What a Production!

Yup, I definitely love film production -- even the production of "boring" training videos!
It felt so good to be back in the thick of things today... except that I actually wasn't really in the thick of things at all. As opposed to being Executive Producer, a position in which one must be very attentive to detail, on the ball every second, and in charge of all content, my role today was that of a "Production Consultant" -- which I'm thinking is more of an acknowledgement for introducing this small online reading company to the greatest production company in Seattle (in my opinion, anyway), Madison Street Films. (Yes, those opening shots are of the production of Chill. Yours truly is sitting behind the camera in the opening montage, about six shots in...)

We had the ambitious goal of filming a total of 13 short training videos in a day, so we expected a long day with some glitches and stalls. Surprisingly, though, the day went very smoothly (especially for a production with children)... until the last hour or so. By that time the kids were tired, the crew was tired and even the adult talent -- teachers and employees of the company, so they knew their stuff -- were tired. And it's when people are tired that everything begins to take longer. When people are tired, you no longer get those "golden takes" in which talent NAILS the scene on the first try. Instead they often struggle to get through their lines and to look enthusiastic. Oddly enough, this also tends to be when doors are absent-mindedly opened, tables squeek, people cough or sneeze, or sirens are heard outside, all things that necessitate a re-take. It's also when the talent tends to be over-taken by uncontrollable giggling fits! ;-)

During that last hour or so today, just when we were all tetering on giddy exhaustion, we were "treated" to a violent and drastic thunder and rain storm. That wouldn't have been a really huge deal (since everyone was mic'd), except that the entire ceiling of the school room we were shooting in consisted of a glass skylight! Fortunately, the storm passed quickly over us and we simply had to wait it out.

I'm home and ready for a glass of wine and bed, but as is usually the case for me on these days, I'm so wound up I won't be able to sleep for hours!