. Granted when you're on a roll and the ideas are coming faster than you can type, sometimes it requires a second or third read-through or a second set of eyes (Thanks Kate) to find these minute errors.
Some times things are not in the script and inferences must be made by the script supervisor before shooting in order to make the product maintain the integrity of the story. Scripts are written for interpretation. Any script that comes right out and says everything is amateur. Actors and directors should be given leeway to add their talents to the end product. Scripts shouldn't give the characters intent, exact stage directions or camera angles. That's not the writer's job. If you're that much of a control freak and require your script to be an exact replica of what you've written, produce it yourself. And if you're a crazy perfectionist like myself, you can write, produce, script supervise, and act in it. Just make sure that each job is done individually and that you write as the writer and not as the actor.
Easy things to miss or get lost in:
See? Looks like they're talking to each other. But what if she was facing the other direction?
Not so much anymore. Who knows what they're looking at.
Granted, most of these things are going to come up on set, but they need to be considered beforehand. If you do not have an answers to these questions you will not fair well.
Anyway, back to writing. After much research and discussion, we've opted for 12 (used to be 13) episodes, approximately 10 minutes long. It's a comedy. And it's about us. So luckily not too much research or in-depth character analysis in needed. We'll leave that to the therapy I obviously need.
I'm sure many people are aware, but comedy is harder to write and act, then tragedy. If you've done your job and the audience have connected to your characters, then killing them will be tragic and emotional, every time. On the other hand, not everyone is going to laugh. Like ever. Some people will laugh at everything, even things you didn't expect were funny. Some people are more discerning. And then there are the people that just will not laugh. You have to expect that. You will not please everyone. Some people like cheap, blue or dirty humor. Some people like educated, detail-oriented, subtle humor. The best you can hope for is that most people were at least mildly entertained and forget everyone else.
I have presented papers and projects in school. I have sang in recitals and at karaoke. I even had to choreograph and perform a solo dance in front of the football team for a college class. Nothing is more nerve-wracking to me then someone reading a script I've written. Especially, right in front of me. Anytime Kate reads something I'm in total panic mode. Luckily she gets my humor and likes most of my writing and she laughs. Out loud. It's a total rush. I never knew. And now I'm hooked. So read on, readers. I hope you're laughing.
Seriously though, trying to write a television show and a blog while holding down two jobs is draining. And daunting. What ideas or stories do I think I could possibly write that could entertain and amuse, and that haven't already been written? No pressure, right? The worst part is that you're limited only by your own imagination. These characters that you've created can be anything, do anything and say anything, so long as it doesn't surpass the audience's suspension of reality and is somehow rooted in truth.
There's an internet's worth of forums, formats and formulas for writing: rules to follow or how to properly break them, strategies to get your creativity flowing, schedules to keep to deadlines, tips to get what you've written read. It's crazy how much writing I've read in order to write (say that five times fast)
The fact is people want to be entertained and they don't want that entertainment interrupted by reality. Anything from a continuity mistake to some wholly unbelievable plot twist is going to make people quit reading, change the channel or click another video. Luckily, I think this is where I have an edge.
For two years all I did was read scripts and poke holes in them. Some of my notes were taken to heart, others were completely ignored and usually to the detriment of the production *pats self of back.
Side bar: For anyone looking to produce anything, this is the reason you hire script supervisors. I know we don't seem as important as the camera or sound or lighting, but we are an invaluable, sometimes intangible, asset to any production. Please don't ask me why I'm important, if you don't know you're production is already in trouble. And if any of my crew friends are on a shoot without a scripty, don't expect the production to go far. I'm not gloating, every production needs someone who has eyes on everything at all times to monitor the level of reality your creating. No script is a pretty evident indication that your production team is a) clueless, b) cutting corners, c) not worried about real quality. Just saying. (I am aware how self-promoting this sounds. Just remember I'm not actually in the biz anymore so this is not an attempt to pump myself up, more of a public service announcement).
Then I would get on set with this script I've poked holes in and would act as the Reality Police to guard against any crazy that could pull the audience out of the story. License plates that are from New York City when we're set in California. Clothes, cars, or technology that don't exist in the 1980s. Reflections of the crew in the main characters sunglasses. Making sure the actor actually looks like they're playing the cello when in fact they are not. Ensuring actors have taken out their earring before shooting because their character wouldn't wear one. (Apparently, six or seven times in this film they do because you're forgetful and stubborn.)
Now, when I'm writing I know where the pitfalls lie and I can (hopefully) avoid them before we even get to the production part of it. Granted when you're on a roll and the ideas are coming faster than you can type, sometimes it requires a second or third read-through or a second set of eyes (Thanks Kate) to find these minute errors.
Some times things are not in the script and inferences must be made by the script supervisor before shooting in order to make the product maintain the integrity of the story. Scripts are written for interpretation. Any script that comes right out and says everything is amateur. Actors and directors should be given leeway to add their talents to the end product. Scripts shouldn't give the characters intent, exact stage directions or camera angles. That's not the writer's job. If you're that much of a control freak and require your script to be an exact replica of what you've written, produce it yourself. And if you're a crazy perfectionist like myself, you can write, produce, script supervise, and act in it. Just make sure that each job is done individually and that you write as the writer and not as the actor.
Easy things to miss or get lost in:
- time line: how much time passes within an episode, between scenes or between episodes
- props: where do they come from, where do they end up, do they follow into another scene
- entrances and exits: in order to show progress characters needs to travel across the screen in a single direction, so if they exit camera right, they have to enter camera left. Otherwise, the audience perceives them as lost and bouncing back and forth.
- costumes: do the scenes happen in the same day? if so, did they change outfits for some reason? Is there an accessory, like a watch, that the character wears in a particular scene that they should be wearing the whole time?
- dialogue: people need to look like they're talking to each other. Ever heard of 'crossing the 180' this is it. (see pictures)
Not so much anymore. Who knows what they're looking at.
Granted, most of these things are going to come up on set, but they need to be considered beforehand. If you do not have an answers to these questions you will not fair well.
Anyway, back to writing. After much research and discussion, we've opted for 12 (used to be 13) episodes, approximately 10 minutes long. It's a comedy. And it's about us. So luckily not too much research or in-depth character analysis in needed. We'll leave that to the therapy I obviously need.
I'm sure many people are aware, but comedy is harder to write and act, then tragedy. If you've done your job and the audience have connected to your characters, then killing them will be tragic and emotional, every time. On the other hand, not everyone is going to laugh. Like ever. Some people will laugh at everything, even things you didn't expect were funny. Some people are more discerning. And then there are the people that just will not laugh. You have to expect that. You will not please everyone. Some people like cheap, blue or dirty humor. Some people like educated, detail-oriented, subtle humor. The best you can hope for is that most people were at least mildly entertained and forget everyone else.
I have presented papers and projects in school. I have sang in recitals and at karaoke. I even had to choreograph and perform a solo dance in front of the football team for a college class. Nothing is more nerve-wracking to me then someone reading a script I've written. Especially, right in front of me. Anytime Kate reads something I'm in total panic mode. Luckily she gets my humor and likes most of my writing and she laughs. Out loud. It's a total rush. I never knew. And now I'm hooked. So read on, readers. I hope you're laughing.
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Resurrection
I thought this chapter was over. I thought the door had been closed, locked and deadbolted behind me. I had had a good run but I couldn’t take it. It’s not that I wasn’t good at the work, it was that my life wasn’t my own. Every minute not working was spent looking for work or feeling guilty about not looking, because you never know when that next gig may pop up or that next connection may come through.
Two years ago, after working for three weeks on what should have been my most professional, highest paying script supervisor jobs, I got cheated. I was not paid for my three weeks of work on that project, nor has anyone else I understand. Despite court rulings and subpoenas, I’m still without the money due to me. (This is a whole other story in itself and a long one at that). So I walked away. How can I continue to work and devote my time and energy day after day with no money? That’s how dreams die. And I thought mine had.
Luckily, about that time a new dream was found, so I didn’t have time to mourn the loss of the old one. I’ve been working the last two years in the Visual Department at Macy’s. Or as I refer to it Art and Crafts for Adults, or Retail Production Design. Plus when you’re five months away from being kicked off your parent’s medical insurance, benefits sound like a dream, and a good one.
I now have work/life balance, stability, a social life (I know, crazy right?); I’m actually saving money and being a real life adult. Sure I live with my parents and work two jobs, but these days, who doesn’t? Bottom line: My life is mine and I’m happy. No kidding. I don’t miss family events, weddings or college reunions because I have to be on set. I don’t have to turn down plans because I can’t afford a night out. I get to go on vacation. Like real ones. And get PAID! Side bar: if you have never had vacations days you will never understand the glory of sitting poolside in the Dominican Republic drinking frozen margaritas and getting PAID. I hope everyone has a chance to experience this at least once in their life. Pure bliss.
And yet, something was missing. I didn’t realize it for awhile but no matter how many ninja stars from clothes hangers I made, or tissue paper flowers I created, there was a hole that couldn’t be filled.Six months ago, Kate, my coworker from the Y where I teach, had an idea. We had realized that a vast majority of us were working at the Y because of it’s flexibility. It allows us to make good money when we need to and drop shifts for conflicts. That was because many of us were pursuing others dreams during our real lives but we needed this job to bankroll it. Actress, director, scientist, carpenter, architect. We’re a group of major over achievers who have picked seriously difficult industries to break into and somehow swinging drinks on weekends was just not going to cut it for us. So we teach kids life skills and we save lives. And this is just our side jobs. Like I said, over achievers.
The idea was that we combine our talents and make our own show. Even if nothing comes from it, it will be fun and we will gain experience and have something to show for it. The concept for this show? Us. And on a bigger scale, Millennials. A comedic portrayal of our experiences and how they either crush or reinforce all the stereotypes of generation Y.
I’m not going to lie. I wasn’t just hesitant at the prospect of such a project, I was against it. I felt like she was unknowingly opening a wound that had just scabbed over. I started by blowing her off. Then as she persisted I asked questions.
“So who do you plan to get to write this?”
“Us.”
“I don’t write” except for a blog a couple of years ago and a password protected journal that no one will ever read.
“Why not?” Damn, good question.
And who’s going to be in it?”
“All of us. Plus anyone else who wants to be involved. There have to be a ton of actors and crew members that are dying to be a part of something fun and well written.” Crap! Another good answer. My facebook is filled with old connections from the business who would relish a chance like this.
She had all the answers to shut me down and as a result, the wheels in my head that had begun to rust, started to turn again. Ideas, scenes, and characters started to form in my mind and soon more people showed interest and were involved. And I started to write. LIttle by little that hole I hadn’t even recognized, was starting to be filled. I don’t know at what point I really signed on and started to fight for this like Kate had from the beginning, but it was probably the first time someone said “No”.
We wanted to be on the up-and-up with our place of employment, because we’re stand up employees and we didn’t want to guerrilla shoot a show about them, on their own property without their knowledge. Looking back, asking permission instead of forgiveness was not the best course of action, because they said, “No.” Yet, that just spurred me on.
So now it’s written. 10 out of 13 episodes are just about production ready and we’re casting. It’s real, but the best part is that it’s on my timeframe. I do this when I want to, when I need that creative outlet or the ideas won’t stay in my head anymore. And that door that I thought I had deadbolted two years ago is wide open and I’ve stepped through it.
If anyone would like more information about the show, including casting, or if you would like to be a part of the production, feel free to contact me or email thisiswhyproduction@gmail.com. And be sure to come back and read the blog for updates on the production.
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