Like A Boss

It's so stupid that we're not able to officially announce anything yet. I guess in the highly unlikely situation that something suddenly falls through, it would suck to have everything 'out there', and yet, we kinda do already, don't we? Or at least I do, for the few dozen folks who regularly stop by this blog.

Jim worries that when we finally get to announce the official green light, it'll be anticlimactic since I've been giving such a thorough overview here... Because unofficially speaking, we've already gotten it. Or at least we're proceeding as if we do, because there's absolutely no time to waste if we're going to camera in October.

Holy mackerel, that's comin' up awfully soon, isn't it?

So as the crunch gets crunchier, new n' exciting things are happening here every day. News about this actor or actress, financial arrangements, and Jim conducting daily video interviews with various cinematographers/directors of photography (DOP) and editors.

Now, if you know Jim at all, you'll know that the latter of those daily happenings is totally awkward for him. His social radar is always on high. He's the kind of guy that when we worked at the office, if we were going out to lunch with a couple co-workers, he'd question if we should also invite every other co-worker we passed on our way out the door, so no one would feel left out. Okay, maybe he wasn't that bad... but he was pretty darn close. He's a nice guy who is empathetic to a fault. But now that he's the boss, he's going to have to start making those cut n' dry decisions like a boss.  ;)

So anyhow, last week Jim interviewed one DOP who he really hit it off with. We both kind of expected that he would beforehand. This guy's demo reel was gorgeous and really showcased that he would be able to effectively capture Jim's vision for DE. He has range, style and over 30 years of experience. I think Jim wanted this fellow on board before he even interviewed him. But upon actually meeting him via Skype, and hearing his enthusiasm for the script and how he proposes to shoot it, Jim was sold. (I was sitting off-screen listening in, and I was completely sold by this guy too! .... Even though the final decision is not up to me. ;)

However, while that interview was absolute perfect, today another interview was lined up with a second guy. This gentleman has over 20 years of experience and also brings a lot of his own ideas to the table. Unfortunately, upon reviewing his reel, his style doesn't quite jive. He leans more towards handheld or locked shots with natural lighting, whereas Jim has a more cinematic vision in mind. I left the room before Jim started the interview, because I felt completely awkward. How do you interview someone without bias, when you've already got your heart set on another?

After the interview, Jim was the one cloaked in awkwardness, as he listed off the reasons why he wasn't really interested in DOP #2. Not that he needed to defend his logic to me... I think he just felt the need to defend it aloud, in case it gets challenged by anyone.

The only caveat that proceeded both interviews was that our producers mentioned that DOP #1 is a perfectionist, which makes him work slower. With a cheap movie like ours, everyone needs to move as fast as possible so that we can maximize our time (and money!) And yet, DOP #2 has his own ideas that are not quite on the same page as ours. (Or more importantly, Jim's.)

At least Jim wasn't in love with both DOPs and then had to make a decision. Now that would be tough! But knowing Jim as I do (and as many of you do), choosing one guy over another is still a yucky part of the game... but those are the kinds of things you have to do when you're the boss.

(BTW, the following video is sweary, dirty n' sophomoric. You might not find it funny. But I do. :)