|
Day 26 of 29 - Wednesday, February 14, 2001 - The Location Manager is a hit with all the women on the set... This morning crew call is at 9:00. I'm leaving the house a little late, but there are no early scenes that include the planes, as far as I know. I decide to go by Winn-Dixie and buy some more film. I'm almost there when my cell phone rings. Scot! It's got to be! Sure enough - it is. "Frans, what are you doing?" he asks. Great - he's in a good mood when he calls me that! "On my way to Winn-Dixie to get some more film." "Remember we talked about those 'strike anywhere' matches that we'll need today?" "Yes, I will look for them at Winn-Dixie." "Okay," he says, "I'm off the set and out shopping also. I'll look for them too and I will see you at the set." I get to Winn-Dixie. I look for the matches. Bingo! In the isle where charcoal is on display I find them. I immediately dial Scot on my cell phone. His answering machine answers, as usual. I tell Scot that I have found them, that I'm buying a pack and that I'm heading back to the set. As I wait in the checkout line my cell phone rings. "Hello," I say. "I found them!" the other end says. It's Scot. "No, I found them first!" I reply. "I found the big ones. Are yours the small ones?" Scot asks. "Yep - they are small, wood, ten boxes to the package, 32-count per box." "Does it say 'strike anywhere'?" "That's what it says on the box," I say. "Good! - see you on the set." There is a ziploc bag in my van and I seal the matches inside. It's foggy and humid this morning. The matches need to stay dry or they will become 'strike nowhere' matches... When I get back to the set I walk around to see what's going on. They are setting up for an interior scene. I take the opportunity to take some more pictures of some of the crew members. I take one of Transportation Co-Captain Lionel (L. J.) Johnson who's trying to hide a plate of food behind his back. I also take one of Vienna Abromowitz (Sound Boom Operator), who's talking to Skip Godwin, the sound Mixer. I notice a couple of visitors talking to Horst Sarubin (Location Manager). I find out they are newspaper reporters. I then recognize one of them as Mike Brantley and walk up to the three. I remember Mike from a story he had done on our radio control airplane club a few years ago. The other is Debra Casciano who lives in the house next door to the one the movie production has taken over. She also happens to works for the Mobile Register. They are waiting for Scott Lumpkin (Unit Production Manager). I take a picture of them with Horst (left to right - Horst, Mike, Debra). During our chat Mike finds out about my Love Liza journal on the Web and asks if he can use the Website's address in the article. "That's fine with me," I say, "but let's check with Scott Lumpkin first." When Scott shows up, he tells me it's up to me. Filming continues inside, but I mostly stay away as there's just not enough room for too many bystanders. I help Scot when needed, carrying this or looking for that. Props are usually involved with each scene, and Scot is on top of them, always thinking about what's needed in the next few scenes, always staying ahead, always anticipating... I make many trips to the snack cart for soft drinks and goodies. I can count on running into Dolores if there are cashews on the cart... We break for lunch. Gary and Steve have outdone themselves again and I take advantage of it! Lamp Chops, Sauteed Portabella Mushrooms and Spinach, Potato Cakes, Steamed Carrots and Romaine & Spinach salad. Absolutely wonderful! There are four neighbors who were invited to eat lunch with the crew and they are the only ones at my table. Philip Seymour Hoffman is sitting at another table. After he finishes eating he gets up, turns around, spots the neighbors and says: "Hi! How's lunch?" They answer that it's great. As I empty my tray I notice Lisa Rinzler (Director of Photography) sitting down in the grass by a pine tree with her tray of food. Perhaps she just wants to lunch alone. I hate to bother her, but I want to ask her something and she is usually not available for chitchat during and even in between scenes. She's either working the camera or setting it up for the next scene. She doesn't take many breaks and when she does they are very short. I take my chances and walk up to her. She sees me and says: "Hi, Frits!" "Hi, Lisa," I say. "Lisa, when it's convenient to you and there is time, could I please take a picture of you with your camera?" "Of course," she says. Just walk up in between scenes and take one. If you are using a flash, you are supposed to say 'Flashing!' before taking the picture. But it's no problem." (I find out from Scot later that the reason for the warning is not only to prevent surprising and blinding unsuspecting people but also to keep from driving the electronic gadgets that check light levels crazy.) At this point Martina Rawan (First Assistant Camera) walks by. She and Lisa work together very closely. "And Martina too," Lisa says. Martina hears her name and she comes over. "Frits wants to take a picture of us with the camera," Lisa says. "Oh, really - of me?" Martina says. She has an accent that I can't really place but sounds familiar. Her last name points to an Arabic origin, I'm guessing. I have never formally been introduced to Martina. I hold out my hand and introduce myself. "Martina, I've never really met you, but I know who you are. I'm Frits Jetten." "Yes - I know," she says, smiles and shakes my hand. We chat a while and then Martina leaves to go back to the set. I leave Lisa to finish her meal in peace... I spot another person of whom I have not taken a picture. Drew Hall, who was laid off as Assistant Location Manager couple of weeks ago, is talking to Jonathan Robinson (Camera Loader). Drew is just hanging around and will help out if asked. I have found out that several of the people who have been let go have come back on occasion and helped out as Production Assistants, or whatever is needed, for no pay. After the cutback their names on the crew list were replaced with a "sad face" commonly used in e-mails and Internet chat rooms. It looks like this :-( For a couple of weeks now 26 sad faces have appeared on the crew list every day... Boyd Ford is also one of those that was let go, his name replaced by a "sad face". Boyd was the Director's Assistant, the assistant to Director Todd Louiso. After the layoffs, Boyd has been to the set many days and hung out and helped, or he was put to work as a Production Assistant. I asked Horst about that and he said that many of the crew's members have a lot of love for the movie and are loyal to the movie's production company. Many speak highly of Unit Production Manager Scott Lumpkin and Jacky Morgan, the Line Producer. Just a thought - how many people do you know on your job that would come in and work for nothing?... They are shooting more tight and intense scenes today, so I try not to get too close to the action when that's the case. As I wander around the premises I run into Eva Golson of the Mobile Film Office. Eva has come around frequently and has talked to me a couple of times. She's a nice lady. Eva is talking to Helen Cunningham who is the lady who owns the "vacant" house used for filming. I take a picture of Eva and Helen. (Eva is on the left.) Helen has come around to the set almost daily. She chats with everyone and was invited to watch the filming of one of the scenes in her family room. I notice many of the crew members and the producers and directors are nice to her and chat with her. Helen has told me before that "these people are all so nice!" Her home, which is up for sale, was totally empty except for the garage, and is now full of movie paraphernalia! One of the bedrooms is converted into a makeup room, one is the art department's storage room, another is used for a bedroom scene but also doubles as a work room and temporary storage room. Some rooms have been repainted by the crew ("I think I like the colors better than what I had!" Helen told me the day before.) A false wall was put up in her living room, her front porch was shortened by a fake partition on the left, her front door was replaced by one from the New Orleans set ("I like that new door!" Helen told me,) and they built a really ugly, 12-ft tall fence in her back yard to block off the view of Dog River, something people here pay premium prices for! I find out that Director Todd Louiso is looking for a different bedroom to film a scene that is a follow-up of one that was shot in New Orleans. They would like to film it in a different house. Debra, the lady who lives next door offers one of her guest bedrooms. Later I see Todd, Lisa and Horst walk towards her home with her. I never found out if her bedroom was deemed suitable for the scene, but there is no filming at her house on this day. During the afternoon Horst shows up with a bunch of white roses. He tracks down each and every one of the ladies on the set and in the makeup trailer. He gives each a single rose. They all love it, of course. Horst thought that this would be good to "lessen the tension today". Yes - there has been some, I have noticed... As the day turns into night, I feel that his has been another great but quieter-than-normal day, at least for me. They wrap around 10:30! Later that night on the way home I glance at the call sheet. Crew call tomorrow is at 11:00 AM. Good! I can sleep in a bit and get more work done on my Love Liza journal... |
