The first day of shooting… Peter and Simone in a dialogue-driven “Getting To Know You” scene in the kitchen, the first “big scene” of the entire shoot. I felt like the actors were giving great performances. I felt like David Frederick (Director Of Photography) was getting great angles and lighting. But being a first-time director, I also doubted everything I thought and felt.
It looks like I’m watching the monitors during the kitchen scene above, but I’m really sitting there feeling like I’m blowing my big shot. I went home that night absolutely certain I was screwed.
The second day of the shoot… It started with explosive performances from Peter and Simone in a confrontational moment in the story. This was the scene that wiped away all my fears and doubts. The actors were cooking. The camera was cooking. It was all good…and from this point forth, I never questioned where the movie was heading. I knew it was going to be everything I wanted and more.
With my fears gone and the second day running smoothly, I could focus on future scenes. I don’t care what kind of sex scene you’re shooting, it’s important the actors feel safe in your hands, which is why I diagramed the shots of a sexually oriented scene for Simone a full two days before we actually shot it. She never once questioned my intentions after this discussion…and she was perfect in the scene. (It was a closed set, so you’ll have to see the movie for the finished results.)
The third day of the shoot… We were already running like a well-oiled machine. My confidence was building and simple discussions with Peter were all we required for perfect performances.
After the above discussions, Peter sorted drugs like a seasoned dealer. Um…maybe I shouldn’t admit that I showed him how to do that. DOH!
Day four… Despite a tight schedule and demanding days, the work was relatively easy thanks to the prep and skill of David Frederick (Director Of Photography). Dave was actually the first person to attach himself to ARC…even before the producers were attached. By the time we started shooting, Dave and I had the plan down cold, so we basically just sat around acting like we were talking about very deep and meaningful things.
And when you combine Dave’s camera and lighting with a face like Simone’s, you know you’re going to have something gorgeous at the end. Simone was actually the first person to read for the role of Maya Gibbs…and there was never a doubt in my mind after seeing her audition.
Day five… The day was primarily devoted to a scene at a hamburger stand. It was one of Peter’s primary concerns in prep because it was loaded with dialogue…and it required him to eat while trying to speak at a rapid fire pace. He pulled it off brilliantly…and it was a blast watching him eat and drink 6 cheeseburgers, 6 orders of fries and about a dozen sodas…all while smoking a cigarette.
Also on the fifth day… We noticed the word “PARIS” in the sidewalk near our Hamburger Stand location. PARIS is also the name of Peter’s character in the movie…and it might seem relatively unimportant until you combine it with other odd events. The next day we noticed the word “ARC” in graffiti on a picnic table where we were shooting. We also shot a scene about a character called “THE WOLF” at a location owned by the WOLFGANG family, and we shot a scene about a character named “SANTEE” only to realize we were shooting on SANTEE STREET/AVENUE in downtown Los Angeles. By now, I was convinced that these were positive signs.
Day six… The life of a first-time feature director. Could I have more people looking over my shoulder, please?
The introduction of Alex Sol’s character RUSTY HORN “THE KING OF PORN” brought a breath of fresh air to the acting crew after five days of exclusively working with Peter and Simone. Alex’s interpretation of the character was a perfect blend of smarmy and needy rolled into one.
Day seven… Peter started the day by beating a fellow actor with a prop baseball bat. Meanwhile…
…Prop Master David Preston and On Set Dresser Sara Krueger radioed the set to make sure Peter was actually using a prop instead of the real thing.
Day eight… Peter's character questions the parents of a missing child (Ann Cusack and Blake Robbins) while completely whacked out on drugs. From a writer/director standpoint, this was the most crucial scene in the movie. It had to work perfectly for an audience to buy it and buy the movie. It was a long day of long takes, but the results were worth it. Ann and Blake gave me exactly what I wanted and needed…and the rest of the team tolerated my volatile emotions throughout the day.
Day nine… My hat said, "Hang Loose." But I didn’t (or so it seemed to cast and crew). I wonder if now is a good time to tell them that my threats to quit the movie at the beginning of the ninth day were just an act? But trust me, there was a method to my madness…and it worked exactly as I hoped.
And the exquisite Mel Harris joined us on the ninth day as well. We lost a little daylight early in the shoot due to a continuity concern, but with a seasoned pro like Mel on set, that loss was no problem at all. She came, she acted, she ROCKED!
Day ten… This is why you have to respect actors. Peter spent the entire day acting like he was higher than a kite and Alex Sol spent it acting like he was overdosing on heavy drugs. Trust me, after a couple takes, a lot of actors would be worn out…but these guys only got stronger as the takes progressed.
Day eleven… The last scene between our heroes. And even though it wasn’t the last time they would perform together…much less the last day of the shoot…it actually felt like Peter and Simone were really saying goodbye to one another.
Day twelve… Long story short… I was asked to rewrite a particularly confusing scene during the search for financing. I didn’t really want to do it, but it had to be done, so I got drunk one night, scribbled some stuff on the page and turned it over to the producers. And then the day came to shoot the scene…and I looked at the material for the first time since the drunken rewrite and thought, “My God, no actor on earth could pull off this crap! What was I thinking?” And then Ken Howard walked on the set and performed the material for a simple rehearsal and I thought, “My God, this material is brilliant! I’m a genius!” Ken Howard rules!
Day thirteen… By now, I think everyone on the set felt like we were putting together a completely unique movie with it’s own visual style and theme. In going through the “on set photos,” I see dozens of smiling faces toward the end of the shoot…but I think this group shot of Producers Jim Sharon and Jennifer Schaefer with Peter and Ken in the middle tells the whole story. A director couldn’t ask for a more capable producing duo than Jim and Jen.
Day thirteen also brought the arrival of actor Garrett M. Brown. I hadn’t met or talked to Garrett yet, so I was nervous about how things would go in his initial scene with Billy Lush, who plays a Santa Monica “Street Boy.” But my nerves were subdued as soon as Garrett and Billy broke into the scene. It was funny in all the right places, which might explain all the smiles I see in the photos from this day. Unfortunately for Garrett…
…this is what we put him through on day fourteen. God bless the man.
And also on day fourteen, I finally got to look at the monitor without anyone peering over my shoulder. As they say in GTA SAN ANDREAS: RESPECT +.
Day fifteen…the last day of shooting. This is what I put Peter Facinelli through over the course of production. As a writer, you see things in your mind’s eye while constructing scenes and moments. As a director, you pray your vision can be brought to life through your actors. In the early days of ARC, I actually fought with the producers to play the lead role myself, but I was shut down. Then Peter came along and said, “I want you to play the role through me.” I feel like that’s exactly what I did…only Peter did things I could never dream of doing.
That’s a wrap! ARC was put together by a group of extremely dedicated and skilled individuals to whom I owe a great deal. I wish I had enough web space to include shots and names of every single cast and crew member, but I don’t. So I will say that I am indebted to all of you for allowing me to walk off into the sunset feeling very, very good about myself. Thank you!