Do Not Panic! Get the Shot!

That Last Important Scene

Do not panic... One of the many mantras that filmmakers have been taught. I try to remind myself every time I am shooting something. It makes sense after all. If I waste time panicking, I have less time to actually fix things. Unfortunately I am also the type of person to fixate on whether or not I left the gas stove on, despite checking it numerous times. Considering this, filmmaking is probably not the best path I should take. Still I find it to be my calling, so I am willing to take the stress... The unbelievable, heartbreaking amount of stress.

Picture this if you will. Imagine you are on the last shoot of your senior project. What is to be shot today will be what holds the film together in editing. It is also shot during one of the last days in fall and the place you are at has winter sucker punch you when you least expect it. The scene has to be during the fall, but snow tends to ruin that illusion.

At times like this, everything you want to go right will probably go wrong... As the responsible director, I got onto set first. It was an overcast day and the forecast said there would not be any rain. So far so good. My crew arrives, and by that I mean two people, and it all seems to be on track... Then it dawns on me that my cameraman is not there. Do not panic...Do not panic...


You overslept?! Reallly!?? Of all days, today!!!!? Now granted this was not said during my phone call, but I certainly felt that. Breathe. Just breathe. After about 30 minutes of pretending not to try and destroy my car in anger, my cameraman arrived. The actors arrived soon after and production moved ahead. Five shots down. Seven shots down. I think we might pull this off.

I just had to have that thought... Just when my guard was down, Mother Nature cold clocked me. In the middle of the shoot, snow flurries started to fall. Maybe... just maybe they were too small to see in the camera... Bang! The snow fell harder. I sent back the actors to the cars to warm up while I contemplated what to do. In full view of my crew, I started to prey to whatever deity figure would listen to me. I just need to get this out of the way. PLEASE!!!!

It kept snowing for a good 20 minutes. Just then, the flakes started to get weaker. They were just light enough to be invisible in the camera. This is as good as it will get, so we are doing this. I called for the actors and we got down to business. Heaven knows when it will snow harder again, so it was a race against time where the deadline was more or less unknown. Only one thing mattered...Get the shot!

And cut! After 5 hours of stress and fighting mother nature...the last possible shots needed were done. I thanked everyone involved and helped pack up the equipment. Now off to months and months of editing and color correcting... That, however, is for another time.