Well, it is finally here. My first real shoot is this weekend. It's a 20 minute comedy with about 220 shots. 8 scenes, 8 actors. We have a great cast. I'm in metro NYC so I got the actors from craigslist and mandy.com.

Equipment is Panny GS400, Bogen tripod, Rode VideoMic, Britek lights, $14 steadycam, $7 painter's boom pole. And this afternoon I hope to finish the $57 dolly.

Here's to hoping that everyone shows up, is in good spirits and ready to work. Wish me luck.

Brian.

Brian, good luck man. Watch out because this life is highly addictive. Just remember what seperates the men from the boys. When you hit that 12th hour of production and you are 3 shots from making your day, take a look around. The ones that are still ready to work and are not whining around are the ones that are really dedicated to the craft. Take the good days with the bad days. As Christine Vachon said, "You have to expect the worst, plan for the worst, and repress all thoughts about the worst." This is the paradox of low-low-budget film making. To not think about these negatives will allow you to take no holds barred risks that many experienced film makers would never think of taking. This is what makes it great to be in your shoes right now. Have a great shoot.

At this point, I can only say: keep your cool. You will need to take charge, solve problems, and generally be superman. Don't forget to feed 'em! You will probably be too busy to think about food.

Brian,

20 minutes, 220 shots, 8 scenes, 8 actors. It sounds daunting, but the very fact the you know exactly how many shots you have is a testament to the pre-production planning you must have done. Did you do storyboards, too? That would be a lot of boards.

I hope everything goes well. Have fun!

Josh

Hey, if things don't workout----I'll give you ten dollars for that fourteen dollar steadicam.

Good luck. Let us know how it went.