Deaf West Theatre

We wrapped shooting early yesterday and I went with some friends to see our buddy
Ty Giordano in Edward Albee's "The Zoo Story". It is playing at the Deaf West Theatre in North Hollywood and it was really well done.

The interesting thing about Deaf West is they do mainstream shows with deaf actors. They have an interpreter for those who do not know sign language and the interpreters are in the scene, just slightly behind the deaf actors. It is almost as if you are watching the show with a mirror and listening to it at the same time.

"Big River" on Broadway originated at the Deaf West Theatre and Ty along with many other actors who were in the original production out in Los Angeles went with the show to New York City.

Productivity

Yesterday was a very productive day for me on set. I talked to director, who asked for my headshot, and I also talked to one of the 2nd assistant camera operators about auditioning for a film he will be working on in September for the Independent Film Festival Circuit.

The best advice I can give anyone with a desire to act is get a lot of training and accept any job on a set because you can learn so much and you meet so many people who are working on multiple projects.

Snow + Agent

So it is snowing in Malibu. First wildfires a week ago and now this!? Snow for the first time in 40 years. Malibu must have done something to make Mother Nature mad.

I got a call from a commercial agent that I sent my headshot and resume to and she wants to meet with me! :) :) :)

I am meeting with her on Saturday, January 27th. I will let you know how it goes!

This would be really great for me! Wish me luck :)

What Does the Best Boy Do?

So the comment question of the hour seems to be "What is a Best Boy? and if he is female, does the job title become "Best Girl?""

The Best Boy is the Chief Lighting Technician's right hand man. When the Chief Lighting Technician gives an order from the Director of Photography, the Best Boy is near all of the lights to organize the gaffers and grips and get the proper lights set up in the proper places and set to the proper bright/dim settings.

The title can be changed to "Best Girl" and is in certain film credits, however, I don't think that if the "Best Boy" is female that is always the case.

The people who build the sets are called the "construction crew" because that is literally what they do: build a house or diner or car or whatever is required right on a studio sound stage.

For simple answers to various industry questions I refer you to the comedy styling of
Thomas F. Wilson , also known as Biff from "Back to the Future".

Dead Battery

After working a 14 hour day today, we wrapped (finished shooting) at 11:00 PM. There is little traffic that late at night which is usually wonderful.

Unfortunately, this evening traffic came to a dead stop around 11:14 and didn't move again for 45 minutes.

I was sitting in my car and I could see the fire trucks speeding up the exit ramp, and I could also see the police lights reflecting off the side of a semi-truck.

I sat patiently in my car and noticed cars around me turning off their engines to save gas. At the current price of $2.65+ for gas, I followed suit and sat waiting for the accident to be cleared so traffic could move again.

Right around midnight traffic started up again and when I tried to start my car I heard a sputtering noise but my car did not start. Again I tried and again it sputtered.

The truck driver next to me got out of his truck and said, "I think your battery is dead. Stop trying to turn it on, that's bad for your car. If you have jumper cables, I'll give you a jump."

The trucker behind me got out to help as well while the traffic began moving around us. About 15 minutes later I got my car running again and drove by the scene of the accident, which was still being cleared. Unfortunately someone drove their car right through the guardrail off the side of the freeway.

I got home about 1:30 AM, said a prayer for whoever was in that car, and now I'm going to bed.

Stay tuned for a response to yesterday's blog comments tomorrow.

Grip Response

Yesterday anonymous left this in my comment section: "I always have wondered, what is a grip?"

Well, anonymous, funny you should ask because that is a question that I missed on a test when I was taking Film Genres at the conservatory.

The grips are the electricians and they set up and arranges equipment, moves dollies etc. The Key Grip stands near the Chief Lighting Technician and is on walkie-talkie to the grips telling them where the Director of Photography and the Chief Lighting Technician want certain lights placed and where they should be plugged in.

Gaffers operate the lights that the grips set up.

Continuity Response

A comment left on yesterday's blogs read: "That is very interesting. Continuity is something we don't usually notice until it's not there. Is that someone's particular job, keeping everything in sync?"

The answer to that is yes! The job title is "script supervisor" and the script supervisor on our show is wonderful. Her name is Diana Valentine and she makes sure that all of the lines are said correctly and that there is enough coverage that close-ups can be edited with master shots properly and so on. She also makes sure characters enter and exit from the correct side of the frame and she marks down which takes should be "printed," meaning takes the director wants to use for the show.

Each department is also responsible for continuity. Wardrobe is responsible for making sure the characters wear the correct outfits down to the details of shoes, rings, etc. since the show is often shot out of order. Props/set dressers are responsible for making sure the clutter on the coffee table is the same in each shot that takes place in that room that day and so on.

The way they are able to do this is every day after a scene they take photos of the actors, the set etc. On the back of the pictures they write which scene that picture is for. If things are left a certain way a sign is posted saying "HOT SET". To the cast and crew that means, "DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING IN THIS ROOM!"