Well - It's Wednesday.
2 days with no project reel.
I have to be honest though - I've been so exhausted that I haven't been able to truly suffer the pangs of "it's over"
And the reality is, it isn't over. It's really just begun.
That reminds me of the Carpenters song -It's only just begun.
When I was in the 7th grade, we sang it to the graduating 8th grade class.
It was pretty bad if memory serves me.
ANYWAY - I'm trying to figure out how to condense everything I want to say.
I don't know that I will be able to. So - if you need to stop reading and come back - do that. I discovered today that people are reading this. IT was a surprise to me. I'll tell you all about that. But first- lets talk about the shoot with Apple. Holy Moly. What a week. What an experience.
I just spent forever on Facebook, avoiding writing and editing. That's insane. I'm back though. Don't worry.
OK. So - the week before we shot - last week to be exact - was a nightmare. Seriously. And I am not alone in thinking that. It was stressful. People were cranky. People were sensitive. Nerves frayed. Egos flared. We got all out of sorts. And then we came to. We got right back on track. But not till Thursday night at 10:30! We realized we had been feeling very disconnected from the project. All the other ones were personal - our stories. This was someone else's story. Someone we had only met for 10 minutes or so. And someone who just happens to be an international rock star. No pressure.
We felt like we had to do something other than what we had already been doing.
I take that back. I don't want to speak for everyone.
I felt like we had to do something other than what we had already been doing.
And I felt like there was a lot of pressure.
When we discussed what we had done well and what we needed to work on - the truth prevailed. We realized we were all disconnected. Even our fearless leader! Her admission of that created so much freedom - and we were all one again.
Saturday we headed for Long Beach.
I was DP.
I wanted to be DP, and then when we picked them from the hat, I got it! Initially I was going to support Silas, but then he said NOPE - I needed to be DP. It was a fancy dancy camera, and lots of crazy angles, swoops, etc. But I was ready.
Saturday was fun. But exhausting. We started in a small park near Suzannes house. We met up with Apple and had him just sing the song once, feel it out, and we recorded it. It was incredible. I was there, right up in his face with this camera. And he seemed a bit uncomfortable at first, but he opened up to the camera. It's an indescribable experience to be on the other end of that. I got crazy with the camera, moving all around - getting close - back to wide shots...it was such a rush. I am so turned on by the camera. Just writing this gets my heart racing.
We then got down to shooting. We did this cool shot of Apple walking down the street. I had to walk in front of him, backwards - filming. Silas got us an 8mm camera too. That was a blast! The film is so expensive that you have to be very selective of what to shoot. We also had a volunteer still photographer there. At one point, Apple was walking down the sidewalk, rapping. Silas and I are walking very quickly backwards, capturing him. WE are having to get around cars, get the shot - the photographer is running and snapping - it was a true Hollywood moment that I will never forget.
Later we were in a park with 50 or so kids. They were all chasing apple, and we were chasing them with the cameras -
I want to let you know that the camera I was working with most of the time weighed about 8-10 pounds. That gets really heavy. Especially when you are running! My body hurt in a way I didn't know it could hurt!
We had Sunday off - and so I threw a bridal shower for my BF Wendy.
On Friday, I was like "Oh shit. I have to throw this shower!"
It was a hit. Wendy Loved it, and that's all that matters.
Now for Monday.
Are you ready? Are you still with me? Stand up, stretch out - Don't leave your seat - O K A Y .... now we're back.
Monday we headed back to Long Beach.
We went to the boat dock. Or a boat dock. We had a sailboat waiting for us. A BIG sailboat.
We explored and helped clean, and after what seemed like an eternity, our sailor John said he had fixed the motor and we were OFF!!
We sailed out through the break wall into the big ole sea.
It was a blast.
I was all over that boat, shooting Apple, trying to keep my balance, and just in awe of our surroundings. We got out to the open Ocean, put the sails up and then waited for the helicopter.
Wait - did I just say helicopter?
YES I did! We had a helicopter donated. A helicopter.
And thank God above that I didn't have to ride in it. Earlier in the week we had discussed that. I very politely said - Hell no I'm not going up in a freaking helicopter! Are you crazy!
So - I got out of it.
Instead I had to hide in the boats cabin along with everyone else as the copter swooped by and got areal shots of Apple driving the boat. We were all underneath like school kids - OH MY GOD! THERE IT IS! ITS SO COOL! I got a cramp in my cheek from smiling so much. It was so much fun. And then all of a sudden - SEA SICK.
Have you ever had that experience? It sucks. I really thought I was going to barf. I kept having to sneak up to deck to get fresh air as the copter was making it's way back around. We got all the aerial shots, and then we headed back to land. For the majority of that trip back, I was miserable. But as I started to feel better, I laid down on the boat, and just stared at the sky and got present to how freaking lucky I am. On a Monday afternoon - I was out in a boat, in the middle of the ocean, with my new love - the camera - making magic.
Our next location was a beach. We did another one of those walking shots - this time in the sand so it was easier. It was hot as hell - so as soon as we finished there - I ran and jumped in the water. Trey followed - then Silas. I felt like a kid again! It was such a great idea - until I had to get out of my wet pants and put on jeans...in the car - with sand all over my feet - Oy.
Last stop.
Private Jet.
We lined up outside this jet for the final scene. It was surreal.
Silas texted me to let me know that the footage rocked.
He said - "you are officially gifted with the camera"
That is so great to hear.
I love it - and have such a great time with it - and to get that feedback is priceless.
I am going to edit now for a bit.
I'll make my other bit of this a fresh new post.
So go get some tea. Or a cocktail - and come back!