DAY 16

This is a long one. 

The Set General’s lair is the starting point for our brave little convoy, heading up to Wrightwood, where we’ll be spending the day and(and night) shooting in and around town.

But there’s a lot more goin’ on than just driving up to said location. The General has the camera out and begins shooting actors in the van, getting some plates too.

It looks like it’s about to rain at ANY moment. Typical, for this production.

We arrive at the comfy mountain abode of Suzan, Kelly, Zeke, and Dekland Jones. Multitasker Suzan has homemade cinnamon rolls a waitin’. Kelly is gathering gear. Zeke correctly explains how we should shoot the first scene. Dekland is dressed as a space man. Another actor arrives and away we go to the first location.

An ice cream/candy store, where production must keep stopping sos customers can get their treats. The freezers keep making lotsa noise, so we gotsta keep shutting ‘em down. Zeke and Dekland get yet ANOTHER gig, extras, but keep going CRAZY cuz they’re not supposed to be licking their ice cream cones. The camera battery runs dry. The Set General asks for another. The little extra battery has only 15 minutes of juice. Said battery was supposed to be FULLY CHARGED ‘allegedly’. 

Lunch at a local pizza place, where some weird local dude keeps bugging us.

Back to the Jones, where big battery immediately goes onto the charger. But not for long, cuz we is off again for mas shooting, only with very little battery power unfortunately. The Set General gets all up in the actors grills, shoot-shoot-shooting all the way to the next location.

Off a dirt road we’re back to fighting sun and battery life, needing to get everything in just 14 minutes of camera time. It’s windy too, windy and COLD... most of the people in this little production ain’t properly prepared for this kinda weather. Yet everything still manages to get done, with extra special attention constantly being paid to how much juice is left on the battery.

An actor splits for home and everyone else squeezes into the van in search of a few good spots to shoot the final establishing shots, with only about 4 minutes of battery power. Back to the usual, fighting weather, sunlight, and battery time. But as per usual, everything some how manages to get done.

After missing a turn or two, we’re back to the Jones, it’s getting dark, an actor slips on a mound of snow, the battery goes back on the charger. 

A night scene in the van, which is supposed to be parked some where in LA. only we’re parked on a mountain road in Wrightwood, it’s FREEZING and STARTING TO SNOW. Kelly and the General yank out C-stands, flags, Christmas lights, what ever they can to create a place we’re actually not. The camera gets plugged directly into an outlet. It’s still FREEZING. Not many set ups as little snow flakes fall on the crew’s heads.

Back to the warmth of the Jones mountain home to shoot three short scenes, requiring no coverage. First, a simulated television screen, consisting of the General waving his hand over one of Kelly’s lights. Second, some furniture is moved so it ‘appears’ like we’re in another room. Last, on to the bathroom, getting yet another ‘different’ looking location.

Are we done yet? No

While they’re here. Gotta do some wild lines with the actors...

A looooooong drive home.

Are we done yet? HELL NO!

One of the actors still has to run through some streets that aren’t in a little mountain town.

And so ends seventeen hours of movie making fury.