Nothing funny about feldspar

October 4th? That’s the last update? Well, I must admit I have had a relatively (call it insanely) busy six weeks. (Nearly typed “inanely” but I wasn’t not-thinking during that time.) What have I been doing? Well, to avoid breaking out of seminonymous mode, let’s just say I might end up with IMDB credit one day. Which is frakkin’ amusing considering I don’t go to a lot of movies nor watch a lot of television.

But I love me some technical crewing. Technical crew consists of the camera department, the lighting department, and the grips (the folks who move stuff). These are the gear-heads of movies, people who gather ’round and ooh and ahh over video monitors, colored polyacrylic sheets and clamping mechanisms. I love dealing with equipment, knowing how to put stuff together & put it away properly, having to be near the action to let the creative folks do their thing. (I worked for a few days in non-technical crew, and that was dull. Anybody need somebody to run to the store? I’m your girl. How about to the film supplier? That’s me — I got GPS in my car! Anything to avoid sitting around while someone else is doing the fun stuff.)

I have learned a huge amount about how unglamorous films really are (*you* try being ethereal in 35 degree weather while wearing a thin drape, or figure out how to keep the lights on in the woods when the generator runs out of gasoline). I’ve also learned that movies have huge similarities to startup culture, but huge differences too. And I have learned that you really need some good connections and negotiating skills, otherwise your 3-day short film won’t be affordable. Finally, I have learned that I have to study up if I intend to produce a feature film… Did I say that aloud?