Here's a few members of the crew. We are two shoots away from being done. Our average end time this week has been shortly past midnight. I've been shocked and humbled that even at the end of the night everyone is still joking, laughing and having a blast. I've never seen anything like it. I've never worked on anything so rewarding. Meet a few folks I've spent quite a bit of time with lately....
This is Mark, the Director of Photography. When you see our footage you're going to want to french kiss him. He's the hardest working man on set. He never breaks. From the time we get there to when we leave he is on his feet working. Last night I decided a personal mission of mine is to make him famous. He has talent the world needs to see. He makes my scribbled down ideas into reality. A far better looking reality than I imagined.
Matt is on the far right. He's a stand up comedian who makes jokes about Batman and Swedish Fish. He's quiet but dangerously funny. When we're not rolling he's playing iPod games or writing new jokes. To the left of him is Hannah. She's a receptionist for a home health care agency. She also serves at the Cracker Barrel once a month. It's brutal, she says. Every night she drives down from Middletown. Her smile and attitude are contagious on set.
Steve (on right) is the roughest, toughest artist you'll ever meet. He and his wife opened up the doors of their iron shop last night and let us shoot there until the wee small hours of the morning. Not only that, they fed us. There was a dessert table that looked like it straight from Paula Dean. Five kinds of lasagna, salad, like eight focaccia pizzas, drinks, coffee and cappuccino from their tenant Chuck Roast. It was out of this world. Steve is also the master artist for the surprise element of the show. Prepare for your mind to be blown when you see what he's got cooking.
John, master editor for tv during day and at night on set he's a grip, photographer, jib operator, movie quoter and generator of good vibes. He and Isaac can recite every bit of Coming To America.
The other Brad on set. He's home from Chicago for a couple months working on starting a business. He's like having Andy Samberg on set. Crazy hard worker and hilarious. The ultimate win win.
Bekka. My 1st Assistant Director. She has probably put more work into this project than anyone. And that's saying a lot. I would buy her a Rolls Royce if I could. She's the real Boss on set. She can scream at everyone to be quiet on set one second and then the next talk to the kid actors and get exactly what we need from them. It's fun to watch.
The Virgin Mary. Very sweet, very quiet, and extremely plastic.
Alec, another member of the camera team. And another hard worker. He's young but has a ton of experience. Last night at 1am he was still smiling and telling me how much fun he's having. "It's what I do," he said when I thanked him.
On the right is Kyle. When you come to the show and see the shots where the focus changes from the item in the foreground to the item in the background- that's Kyle's doing. It's complicated, skilled work that he's picked up extremely fast. He is the right hand man to Mark (Director of Photography). Great dude.
Isaac, my 2nd Assistant Director. He'll also edit all the footage into movie magic. He does the best impression of an awkward teenager you'll ever see. He's the producer of this venture. Meaning he makes all the gears, wheels, whistles and bells turn and function.
Mark Mills. Call him Millsy. He's an iron worker who luckily (for us) is laid off for a couple more weeks. He's maybe one of the harder workers I've seen. And he has a photographic memory. He always knows where stuff is. I bet he kills at Memory. He's the glue of the entire crew.
The Haymaker. Ed Hatke. He's my boss at VCC. On set he's our sound wizard. The biggest compliment to him is that our stuff sounds as good as it looks. I think he's a shareholder at COSCO. Most nights, the only thing not from the superstore on his person are his tennis shoes.
This is Jenny. She's doing make-up and continuity (making sure things are in the same place in each shot). She's quick with the compliment and willing to help out however she can. At the end of each night we commiserate at our uselessness while the grips and gaffers (know-it-alls) run around packing everything up.
