So Week 1 of this feature I’m Firsting included the following:
… an OM session as a blessing to start the production
…a location that is protected by spirits and elders who we have apparently pissed off because both electricity and water have gone out at various times we’re filming there
…an actress who’s not an actress quitting after three days of filming and being replaced. They did change the name of the new character…
…a torrential rainstorm
…our Production Manager’s truck hood being bashed in by a shiny board that became victim to a sudden gust of wind
…a 20 minute delay in hair/makeup/wardrobe when the director decided to do a healing session with the lead actress without telling anyone about it.
…an actual cleansing sweat lodge that camera crew somehow survived
…tacos for lunch everyday. I mean, everyday.
…a mass baptism happening down the road as we’re filming a 6 page dialog exterior scene and hearing the cheers of “AMEN!” after every line and Christian music blaring
…a homeless couple getting into a giant screaming match while we’re trying to film a big speech scene
…an eyeless - yes, eyeless- dog that banged into everything
…roosters. every fucking location. roosters. crowing.
…a random dude frying up wasps and leaving a bowl of these crispy critters at crafty to snack on
…an extra who missed her cues, spiked the lens… and then tripped in the background of a shot when she finally nailed her cues and didn’t spike the lens…
…toilets that you can’t flush toilet paper in
…the gaffer hanging from a thick vine stuck to a tree.
…the key grip climbing to the very top of that same said vine
…and the introduction of 2 new words to film slang (and please, feel free to use these liberally):
-“Gobblety-goop” n. 1. a horrific scheduling error,2. a made up word in this script to be the polite and goofy way of saying “bullshit”
-“Muff Cabbage” n. 1. The scrambled signal over the walkies when reception is bad or someone is stepped on in response, 2. Jersey Shore slang
AND YET. we have made every day. in 12 hours or under. Crew morale is pretty damn great (because it’s hard not to laugh at everything going on logistically). And hell, it’s a great crew. Now we’re into Week 2…
