Film 101

Yesterday, I think I might have found my calling. Kate graciously allowed me to be the Assistant Director on her short film that we shot yesterday. I had a clipboard people. And a stopwatch. And I got to say, "Lock it down, we're going for picture." Which was quite possibly the most fun I've had in a long while. I spent the whole day being giddy and giggling.

Considering I'd never done the job before, and really had no clue what I was doing, I'm super relieved that it all turned out so exceedingly well. Making a movie has long been on my life list of things I'd like to try to do one day (the others include being in a rock video [done, I was in my RRHB's first video briefly], writing and publishing a novel [so not close to being done], being an extra [not done], and so many more that it would be imprudent to list them here). I love movies, watch them all the time, and totally enjoy seeing the complex and fascinating process behind how they get made.

It was a long, long day though. But it's certainly got me thinking about how I'd love to do it again. Making call sheets, assisting the director, organizing people, and still sort of being involved in the creative process was a fun way to spend a Saturday I would have otherwise just been at home. And because it was such a small set, I ended up doing a lot of other jobs too: transport, craft services, some PA stuff, and it was all fun. And I learned a lot too, about gaffers and lights and dulling spray and how much film to use and how to say "rolling" and to gently nudge people in the right direction when they're taking too long and to joke with the crew and to laugh and all kinds of other things.

Now I'm super tired though because I'm still not sleeping from the prednisone, and my feet hurt so much that I'm not sure I'll be going anywhere or doing anything today the exhaustion is that deep, but what a grand time I had. I can't wait to see the final product. I know it's just going to be fabulous.