Shoot the Writer!
Went on my first work-related shoot in donkey months on Wednesday. I'd been badgering the EP to understudy a director on the shooting of The Sitcom, and he agreed. In fact, he even put me on the episode that I'd written. And on that day, they just happened to be shooting that particular episode.
Now I have a thing about writers on set. I think they shouldn't be there. The main reason is that they tend to lose objectivity. It's their baby, and they see everything one particular way and try to make sure it's done "their" way. Except it's not their place to say anything, because they're not the fucking director. I've seen a "writer" from the Dark Side try to overstep his boundaries and direct the scene before, which pissed the actual director off no end. So I told myself, don't get involved, hold your tongue.
Luckily, the director was nice and willing to share. He also double-checked points in the script a couple of times with me, which I appreciated. He didn't have to do that. But all in all I don't think I learnt that much, it's more of a formality I have to go through to climb up I suppose.
It's also very cool to see actors deliver the lines you wrote and know that this is actually going to be seen by more than five people - a lot more than five people, in fact. It is one of the most popular sitcoms here, after all.
And I also realized how easy it is to write something and not see the difficulty in executing it. It's all very well to write "Character A backs up and trips over Character B, crouched on the ground", but when the actors fall over 20 times in a row you really start to feel guilty as hell - another reason writers shouldn't be on set, so that you don't see the cast curse and swear at the fucker who was responsible for the script.
So that was fun. And this weekend is even more so. Overnight shoots on Friday and Saturday night (I'm barely even conscious right now), a script meeting on Saturday morning, then then an all-day shoot on Sunday - with only three hours downtime between Saturday's night shoot and Sunday's. By now you'll have realized that I meant "fun" instead of fun. Such is life.
Gotta run for my meeting now.
Now I have a thing about writers on set. I think they shouldn't be there. The main reason is that they tend to lose objectivity. It's their baby, and they see everything one particular way and try to make sure it's done "their" way. Except it's not their place to say anything, because they're not the fucking director. I've seen a "writer" from the Dark Side try to overstep his boundaries and direct the scene before, which pissed the actual director off no end. So I told myself, don't get involved, hold your tongue.
Luckily, the director was nice and willing to share. He also double-checked points in the script a couple of times with me, which I appreciated. He didn't have to do that. But all in all I don't think I learnt that much, it's more of a formality I have to go through to climb up I suppose.
It's also very cool to see actors deliver the lines you wrote and know that this is actually going to be seen by more than five people - a lot more than five people, in fact. It is one of the most popular sitcoms here, after all.
And I also realized how easy it is to write something and not see the difficulty in executing it. It's all very well to write "Character A backs up and trips over Character B, crouched on the ground", but when the actors fall over 20 times in a row you really start to feel guilty as hell - another reason writers shouldn't be on set, so that you don't see the cast curse and swear at the fucker who was responsible for the script.
So that was fun. And this weekend is even more so. Overnight shoots on Friday and Saturday night (I'm barely even conscious right now), a script meeting on Saturday morning, then then an all-day shoot on Sunday - with only three hours downtime between Saturday's night shoot and Sunday's. By now you'll have realized that I meant "fun" instead of fun. Such is life.
Gotta run for my meeting now.
posted by cinewhore @ 10:05 AM
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gimme some mindfuckery
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