It's the last day! Boo hoo. But seriously, boo hoo. It's been a fun adventure. Sort of like a root canal without anesthetic. No, but really seriously, we will be ecstatic to have our house back ...



This is our living room? Really?


but we will also miss all these crazy, funny and hardworking people.

So here are (most of) the rest of them -- those I could snag on camera, anyway. If I've missed someone by accident I am truly very sorry. Everybody on this crew deserves an affectionate mention. Again, in purely arbitrary order:


This diligent guy has had the unenviable task of creating (and then REcreating, for purposes of continuity, which is: the degree to which a film is self-consistent without errors, jump cuts, or mis-matched shots and details) all the props for the shoot. That means every dinner plate with half eaten food, every book, every flower, everything that anyone in the film handles, looks at or refers to. His name is Tom Allen, and I have no idea why he hasn't gone completely around the bend, bless his stoic little heart. Here he is scrounging for props in my office:



Tom Allen, Property Master


His loyal and imperturbable sidekick is Amanda Lewis, who is one of the film's several interns. An intern, as you would correctly surmise, gets no salary and no prestige, but plenty of grunt work. It's called paying your dues, and is one of the most common ways for a young person to start out in the film business. Once you've done it for awhile you've begun to osmose, from the inside out, how the whole movie making machine functions. Then maybe on your next film job, or the one after that, depending on how good and how lucky you are, you can start bossing somebody else around for a change.



Amanda Lewis, Art Intern


Here's a gal who works closely with Tom and Amanda in the continuity realm--as well as with the director and D.P.--the omnipresent Kalyn Haywood, or "Special K," as she has been dubbed (because there are two of them, the other one spelled with a "C"). She is the Script Supervisor, whose intricate and time-consuming job entails making sure each shot is consistent with the intentions of the script in terms of what happened previously and what will happen next. She accomplishes this task by taking meticulous notes and then communicating constantly with everyone involved. During the dinner scene, for example, she spoke with every actor to make sure, when he or she picked up a glass and drank, or leaned forward, or made a gesture, that each time the moment was repeated, at every angle, it would be done exactly the same way at the same instant, and would match. It's a thankless job (except I'm thanking her right now) but one that makes a huge difference in the quality and clarity of a film's story line.



Kalyn Heywood, Script Supervisor


Next, here's a fellow who is happily responsible for the most vital, to us homeowners anyway, of undertakings: restoring our home to its former color, shape and mostly unblemished condition. Andrew Alexander is a professional painter and contractor whose taste and abilities we have come to respect highly. I honestly do not know how freaked out I would have been by now if it weren't for him and his unerring perfectionism. And tranquility. He's swiftly constructed flats, neatly installed molding and painted all the walls for each set (the living room walls are now dark blue, having been, at various other times during the shoot, yellow and white) without spilling a drop. And when it's over, in just a few hours, he will begin the process of putting it all back the way it was -- taking down the set pieces and restoring the ceiling fans and lights, repairing screens, patching plaster, sanding, painting and finishing. We have no idea how long it will take, but we're prepared for at least a week of hard labor. And all the beer he can drink.



Andrew Alexander, Lead Man


Which brings me to his compatriots, two gentlemen who have just joined us today. Here are photos accompanied by their own irreverent descriptions of themselves:



Bob Zamudio, Professional Dude (i.e. Paint Lead)




and Tom Zawachi, Dude with Sick 'Fro (i.e. On Set Dresser)


Rounding out more of the crew are the grips. For your elucidation, the definition of a grip is as follows: a crew member responsible for setting up dolly tracks and camera cranes, erecting scaffolding, moving props or scenery, or the adjustment or maintenance of any other production equipment on the set - a physically demanding job. In other, simpler words, these people work damn hard.



Jacob Romero, Grip Electric





J.D. Brouillard, Grip Electric





Bryan Pitt, Grip Intern





Jason Webster, Swing Grip and Electrician


And as King of the Grips, who coordinates all the grips in the crew (how'd you like to tackle that job?):



Rob Hicks, Key Grip


And hold everything (literally!) ... who could forget the amazing Production Interns on this film? Here they are, bless them and their invaluable, good natured, interminable hard work.

Brett Meyer, our jack of all trades and master of them all, also known as "Chopper" due to his endearing helicopter fixation.



Brett Meyer, Production Intern


Caylin Hall, also known as "Cinco" due to a convoluted series of events involving Cinco de Mayo. Don't ask. Here she is standing in for lighting purposes, looking like a soap star on the monitor.



Caylin Hall, Production Intern


And Tania Andrade, who as a relative newcomer has managed to escape the particular hazing of a nickname, although the unspoken rule is that as an intern she's pretty much continually harassed anyway.



Tania Andrade, Production Intern


And here are the two lovely Interns of the Bedchamber/Harem. Er ... Hair and Makeup Department:



Kelly Conrad, Hair and Makeup Intern




Rachel Stevens, Hair and Makeup Intern


Now I'd like to turn once again to Georgiana. You've seen a photo of her before, but I wanted to take another one because she's truly more beautiful (inside and out) than I made her look the first time. Plus she's got a whimsical, dry and potent sense of humor. Aside from her mammoth job, Georgiana is also the force behind the ambience of the set--she's the person who sets the tone. And having been eye witness to her gentle but iron influence, I can attest that this has been a very happy set, considering the inherent pitfalls and difficulties of working in a cramped and burdensome location.



Georgiana Whitley,  Key Second Assistant Director

One of the little things Georgiana does to make things more fun is that when she composes the daily call sheet she includes the costume of the day for the crew. We've had Trashy Thursday, Plaid Wearin' Saturday and Funny Tee Shirt Wednesday. Here's what one of Georgiana's call sheets looks like. This one is from Friday:



Her inspiration for today's call sheet? Impersonation Day! (Dress as your favorite crew member or character!) It inspired this photo of my next subject, Producer Mick McCormick, who dressed as Chief Lighting Technician Tony Kwan:



I've been saving Mick for one of the last, because he's just so darned special. As a producer he's seemingly everywhere at once and one of the most charming Irish rascals you'll ever meet. And I do mean that as a compliment. He handles everything from onset logistics to neighborhood public relations with style and panache. Almost best of all, he's a good drinking buddy. Who could ask for more, really? Here he is dressed as himself:



Mick McCormick, Co-Executive Producer and Production Supervisor


I also must applaud the film's Production Designer, the extremely talented Judy York, whose sense of style and impeccable taste brought Sophia La Costa's gorgeous home to life in our very living room. Her work was completed at the beginning of the shoot, so I never got a photo of her at work, but take it from me, she's a lovely, imaginative and highly accomplished woman.

And then there's the magnificently gifted Michele Martin, who--along with playing the pivotal role of Sophia with unique flair and sensuality--crafted the brilliant script for "Assisting Venus" and in so doing initiated this whole cinematic journey. She's a rare young actor/writer who has an enormous future before her. It's been a privilege to watch her work.



Michele Martin, actor and writer


And finally, last but most, here's a photo of our illustrious, visionary and extremely patient Director/Producer, Charles Huddleston, that I took in a moment of leisure. My moment of leisure, not his. Because he simply doesn't have any. He has led this entire effort with total dedication and class, and I salute him. Brilliant job, Charlie.



Charles Huddleston, Director/Producer

That's all, folks. It's over tonight (the shooting part, anyway, not the putting our house back together part ... but that won't be anywhere near as interesting). It's been great fun telling you about it all, and I appreciate the forum. Vive le cinema!



Bye bye, Zak.

After all this blogging, philosophizing and exclaiming about the experience of having a film shooting in my house, I think it's high time to introduce the rest of the folks who have been so instrumental in my nervous breakdown ... er, my appreciation of the wonderful art of filmmaking here in the Hollywood Hills these past (OMG) three weeks. (Only three more days to go! But who's counting?) Seriously, these people are stellar individuals, and we've grown to love them all. I have decided to profile them over the remaining days in no particular order of seniority or chain of command, but more in order of whoever I happened to corral in the hallway or on the set with my phone cam. And of course, whoever says it's OK to put their mugs in my blog. (No representation without permission.)

OK, so who have you already met? First there's Mr. Zachary Wright, ladies and gentlemen, Line Producer extraordinaire, who was numero uno on the list because he's the most obnoxious (ooh ... did I say that out loud?) (Kidding, Zach. No, really.) And he does a fabulous, nonstop job, too. His position involves ... well a whole lot. Here's a job description I found online that he would probably agree with: "Everything is the Line Producer's responsibility." Yup.



Zach Wright, Line Producer


and his partner in crime, the Key 2nd Assistant Director (and inconceivably nice and funny person) Georgiana Whitley. Here's her job description: "The First AD's assistant. Responsible for paperwork and legwork." But this hardly covers it. Georgianna can be counted on to handle just about anything, and you also often hear her authoritative voice repeating the "Rolling!" and "Cut!" commands during the shoot.



Georgiana Whitley, Key Second Assistant Director

And you've seen Zach Rockwood, Sound Mixer and Sonic Mastermind (I made up that last title, but it's true). He's also sort of quiet, which is nicely paradoxical for a sound guy, don't you think? He has to make sure the sound works for every shot ... in spite of helicopters, gardeners, motorcycles, chattering actors, air conditioning, refrigerators, starchy clothes and anything else that could spoil it. Funny tidbit: he puts his car keys in our refrigerator during the shoot so that when he leaves for the night he won't forget to turn it back on.



Zach Rockwood, Sound Mixer


You've also seen DP (that's Director of Photography, also called Cinematographer) C.J. Roy, who sees all, knows all, and also operates Camera A, the main camera. Here's his job description: "The DP is responsible to the director for achieving optimum image on film. Selects the camera and lighting equipment and supervises camera and lighting crews for each shot." Obviously, an awesome responsibility.

And the lovely Georgia Pierson, Dolly Grip (who operates and maintains the camera dolly and other assorted intricacies of camera movement paraphernalia):



C.J Roy, Director of Photography
and
Georgia Pierson, Dolly Grip


You've also seen pix of the extremely adept and creative, always calm and helpful (I'm not kidding, and I have no idea how they do it) Dynamic Duo of the Wardrobe, Costume Designer Ashlyn Angel:



and Costume Supervisor Dina Crail:




And of course you've seen photos of our two gorgeous stars, actress Michele Martin:




and actor Michael Steger (sigh):





So who in our merry band is there left to introduce?


Well, there's the boss man on the set--second in the pecking order only to the director during a shoot--Assistant Director ("AD"  or "First" in the lingo) Larry Lerner, a highly skilled and stalwart veteran of both large and small screens. And one of the most unflappable people I've ever met. Here he is graciously letting me take his picture in the middle of keeping things efficiently moving on set:



Larry Lerner, First Assistant Director


There's Chief Lighting Technician and Steadi-Cam Operator, the esteemed Tony Kwan, who is capable, by the way, of harnessing 220 watt power from a bolt of lightning with his bare hands, so you don't want to mess with him:



Tony Kwan, Chief Lighting Technician and Steadi-Cam Operator


There's Grant Kirkpatrick, who holds the vital position of First Assistant Camera, which means he's Director of Photography C.J. Roy's right hand man, literally. His job, which is also sometimes called Focus Puller, demands great finesse and alacrity. Here's a brief and barely adequate description: "maintains and cleans all elements of the camera, attaches the camera to mounts, handles the lens and 'pulls' focus and/or zoom." And he does it all with no muss or fuss, too.



Grant Kirkpatrick, First Assistant Camera


Finally in the camera department there's Second Assistant Camera Nathan Yockey, a cool guy if there ever was one. Especially in shades. A lot of the time he's the one who handles the slate, among other things. Also called the Clapper/Loader, he loads and unloads the film, maintains paperwork, prepares the slate for each take and otherwise assists the 1st Cameraman. Here he is in a rare pose (well, come to think of it, it could be a typical pose ... I don't know him that well ...) while "standing in" for the leading lady during a lighting set up:



Nathan Yockey, Second Assistant Camera


Moving now to the Production Department, there's a guy I've been sharing my office with for the past two weeks who happens to be witty, kind, super efficient, patient, clean and reverent. OK, I'm not sure about the reverent, but I wouldn't be surprised. I know he's clean, because it gets warm with no AC and I would be aware if he weren't. I'm just saying. ANYway, his name is Nick Chandler (sounds like a private eye, doesn't it?) and his title is Production Coordinator (although he's also a union actor). Here's a job description, which is almost laughable in its scope: "the Production Coordinator controls and manages the flow of information among the various departments of a film production to provide all the required components within the time frame needed. He or she makes sure all necessary equipment and materials are on site at the right times, that staff and crews are in place and have everything they need to work, actors and actresses have their contracts signed and are on site, and all accommodations for the crew and cast are provided. For a film shot on location, the production coordinator is responsible for getting all the equipment to the location, providing food and other services and ensuring that specific items are provided for cast and crew as requested. The position requires an ability to work on several details of a project at the same time while still coordinating the big picture." I've got just three words for this job: ay yi yi.




Nick Chandler, Production Coordinator


And there are so many others! I'll be posting more about our intrepid crew in the next installment of the Assisting Venus Rogues' Gallery, from more of the production staff to the Art Department to the Grips to the Director to the Best Boy. (Whaa? Stay tuned.) Meanwhile, I just heard a wild rumor that it's time for lunch break! Woo hoo.