Production Update # 26: A great weekend of shooting!

Well, we rolled about 1,300 feet of 16mm film stock on Saturday and Sunday, completing 6 new scenes for the feature we've now been shooting for almost three years.  If everything comes out all right at the lab (hopefully we nailed the focus and exposure on a brand new Kodak stock that didn't even exist when we began filming on 2004),  we'll have finished another 6 minutes of the "script" -- and, as the die-hards on this crew all know, I use the term script very loosely.

Special thanks to:Brian Belida (left) assists cinematographer Bob Sapora.

Brian Belida -- for being a one-man whirlwind production assistant on Saturday -- slates, lighting grip, prop master, picnic table mover. Couldn't have done it without you.

Linda Kirkpatrick -- for showing up with that awesome, homemade vegetable lasagna and banana cake for dinner on Sunday. Perfect timing.

Scott McGee and his family -- for allowing us total access to your tavern on Sunday; and even helping pull and check focus. Very cool!

Gordon Masters -- for shooting until 11pm on Sunday night, even though you needed to be up at 4:30am on Monday for a paying job.

Gordon Masters, audio recordist (left) and director Jonathan Slade.Russell Justice -- for bringing a wonderful serenity to the character of Skip the bartender; at some point we owe you a REAL beer.

Robert Lemieux --  for stepping in at the last moment to portray a guy with a boil on his back -- well played -- and for helping us wrap up all those extension cords at the end of the shoot.

Bob Sapora -- for making the most of those new lights we used; and for hobbling around on that foot for 2 days -- and even taking a spill over the wall in the garden -- and NEVER letting it slow you down. Iron Bob lives!

Novia Campbell -- for putting on that wedding dress again even though it smells like roadkill; and climbing through a basement window at ten o'clock at night.

And, of course, to all the townsfolk of Lineboro who showed up for the master shot of the bar.  Thanks so much.

I'll keep everyone updated as the summer progresses.

Independent filmmaking lives in Maryland...