St. Nick: Week One
The first week of St. Nick proved a charming learning experience. I've had the fortunate opportunity to work with some amazing crew members--many of whom have worked together on multiple projects in the past--and two lovely non-actor actors--for the most part--Tucker, eleven, and Savanna, nine. I've absolutely fallen for Savanna. Her effortless performance has completely enveloped her character and brought her a charm only a truly gifted young girl and a photogenic face can give. And Tucker, who's wise beyond his years and humbly quiet about it, has found a grave tension in his character. The dynamic between the two cannot be cast.
I've learned quite a bit this week, and these are just a few of my reflections:
Unexpected charms might occur when uncast extras suddenly roll in: there are some perfect occurrences that simply can't be planned.
Making it up as you go along can lead to significantly better choices than one might have expected.
Curbside trash digging is a popular sport in The Fairmount District of Fort Worth, TX.
Children build better tents than adults.
Every now and then a producer may run an errand that takes all day and takes him all over the metroplex; and, in the end, the errand might never have had to be run at all. But, as they say, it's the thought that counts.
Hybrids are great when you run out of gas...
Being at calltime, on time, may save you from playful-yet-serious ridicule.
I'm emo, according to a nine year old and an eleven year old.
And now, some images of a first, enticing week.
Make up artist, Heather Henry, creates a new hand for Tucker.
***
Cast and crew meet n' greet.
***
The kiddos.
***
Clay always finds a way to sit down on set!
***
Savanna showed me this sign, displayed on the window of the Arts Fifth Avenue. We don't put up with any guff.
...Yuppies use the front?
***
Savanna really had a hard time with this bicycle. And at her most difficult moment, a procession of bicyclers passed by, in the opposite direction, briefly passing a glance and moving on. Certainly serendipitous, as David rightly stated.
Savanna getting the hang of it...
***
A lot of great extras came out to shoot a scene where the girl crashes a birthday party. This, the first day of shooting, proved Savanna's ability.
Clay cuts the cake at the birthday party scene.
***
We found this great wood-burning stove at The Butler's Antiques. Jim, who own's the antique shop along with his wife, let us borrow this, and several other items, used in the film.
Tucker tries to keep warm.
***
Savanna and the dandelion. Adorable, albeit cliché.
***
Several of us left base camp to guerrilla shoot a small scene at a closed down Carnival Food Stores grocery store. This young mouse was, sadly, barely alive. And further down, the larger mouse--a rat, perhaps a mother--was very much quite dead.
Savanna and the mouse. Adorable, and not-so-cliché.
***
Savanna and David stand on a huge, giant rat!
***
An early morning shoot at The Spiral Diner and The Chatroom Pub, respectively. Tucker nabs some beans from a delivery truck and dumpster dives for nothing more than a few sandwiches.
Tucker sneaking onto a delivery truck.
***
Tucker's head pops out of a dumpster.
***
The script calls for many scenes involving the children finding usable objects in several curbside trash heaps. People driving by with pickup trucks eyed the goods and several stopped and tried to take it. It's really difficult to explain to people that trash is not... trash.
Tucker and Savanna find treasure in one man's trash.
***
David found the decomposed remains of a small dog quite a while ago and finally found a use for it: a young girl's creepy, pseudo-pet. Savanna affectionally named it "Donut Dog" (probably because David put it in a donut box).
Savanna serves me a dog skeleton!
***
Savanna doubles as a "sound guy" when she's not acting.
***
Tucker throws paper airplanes out of an attic window.
***
David finds himself in a compromising position.
***
The greatest footage is always improvised. This shot set up a wonderful, candid sequence where Tucker and Savanna explored a downhill stream. At one point Tucker lifted Savanna, helping her across the stream.
This sunset photo taken outside of an abandoned church.
I've learned quite a bit this week, and these are just a few of my reflections:
And now, some images of a first, enticing week.
Make up artist, Heather Henry, creates a new hand for Tucker.
***
Cast and crew meet n' greet.
***
The kiddos.
***
Clay always finds a way to sit down on set!
***
Savanna showed me this sign, displayed on the window of the Arts Fifth Avenue. We don't put up with any guff.
...Yuppies use the front?
***
Savanna really had a hard time with this bicycle. And at her most difficult moment, a procession of bicyclers passed by, in the opposite direction, briefly passing a glance and moving on. Certainly serendipitous, as David rightly stated.
Savanna getting the hang of it...
***
A lot of great extras came out to shoot a scene where the girl crashes a birthday party. This, the first day of shooting, proved Savanna's ability.
Clay cuts the cake at the birthday party scene.
***
We found this great wood-burning stove at The Butler's Antiques. Jim, who own's the antique shop along with his wife, let us borrow this, and several other items, used in the film.
Tucker tries to keep warm.
***
Savanna and the dandelion. Adorable, albeit cliché.
***
Several of us left base camp to guerrilla shoot a small scene at a closed down Carnival Food Stores grocery store. This young mouse was, sadly, barely alive. And further down, the larger mouse--a rat, perhaps a mother--was very much quite dead.
Savanna and the mouse. Adorable, and not-so-cliché.
***
Savanna and David stand on a huge, giant rat!
***
An early morning shoot at The Spiral Diner and The Chatroom Pub, respectively. Tucker nabs some beans from a delivery truck and dumpster dives for nothing more than a few sandwiches.
Tucker sneaking onto a delivery truck.
***
Tucker's head pops out of a dumpster.
***
The script calls for many scenes involving the children finding usable objects in several curbside trash heaps. People driving by with pickup trucks eyed the goods and several stopped and tried to take it. It's really difficult to explain to people that trash is not... trash.
Tucker and Savanna find treasure in one man's trash.
***
David found the decomposed remains of a small dog quite a while ago and finally found a use for it: a young girl's creepy, pseudo-pet. Savanna affectionally named it "Donut Dog" (probably because David put it in a donut box).
Savanna serves me a dog skeleton!
***
Savanna doubles as a "sound guy" when she's not acting.
***
Tucker throws paper airplanes out of an attic window.
***
David finds himself in a compromising position.
***
The greatest footage is always improvised. This shot set up a wonderful, candid sequence where Tucker and Savanna explored a downhill stream. At one point Tucker lifted Savanna, helping her across the stream.
This sunset photo taken outside of an abandoned church.
¶ Blogged at 2:44 PM - Linkback - 
Hi! My name's Adam Donaghey and this is my weblog. 
The Abductors (producer)
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