SAG Update

I got voicemail when I called my business representative at SAG this morning, so I sent her an email. She promptly replied back and our exchange of emails was positive. I am meeting with her tomorrow morning at 11am to finalize the paperwork, and it appears that I will be able to use Stephen as per union rules. I will be really happy when the paperwork goes through, but I am the cautious type so I it is something I will think about till it's resolved.

SAG requirements for HAPPY SAUCE

The hardest thing for me as a filmmaker is the paperwork. My actor Stephen is a SAG member and he was concerned about union rules so I want to do the right thing and do the little things the union asks of you. As a director of a short film with no budget, I am entitled to use SAG members as long as I fill out and file some paperwork. Cast sheets, budgets, scripts, reports on meals and overtime, nominal compensation, and a post production report is all that is required by SAG (as far as I can understand) to use a union member. I am also supposed to send them all the information at least fifteen days before my shoot. The only problem is that my shoot is Sunday, less than 5 days away.

One choice is to embellish upon the shoot date and make it "appear" that my application is on time. There might be a lot of takers for this approach, but it isn't my style. Besides, I would have to purge all traces of my blog to hide the shoot date, and that will never happen. I enjoy the blog process too much. I will be honest and see what happens. I have to call the business representative assigned to review my film tomorrow and hope that my short film project can still be approved in time. I am available to meet Thursday before work if needed so I am hoping for the best.

Actors are Cast

I called and cast my actors today. Stephen Federbusch will play Gabru and Walter Hoffman is the bartender. They are both great actors and I am very happy they are available for the shoot. The only wrinkle is my only rehearsal will be on Saturday, the day before the shoot. I originally wanted to rehearse Wednesday evening, but Walter is unable to make it. I wanted to work with Stephen on Wednesday and work out the dance/ celebration after Gabru takes a sip of the "Happy Sauce" from the baby bottle. In my opinion, much of the movie hinges upon the contrast between frantic, stressed out Gabru and the exuberant man that leaves the bar. I guess I like the idea that a small drop/ squirt of something new, a small glimmer of hope, is all that is needed to change your feelings.

I have the rehearsal space booked on Saturday from 1pm-4pm. I got Studio A again. It is the largest studio at the theatre company I am using. I really don't need extra space, but I also don't like to feel confined to one area. I can be weird like that, more often that not. The plan is to work with Stephen from 1-2pm and then maybe give Stephen a break, chat and work with Walt for half an hour, and then work it out with both actors from 2:30-4pm.

And then it's time to shoot. The call time on Sunday will be 8am and the so-called martini shot is at 3pm. No questions asked.

Wife and Baby Update

The big day is slowly getting closer and closer. Allison is still doing really well, but the size and weight of the belly is beginning to cause her a lot of stress. This evening she let many crowded subways pass on her way home before she found one with a little more standing room, and she still got queasy. She also has contractions off and on, but they have been going away after laying on her left side. I think this is normal.

The concept for the short film I am making this weekend arose when Allison thought, about a month ago, that she might be experiencing many signs of early or premature labor. I was horrified at the time, and to be honest, we are still totally unprepared. We have all the baby necessities but nowhere to put it. We won't be able to move into our new house before the end of the month, so our dining room has become baby storage. If worst comes to worst, we can put the bassinet in our bedroom and use a dresser as a changing table, but having a baby and moving are ideas that just really don't go well together.

I know that everything will work itself out, just how is the big question.

Happy Sauce Storyboard

This is the first pass of the storyboard for Happy Sauce. The images represent how I envision editing the final film. Clicking on the actual storyboard page is a link that enlarges the board.

Creating Shot Sheet

It always takes much longer to create storyboards, shot sheets, etc. etc, but I am done with my first pass, which I am very happy about. I presently have 6 different camera setups inside the bar and 14 shots that I would like.

As an editor who has cut pretty much every format, I like to think I know what shots I need and which shots I don't. Each day when I edit there usually is a moment where I need a shot to make an idea work and the director/producer or camera man just didn't think to get it. And that's where my job begins. I then have to comb through each shot, every single frame to somehow cheat, or create a real, believable moment. It can drive me crazy sometimes.

To be fair, there often is no way to anticipate that your original concept will not work and some heavy editing is required. The only thing you can do is try to shoot a few options, even safety shots, so in case something does not work, there may be a creative way to solve the problem.

I hopefully will come up with some new ideas over the week to further improve my existing boards.

Happy Sauce Script V2

This is the update to the script. It is still evolving, but seems headed in the right direction.

HAPPY SAUCE
By
Rohan Sen

INT. BAR - DAY

A pint glass full of ice enters the frame. A bottle of Maker’s Mark flows generously into the glass. Coke, lime juice, and a dash of cranberry are added. A hand reaches out to mix the contents.

SOUND FX: COLLISION AT DOOR.

A baby bottle slides into the frame.

CUT TO:

INSERT TITLE: HAPPY SAUCE

INT. BAR - DAY

FIVE BABY BOTTLES scatter across the bar counter. A man’s hand frantically stacks the bottles in a line on the counter.

GABRU
Please, you got to help me.. I need you to run these through the dishwasher...

The bartender reaches out and grabs a bottle.

BARTENDER
Sure, buddy, whatever. What are you drinking?

The cell phone rings before GABRU can respond. The bartender grabs the baby bottles and walks away.

GABRU
Hey.. I’m here.. oh no, I forgot those.. I’m sorry, I know I know, looks like I have it under control.... what?, wait hold on.. Hello.. Oh hay, yeah I think we are going to be ok... sure thing, I know, I just did that..

CUT TO:

INT. BAR - CONTINUOUS

The bartender looks at GABRU as he puts the last baby bottle in the speed washer. Gabru paces back and forth, overwhelmed. The bartender gazes at GABRU, as if emembering an earlier time in his life.

SOUND FX: The short but sharp ring from the dishwasher pierces the air.

CUT TO:

INT. BAR - MOMENTS LATER

GABRU still talks on the phone as the bartender stacks the baby bottles in front of him.

GABRU
Wait, that’s only four.... excuse me.. hey let me go, excuse me...

Gabru’s eyes grow wide, but the bartender interrupts Gabru swiftly.

BARTENDER
It’s okay, brother. I got your bottle right here.

The bartender looks down at a baby bottle that he is drying in a towel. He looks at Gabru.

BARTENDER (CONT'D)
This one is for you.

The bartender reaches out and holds it for Gabru to take. Gabru hesitates and reaches for the bottle filled with a brownish liquid. He looks at it, sniffs the top, and squirts a few drops into his mouth. He immediately stands up straight, energized and exuberant.

GABRU
Tutti Frutti! Root, toot, toot.

Gabru dances, glowing with joy. He picks up a rattle and shakes it vigorously.

GABRU (CONT'D)
Wow.. what was that?

BARTENDER
Oh, I just like to call it my happy sauce.

GABRU
You’re happy sauce, huh?... Well here’s to it. To Happy Sauce. Happy Happy Happy Sauce...

Gabru continues to dance sucking ferociously on the baby bottle. He picks up his bags and dances out of the bar.

CUT TO:

INT. BAR - CONTINUOUS

The bartender smiles as he watches Gabru leave the bar. He thinks for a moment before bending under the bar. He emerges holding a baby bottle filled with brown liquid. He puts it in his mouth and sucks away.

FADE TO BLACK.

Casting and Film Update

The casting session went very well, and only one actor was a no-show. I am also 95% sure I know which actors I would like to use. The funny thing is that I thought both actors could work out just looking at their headshots and resumes.

After walking through the bar with Petr (the DP), and hearing and watching actors bring my words to life, I realize that the script needs a few minor tweaks. Most important, I need to address why a man stumbles into a bar to get his baby bottles sanitized. A simple solution is his family is on vacation and he forgot to get the bottles sanitized before leaving the hotel. Another possibility is that the family lost their diaper bag on the subway, in a bus, or in a cab, and the man runs into the bar because he is starting from scratch. I think making this adjustment will give the man more motivation on the phone.. at least now he has something to talk about where before he was just babbling to his wife.

I am sure the script will change again after rehearsal later this week. I will post the updated version at the end of the night.

Bar Etiquette

I met Petr, the DP for my short film project (and also my wife's uncle) at the bar to walk through the visuals of the film. Things were going great until we reached the point where the bartender puts baby bottles in the dishwasher to sanitize them. Petr thought it might be nice to shoot that behind the bar counter. I agreed and we proceeded to walk behind the bar to take a closer look. That was our first mistake. The real bartender was actually behind the bar counting the till before the bar opened. The bartender seemed annoyed but let Petr pass, and then we heard "Guys.. this is not good. You can't go behind the bar".

After saying "I'm sorry.. I didn't know.. Sorry bout that" many times, we discovered that no one is allowed behind the bar. An unwritten rule. Not even if you work at the bar do you go behind the bar. Not even if the bar is not open do you go behind the bar. I guess we both presumed that the bartender knew what we were doing and did not mind, until we broke the first rule of a bar. NEVER GO BEHIND THE BAR.

I look back at my wilder days before I was having a baby, even before I met my wife, and like to think that I was a good bar customer.. I respected the rules and did not abuse them too often. I always knew the bar counter represented a border that was never meant to be breached, but only today do I know how serious that line really is.

I guess I really have to tip the next time I see the bartender.

Progress Update

So I did everything that I said I was going to do... I have a number of actors that are coming in to audition on Sunday, and I tried calling a few of the people that responded to the mandy ad for crew positions, but nothing really panned out.

Today is going to be a busy day in the city. I am meeting my D.P. Petr at 4 at the bar to do a location scout and talk some shots. I came up with a really good idea in the shower. More importantly, we are in the city to buy all the baby essentials that are still needed.

Today is the day

Today is the day I stop procrastinating and take action. In less than thirty minutes, I am going to book a casting space for three hours on Sunday, call a number of male actors for auditions, and I am also going to set up meetings with prospective crew members from ads that I received through mandy. I did not receive many responses through the ad, but I do need an A.D. and probably one P.A. to assist the shoot. I was going to hire them without meeting them but my friend Ed strongly suggested I meet them in advance to ensure good on-set chemistry. I also need to make sure the A.D. knows what he is doing.

I looked at the script again last night as well. My only idea was that the bartender needed to search harder for a old, worn baby bottle, but I didn't feel I needed to put it in the script.. the idea is on paper, I will shoot an extra shot. I do really want to hear the dialogue and see how some actors respond to the material before I make any further changes... if everything works out properly, that should be on Sunday.

Actors

It's hard to believe that I am having a hard time finding actors. There are a ton if I walk into a school or post a notice on the internet, but as of right now, there are very few, actually not a single actor, that has been recommended to me by the many people I have asked. Perhaps I am supposed to act both roles in the film myself, or I am just not trying hard enough. Tanya is here... time to finish editing her short.