The Intern Project: Production Week 1
Penguin July 18th, 2009
We finished our first week of production on The Intern Project and dang has it been stressful. We’ve been shooting 2 hour days after a full day’s of work. So we’re tired and hungry but everyone’s been bringing a lot of energy and a can do attitude.
It wouldn’t be production if it didn’t have its problems. We started shooting on Wednesday, but we were waiting for a crucial prop and ended up starting 30 min late. Considering we only had 2 hours, that means we lost a quarter of our day. Needless to say, we didn’t make our day. Then on Thursday, one of the leads told me that they wouldn’t be able to make it to the shoot on Friday. Nor would they be able to do anything next week. Of course, I had to go and reschedule Thursday and Friday.
It was a stretch, but I managed to schedule everything properly. But it meant that we had to cut certain scenes, some rather important. We went so far as to cut an entire role, though it was small.
We had been asked if we could perform something at the “Talent Show”. We opted to give everyone a sneak peek behind the filmmaking process. So we shot “live” in front of an audience. Of course, we didn’t actually shoot it because I didn’t want to stress out my actors. I didn’t even have a battery in the camera.
The “Talent show” ran into our day, but everyone was really gracious and was willing to put in an extra hour. Thanks so much!
On Friday, we were undermanned, so I would set up the camera on some sticks and man the boom mic. There were a few times where we had to prop up the boom because we just didn’t have anyone to help. Everyone’s been serving double duty and getting a crash course on camerawork and directing. Fun stuff.
So, after a week, I can start seeing the episodes in my head. Being so close to the material for so long has made it difficult to tell if I’m putting enough on screen. If the dialogue is saying enough without saying too much, and if the cuts are going to match.
Going into the next few weeks of production, we’re still behind schedule and a lot of people can’t make it. We’ve made the difficult decision of cutting an episode and possibly condensing 2 others. I have a lot to do over the weekend.
It’s a wonder anything gets made.
-Penguin
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