Musings from a low-budget film set

 

Last July I was introduced to Terri Dollar and Julie ter Avest, who run KU Talent Agency.

That meeting led to various auditions, one of which turned into a booking for a video shoot in Winston-Salem the first week of August

During that video shoot, I met one of the producers, Braxton Langston-Chapman, who was booked to be the Director of Photography for an independent film to be shot in Raleigh, Sept. 13-25.

Braxton engages a stranger instantly as he is armed with keen intelligence, a quick wit, and fantastic listening skills. Few things are more compelling than someone who truly hears what you say.

So we hit it off. 

Braxton asked me, "Are you a good actor?"

"I have my moments."

"You are perfect for a role in a film that we're gonna shoot in Raleigh for two weeks in September. Interested?"

"Sure," I said.

Little did I know during a long chat with Braxton, he'd asked if he could take my picture but was actually taping me to send to the writer/producer of THE RED ROOM, Quis Wallace, in New York.

The following afternoon, Quis got in touch, and that conversation led to signing an NDA and getting a copy of the script.

THE RED ROOM then became my prime focus as I read the script several times, and began learning lines for a story about a thriller author who needs to act out (as in actually do) grisly murder to provide inspiration. Jacob Rory, a charming psychopath on one hand, and in the other, a bloody knife.

We had 5 rehearsals via Zoom.

On Sept. 13, we met for the first time at our location, a house in Cary, where we shot most of the film. We used one day at a different location for several key scenes.

In theatre, which is 99 percent the bulk of my experience, a cast/crew meets as strangers and during the trek from early rehearsal, to run thrus, to tech, and then performance, some level of "family" evolves. In my view, the best projects also have the best "sense" of family.

A film set, at least for me, is no different. All of my observations are from one experience, however, so get a container of salt and fill the shaker.

Strangers on the first day have an opportunity to become friends. Hours are long, and not everyone is working at the same time.

My struggle, and it will likely always be a task, was to accept how slowly things happened.

One also begins to fully appreciate the meaning of the word collaboration.

A shot needs an angle and needs to be lit, and if lucky, actors that know what they are doing.

If that sounds easy, you are crazy.

It is magic when the technical elements and the "talent" hit their marks together.

And when that happens, everyone gets stoked.

A film set is a rubber raft cast at sea, and everyone paddles to get to shore.

The first week we had long days. The second week we learned a much keener definition of what LONG really means.

Quis and the crew were up late and back at it early.

There's an art to turning off one's body and mind on a film set, and yet retain a state of "readiness."

It might be three hours or more between scenes.

Happily, there were places to lounge at the location.

So the answer became: This is not about time. This is about what needs to get done.

We shot four of my longest scenes the first week, which was ideal scheduling. Everyone was still fresh, and those scenes went well.

In every collaborative endeavor, friction is a given. Handling it and moving on is the key. Thought THE RED ROOM shoot did that quite well.

At times it seemed as if the project would not be completely filmed in time. But with mammoth effort the final three days, our raft reached land.

Now, there will be a lengthy period of waiting. But eventually, there will be a film that can be viewed.