One of those Days

I've been putting off writing this entry because it's about our last shoot! Part of me can't believe we did it, we made it through rather successfully (knock on wood, let's pray Garrett hit "record" each and every time he yelled Action), but the more optimistic part of me totally believes it. We had an amazing cast and crew, professional and reliable, and above all, talented! What an awesome collaborative effort.

But let's get to how our last day of shooting started...

A few of us met at the Inn a couple hours earlier than the shoot, the plan being to go out on Ray, our innkeeper's boat. What I failed to realize, was that the boat is kept in Gloucester (a half-hour away), and would take way longer than two hours to get there, out and about, and back. Duh. So, we got sandwiches and hung on our deck for lunch, yet again.

I made a few trips to my house throughout the afternoon. Various things: Props (the bedspread and such), the forgotten water (I was a bad craft services provider for the day), print out the shot list for Garrett, etc. Then, Erika forgot her pink shoes (which was fine, we weren't shooting her feet), Garrett forgot he was nearly out of DV tape (luckily I had one at my house or I'd have made a second trip to Beverly). They were cutting tile in the backyard (you know how loud that is?). Theadora forgot an outfit (thanks to her mom for making a second trip to Ipswich!), you know... one of those days where ya think, "I should have just stayed in bed."

So, around 4pm, we finally got working. Blocked the "kitchen scene" which became the "dining room scene" because, well, the kitchen at the Inn's been gutted and moved out to the carriage house so hey, peanut butter orange muffins now being served in the dining room. No biggie.

Peanut butter orange muffins. A recipe does exist, folks. I'll have to post that for the curious of minds. I was inspired to use such muffins by a weekend I spent years ago at a B&B in Edgartown on the Vineyard. Our hostess made muffins with the oddest combinations, yet, they tasted really good. There are websites for muffin recipes that are geared towards B&Bs. Is this a B&B thing? Anyway. I went for authenticity and baked muffins the morning of the shoot. They weren't bad at all! They actually got devoured... between JT's character Scott wolfing them down (I realized Scott is either sleeping, napping, or snacking at all times - which I just love because he's really either tired from the night before or saving up his energy for the night ahead...), and Erika getting them stuffed into her mouth to shut her up for a moment (thanks for consuming those muffin chunks, Theadora, because I realized they would've gone down a lot easier with a cold glass of milk), and then Geoff (Sam) getting a hold of the plate...

Anyway, the muffins were the center of the scene, but didn't quite steal the scene. Erika makes a fabulous entrance with Sam in tow, and just jumps at Libby with her "Is this her? Nice hair. Fit!" without giving her a snippet of time to get a response in edge-wise. Very well done. Erika is the one in town everyone warns you not to tell things to, because she will broadcast it to everyone else. And in her case, she has the ability to do so.

We managed to get the shot done within a reasonable amount of time (miraculously, considering the state of mind we all seemed to be in, we blamed it on the full moon). Took a break, and moved on the next scene which was to take place in Libby's room at the Inn. We shot that in the apartment bedroom (above the living room we used for Scott's gang watching the book club). It was about a bazillion degrees up in that room so the AC went on in-between takes. We used the floral Laura Ashley bedspread (graciously donated by my boss, I will withhold her name for fear of anyone knowing she still actually used that bedspread in her second bedroom...) and coordinating hideous pink pillow (that I bought weeks ago, it symbolizes the pink foo foo taste of Dennis's ex-wife. A remnant of his past that he's still holding on to.) Erika as Libby got to hang out in her PJs, again, (we kept her comfy), and it was a nice quick scene with Marybeth, Dennis, and Scott. Marybeth plays the woman in town who immediately warms up to you but she's got a lot to hide. She's curious about Libby, but is warm and friendly, and not too in her face. Libby's more of the "leave me alone, please!" state of mind at this point. This scene also sets the tone of the show that the Inn is a place these folks tend to hang out in a lot. They're more comfortable there than their own home (perhaps for MB and Scott their home represents a place to try to make a baby, operative word being "try" and as we learn in this episode, not very successfully... a place they need a mental - and physical - break from every now and again).

Yeah, there's this whole "no one ever leaves" thing going on which seems so in line to living in a small town. I should know! Five years and counting.

The last scene of the day, of the show! is with Erika, Libby, and Sam. It's the late night interview scene "New Gal in Town." Makes you wonder how many there have been, and how many Erika has made leave... being competition and all. This is the scene where Silent Sam gets to scream like a girl, and boy does he shriek a good shriek!! He did a great job being Erika's cameraman, holding the camera and spotlight right at Libby. Geoff has the best facial expressions... perfectly cast!

And with that shriek, we wrapped shooting. The day turned out to go smoothly, everyone did a fine, fine job, and we are all very excited to see a cut of the show.

After shooting I took a bunch of digital stills of the gang, what a mighty fine looking group of actors. I am so lucky! They became my characters, so cool!! We celebrated with a dinner out together and with talk of what's next for all of us.

But that's another entry for another day.

For now, I am off to the Austin Film Festival to see how I can get from Point A (low-budget independently made sitcom now in editing) to Point B (I don't know, NBC Must See TV?), without selling my soul. I just watched the movie, The TV Set, which sort of breaks the fantasy-fabulousness of it all. I'm curious how much of that movie is true to life (I'm afraid it's all very close). It was a funny movie but man, a little disheartening!

So as far as as shooting is concerned, it's a wrap. But, really, it is (hopefully) just the beginning.

I'll be back with a report from Austin. My goal is to talk to Thomas Schlamme, best known for producing the West Wing, and see if I can glean a few words of wisdom (and get a business card in his hand with the show website that will soon have a clip on it!!!).