Page 2 of Forbidden
Thirty minutes later,I walk to my producer, the cinematographer, and the man who actually runs the set, the Assistant Director, or A.D.
“Ok, I need to get him out here, and I need to leave the set,” I say. “I have finance duties, and I need to set up the next picture.” My close team nod, they know I produce over a dozen movies a year. I naturally have favorite crew members, and these are some of the best.
“Contractually the director cannot screw around. I just want to wake him up, okay! We’ll set up a couple of shots. He will hear we are shooting. He will come out quickly, and he will hopefully be jarred back into acting like a pro. It’s a wake-up call, understand?”
My loyal team nods.
“Not my favorite thing to do, but I need him on set and not screwing around.”
I directed a few movies in the day, that I paid for. They were not the best, but they all made money. I’m better at putting big movies in the can, on schedule, and within budget.
That is what I do.
“Ok,” I say. “Three cameras stand by.” As I walk deeper into the set, I look at the stunning cast and their expensive wardrobe. The gowns, the fake diamonds and the over-the-top Parisian set.
As the cinematographer follows, the AD uses his radio to dial in the crew.
“Stand by three cameras, stunt team back on set. Makeup checks on key cast, shooting in fifteen.”
I study the lavish action set, and I remember the scene well.
“First shot, as she is chased through the restaurant, camera one, low and wide. Second camera, set far back on a telephoto. Put the dolly against that wall. Camera three, track from here to here,” I say hands moving and walking.
“We pick things up, from her entering the restaurant, to her realizing it’s a trap. As soon as she realizes, she runs, dives through the window, and the car chase erupts. Got it?”
“Okay,” the AD says, “Blocking in five, and setting cameras.”
Crew move lenses, lights, cameras and gear fast, and I walk back to the director’s chairs. My producer’s eyes meet mine, and she shakes her head. I shrug caring little. It’s an old movie trick to shake up directors who waste time.
After talking through the sequence with the Hollywood based actress who listens in her black catsuit with bomber jacket and leather gloves, she heads off for final makeup and hair checks.
Ten minutes later as the gaffer and lighting team perfect things, we rehearse. The sequence starts to work, and we are about to shoot.
I lean back in the director’s chair, and I watch the monitors. The three images from the three cameras look great.
As the cast pause on set, ready for take one, the clapper loader holds the clapper board up, “Scene one three three. Take-”
“Hang on,” I say loud. The young director is walking on set, and he is focused and alert. At last!
As I intercept him, I talk low. “Just getting ready.” Our eyes meet, and I cross my arms.
Alright pal. Here it is.
“Legally you have to shoot, and you know that. If you don’t, I have the right to put the scene in the can. If you force me to shoot here and now, I will. I’m not the best director, but the stunt crew fly to Australia tonight to do a superhero flick. This scene is shot today, understand?”
He starts moving fast, “A better shot would be from here on camera two.”
“Great,” I say playing along. “By all means change it. I’m better at finance, that’s why we hired you. Please change anything, just try to get this scene completed before the end of the day.”
As he walks to the cinematographer, he starts talking fast.
I grab my movie scripts, pull my navy suit jacket on, and head away. As my producer walks along side, she mumbles low, “bully.”
“Remind me why we do this again.” I say, as we reach the sound stage door. I look into the dark sky and frown.
“Because we have no other skills.”
“And to make our studio, Saint Global Entertainment number one,” I remind her.
