The Best Thief… (End of Week 3)

Don’t let anyone fool you- filmmaking is not glamorous, it’s just hard work. I have spent more time on my feet these past few weeks than I probably have in the past few (or maybe several) years combined!

I wonder if my body and my mind are up to the challenge.

Our office has quite literally become a “mexican soap opera”, as my boss puts it. I wish I could go into more details, but I will simply say that there is probably more drama behind the camera than the dailies indicate are in front of it.

The gods continue to conspire against us, sending torrential rains and lightning to grace our exterior sequences, blistering temperatures and humidity (sans air conditioning) for our interior shots. Fun. There was also an inexplicable incident in the production office, when a flourescent light came crashing down in the center of the main room. Spooky.

I was finally given an opportunity to work on set this past week, and found it to be relatively simple and somewhat less stressful than the office. Stay productive or stay out of the way, should be the unofficial motto of those who serve on set.

I continue to learn more about the production process than I ever had in film school, and continue to contemplate whether or not I will ever be able to balance a real life with my newly discovered reel one. The work is definitely to my liking, but the hours are not. So what will I do next? Well, we have approximately one more week of production and possibly two weeks of wrap to go, and I will be planning my next course of action during that time.

Now I must sleep, and save my energy for another week of the madness that is moving-making!

The Best Thief… (End of Week 2)

As “They” say, the show must go on…

This week has been difficult. I have remained strong, even with the loss of my grandmother (7/25), and the near-loss (due to fire) of my apartment due to fire last weekend (7/26). Maybe it was these factors, or maybe it was due to my colleagues’ lack of sympathy/interest in anything related to themselves and/or the movie, but by the end of the week I had begun to lose heart.

I still adore movies, but I do not love the process of making them. And I wonder if I, as an independent-minded and sensitive human being, have any place in the film industry. It is a selfish business, and I have made many efforts in recent years to become less of a selfish human being. I will most certainly continue on this project, and will attempt to find film/television related work after this, but the gears are already turning as I search for something that is both creative and compassionate.

The movie itself moves along. A few crew members have left (whether or not of their own accord I will not say), and others have taken their place. Two more weeks before this madness is over. I certainly hope it will all be worthwhile. It continues to be a learning process for all…