Tuesday, Mardi en Francais...July 29th

Oops I did it again -
I waited til 10
to write it all down
as if this screen was paper and the keys were my pen...

Britney, Britney, Britney.

WHAT A DAY TODAY! Quite possibly the MOST complicated, MOST crowded, MOST stressful with nary a moment to breathe or come up for air. Add to the mix that it rained the entire day long, making the trip to and from the trailer a wet affair, not to mention the general malaise that rain can bring. Amelia was back in the mix and we got her shots off early (the flyer made of balsa, spit and grit crashes into the rug display and AE emerges unharmed, in search of reinforcements). By the time we turned around and were faced towards the entrance to The Commons, First Team was on-set -- and it was a heck of a first team to wrangle. CORRECTION to yesterday's entry in which I cited that four of the movie stars were directors. Make that SIX!

- Movie Star #1
- Movie Star whose plays the Evil Pharoah
- Corky
- French Movie Star
- Young Movie Star of Apatow world known for his improv
- British movie star who has yet to shoot but whose work paved the way for Steve Carrell

Rattler rattled in and out of position, explaining the shot to #1 Movie Star. Tense moments where phrases like: "I don't know why he would do that here, that's weird..." were uttered. Can't avoid the conversation but must keep blocking the shot as rest of cast stands and watches. Must get through the discussion to make it to the 'shooting.' I watch all and hold the smoothie shake, empathizing with the task at hand. But the day just gets harder.

The shot was complicated and involved all the good guys and the bad guys. VFX green screen was involved which requires more time, more framing, more measurement of distance and focal length and discussion of what will actually be placed where in post. There was also a LIVE horse on set, who happened to be named BEN. Ben the horse got squirrely at one point and would not stand still. SNL character actor playing Custer got nervous on his back (who could blame him) as the other actors in the narrow hallway made way. We paused and before everyone's eyes, the horse takes a you know what on the floor of the set. I saw the look in Rattler's eyes as he watched the time slip away from him.

Add to this a group of 10 people who had won some sort of contest and were visiting, courtesty of Movie Star #1, PLUS the family came to visit 1 hour before lunch. So there's more people than ever on-set, it's raining, and Marco and I must juggle our normal routine plus anticipate the lunch requests for Mom and kids and get everything set for lunch in Rattler's office. Plates, drinks, silver, food, food, food, milkshakes, etc. Over the Circus and through the hangars, to the production office we went. Cell phones a-buzz, blackberry vibrating, emails flowing at their normal, steady flow.

Lunch comes and goes and doesn't really come for Marco at all. I manage to sneak down and get a to-go box, popping baby shrimp in my mouth as I walk back up towards Rattler's office from the catering tent. When I arrive there is more to be done. Plates to be cleared and alas -- a problem of feeding the Bullet. Nothing looked appetizing, so he didn't eat and soon he will crash. Maybe there is a sushi place around, what's the sushi order, it's taped up in the trailer, no we can improvise, but before we get there I hear: "We're back from lunch," and then I hear "Gina, go to 2," (which BY THE WAY -- I hear a lot now as I have become MUCH more walkie saavy guys...not an expert but DEFINITELY holding my own)...and so I go to 2 and find out that Movie Star #1 wants to see the trailer that will screen in Chicago next week (or the 3 versions of it I've downloaded from the studio). Add to that, Big Time writer who worked on the script and just directed a popular feature (lots of directors, lots of directors!) just stepped off a plane and is down at the Circus waiting to print pages he's written for Movie Star #1's appearance on _______ talk show.

Rattler looks at me, as he welcomes WRITER into the trailer and begins to show HIM the spots that will air before he gets to Movie Star 1 -- but at that moment Family reappears to collect left behind baggage and suddenly Rattler's trailer is like the Mitten from that children's book...The Mitten (translated from the German?), where all the animals squeeze in and keep squeezing in because it's Winter...except I'm modifying sushi order per Rattler's wife, Rattler is asking me to help writer print the pages for the late night show, and Zulu is in my ear demanding to know where the H*#@ Rattler is. In addition, Casting is calling about getting Rattler on the phone to woo another piece of talent (are there NO other producers on this film?) and the studio is calling to see if they can't exert just a little more influence, pressure and control over what is being filmed.

And the day continues to go just like this. A continuous trifecta of agendas and aggressive tendencies and moments of pure stress and others of near hysterics over the intensity of this room -- this room filled with an amazing amount of talented movie stars and directors and movie stars/directors and a monkey and a horse and a group of ten VIP winners from Ohio and did I mention the live horse who had just earlier let it all go in the midst of shooting?

We were at Mammoth til 7:30, but the call is still 7AM. There is more to write...about how Marco is my savior and true confidant; about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches cut into triangles with the crusts cut off; about Gold Beach Oregon research and the smelly green sponge (even though I washed it!)...but I must sleep.