Sitting in the Director's Chair

This past weekend I had the pleasure to produce and direct my first PSA. It was an assigned project for my 3rd Quarter Final in Video Production. My professor who assigned it, Professor MacGillivray (the absolute coolest Professor around) had one major requirement that would make it different from our other projects. This time we were to hire professional actors instead of using our classmates as our on-camera talent. The classmates could only work with you as your crew behind the camera. The idea was that we had to learn what it was like to work with professional actors and how to run an audition session. This was a challenge I was ready for.

My PSA was about safe sex. As you may have read in another recent post, I was having a bit of trouble casting two actors to play a gay couple. Needless to say, I found two GREAT actors who would play the roles with respect and dignity. In addition I found three other actors whose instinct and insights into the characters they interpreted from my script was simply MAGICAL! I couldn’t have dream up a better cast. They were all professional, talented and really nice people. Not once did an ego rear it's ugly head during the entire shoot. I hope that they all will become part of the Group Hug Films Ensemble of Actors. After working with them now I’m thinking about writing pieces with them in mind to play the characters.

I’m at the beginning of forming my production company that I’ve called Group Hug Films because that is the warm feeling I get when I work with nice people who are all there for the common goal of making the best project possible. The name also encompasses the crew that I chose to work with. My crew that I had was just fabulous! We worked together like a well-oiled machine and on top of that we all had fun plus we finished ahead of schedule. I think that because I was so meticulous with my pre-production techniques, we were able to come in under budget. Well actually it really wasn't any budget. I payed for the food on the craft services table with my Food Stamps that I get from Public Assistance. So what if I have to eat rice and beans for the rest of the month! The sacrifices one must make for their art!

I know that many directors like Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Mira Nair, Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, John Waters and Oliver Stone often work with the same crew people for film after film. Most of these relationships started for them in Film School. I hope in my heart of hearts that I will be working with most of my classmates for years to come. In the program that I’m in, we are all in the same group for the entire 18 months of the degree program. Needless to say we’ve become more like a family. With me being the crazy old uncle!

I know that this weekend’s production experience was rare in that it ran so smoothly, but at least it was a good way to spend a Saturday. Hopefully this will set the standard by which all my other future shoots will go by.