It's two days before leaving for location shooting, and I've been wrapped up in myriad other responsibilities and projects that won't resolve. The takeaway: I've been ten minutes late all day, and it's made all the difference. (This phenomenon was portrayed in the Gwyneth Paltrow vehicle, Sliding Doors, which I didn't see.)
Waiting in line for some free theater tickets from 6:10AM until 1:30, They handed out the last tickets 55 people in front of me, and the last cancellation vouchers 5 people in front. Basically, ten minutes late. Whatever, I had plenty of time to work through shot lists, which I can assemble into a full schedule for our 4.5-day shoot.
From Central Park, it was off to B&H Video, an institution in the professional video/audio world. The store is run by a phalanx of orthodox Jews, so it's important to plan on NOT going there Saturday, when it's obviously closed. That they also close early on Friday (to be home well before the sundown start of the Sabbath) isn't news to customers, either. But who'd think they'd close at 2? Not me. I got there at 1:55, and five minutes into inputting my order of filters, polarizers, tapes, tape, and cables into the computer, the young guy helping me took off, leaving me hanging. So, back I go on Sunday...
PS Thanks for the encouraging response to the "launch" of this log. I hope it'll be interesting for you. By far the most common question from readers is, "What's the film about?" I've pointedly not put too much description of the "plot," because right now there isn't one. The subject, themes and ideas of the film should become more apparent (to you and me) as things move forward, but for now I can say that I'm planning to tell the stories of my grandparents, who are from the neighboring towns mentioned in my last post. Stay tuned, I guess, to see how that might be at all interesting as a movie.
