Today we were back in, call time 7AM, for a non-shooting day that still managed to stay quite busy. Rattler walked through the NY Main Hall set, pre-blocking for the benefit of Schwartzy and his lighting crew (all of whom he missed desperately in NYC). It was raining and the nucleus left to scout Daley Devices while Marco and I caught up in the trailer, ticking off a list of Rattler "to do's" and sharing a cappuccino while venting about the never-ending production drama - that whirling gig of misplaced anger and gossip and blame and wasted energy. El Yucko.
Ricky Gervais arrived today and went straight to SL's office. He asked for a coffee and I asked how he takes it. "White," he said, "no sugar" -- with that unmistakeable Ricky Gervais voice. I said "absolutely" and walked toward the kitchen, saying "white, no sugar" over and over again in my head. He's gotta mean with cream, there's no other way a coffee can be white. If you want it black, you say "black," and if you want it with any color -- there's nothing besides milk or cream you can put in it. OR ISTHERE? I decided it was an open and shut case and proceeded back towards the office. "Cheers," was his reply.
Ricky left to get fitted and Rattler turned back to the computer, re-tweeking, yet again, another scene in the movie. He had other items on the running list of to do's. Write thank-you note to creator of Darth, call his wife, call LA, etc. "Regina, go to 2." I go to 2 and say "Go for Regina." Wardrobe was ready to show SL Ricky in ensemble #1. Did SL want to go to wardrobe or should they come to him? "Copy that," I say -- "Please standby." And I wait for a pause in his typing and say: "Ricky is ready, do you want to go or should they come here?" Rattler hits save. "Tell them I'm walking," and so I do, on 2 -- and then I say: "Back to 1." Cause the conversation is done at that point.
This happens 2 more times. More writing, more approving and suggesting and agreeing on the look of McPhee.
After lunch SL is needed on the commons stage to meet with 2nd unit as they direct the flying stunt bodies, flung aside by one of our Nation's monuments come to life. There is a group of 20 people around Rattler and he answers their questions and walks through the shots he is thinking of. The conversation turns to more VFX -- what angles will you be seeing the characters at, will you want to see that in a wide or up close, etc. He finishes up there and walks to the NY Main Hall set to approve the set-up for the EPK interviews. Then to hair and makeup, then back in on set to rehearse with Movie Star #1 and Ricky. Here is where the last anecdote for this entry comes in...
So prior to the rehearsal starting, Rattler asks his driver Terry to go on a Starbucks run. Terry also grabs a coffee for movie star #1 -- but we all fail to ask Ricky what he might like. Therefore, drinks arrive back but the three assistants (Marco, Emma and Myself), blocked by the high countertop of the NY set info desk, talk amongst each other. "How can we offer to SL and Movie Star #1 when we didn't ask Ricky what he'd like?" We hem and haw and they I say -- "We'll put Rattler's drink in a hot-cup and disguise its yummy Starbucks quality." Then we'll split the Americano and make sure to make the one for Ricky "white." The two are still deep in rehearsal and nobody wants to interrupt -- but no one wants the coffee to get cold. I decide to write each man's initial on the top of the cups and then the three of us approach, as if carrying Gold, Incense and Myrhh. We place the cups down, initials visible, and walk away. As we do, Rattler says: "Gentlemen, should we stop to have some coffee?" And so they do. And everyone is equal, political minefield (as Marco calls it) avoided. For now...5 weeks til we wrap.
Amy Miller Zech is in town and we got to say hi. She is the post-production supervisor and a friend. She showed me pics of Ava and we talked about podcasts and office space. And a sweet perfume called MARISA...I think. I also think Maggie Moon may have bought this very perfume on Montana in the same cute bottle over two years ago. Speaking of which, Maggie and Jake are in town next week.
Tomorrow should be funny. Oh yeah. Both Amy and Chris noticed a set of bloody footprints outside of my building this morning. The footprints went all the way around the corner and stopped in front of BLENZ, the coffee shop on my street corner. At the end of the red footprint path, there was one sneaker, filled with blood --and what Amy said looked like skin. She told me this during the day and as Chris and I walked out to dinner I shared the story with him. Chris was incredulous: "I saw the same thing!" Turns out they both saw the bloody mess. Weird. As Chris said, like something out of a David Lynch movie. Strange that they both saw it. I didn't see it, but somehow, hearing each of them tell me, and imagining it two different times, it has become very real to me indeed.
Finally -- Zulu did something very cool for me today. He suggested that I play the secretary in Daley Devices and Rattler agreed. Made me happy. So happy. THAT MAKES US READY!
I'm also posting the pic of me and Oscar the Grouch from before NYC.
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