On the big shooting weekend! After much buildup and anticipation we began filming Amateur Hour Today at 11:05 AM PST, October 25th, In the Year of Our Lord 2008.
Filming went really well today. We got some good pictures that I will post later on this week. Someone ran off with my camera at the end of the day. We started shooting in an alley behind The Little Red Studio off Denny Way in Seattle. Our first scene was Sean (Brian Sutherland) and Aven (Zach Mack) in their car, getting ready to pull a job. Luckily the gods of film and creativity were smiling on us today and provided us great weather to shoot in. Things went surprisingly smoothly. Endless thanks to Peter Feysa, our cinemetographer and his lovely assistant Alicia Boggs. They did a great job setting up all the equipments and getting some truly amazing shots. The actors could have been reciting the alphabet, and I think it would still be interesting to watch, thanks to some great shooting (and obviously some great acting, but that's still to come).
After we wrapped up in the alley (Did I mention I accidentally stepped in vomit?) we broke for lunch ("Hi, I'm Jonathan Shock, writer of Amateur Hour, and when I break for lunch the only thing that fills me up right and gets me going again is hot, tasty, Zeek's Pizza. It's Zeek-Tastic!") we headed back into it, actually ahead of schedule!
We met up down at the Wooden Boat Center, got permission to shoot, and got to work. The weather was absolutely breath taking and I think the shots that we got are really gonna jump off the screen. Brian and Zach both also rose to the occasion and really brought their A games. I really almost felt like I wasn't doing my job because I really barely had to give them any direction. They were both on cruise control. I couldn't be more pleased.
Beau really helped me out in the Assistant Director role, so thanks to him as well. And also to his dad who fed us all and let us use his sexy ride as Aven's car.
I'll stop gushing but it really is an unspeakable blessing to have friends, many of whom are recent friends, who can all come together in a weekend, and accomplish something great, for no greater motivation than they believe in the work. And for that I thank each and every one who are helping to make this possible.
Anyway, now that we've all had our hug it out magical moment...
More good work to be done tomorrow. Luckily a much lighter day. Casting call is 3 p.m. We'll snatch a couple exteriors, do a quick scene at Outback tomorrow, then it's back to the apartment for the big Sam/Sean scene tomorrow night. If things go half as well as today, I'll say it was a near flawless weekend.
Today was definitely a full day. Less
