Directing On Top

Some film makers wait the entirety of their careers to shoot a film at Universal Studios Hollywood, the same place where Steven Spielberg started his career. A couple weekends ago, I had the opportunity to direct a film there on the New York set. This is the same set Spiderman was filmed on, right next to the infamous “Wisteria Lane.” from a little show called Desperate Housewives. Although the shoot was only one day, the lessons learned, and the experience was truly invaluable. There were no cranes and no green screens, but no matter how simple a film is, the basic principles and practices remain true for all productions. This is the best lesson in honing the craft of filmmaking in an environment where professionalism is encouraged.

While the sets at large studios like Universal are impressive, there is something “naked” about the set that screams “create something more,” and allows film crews to make the provided backdrop into whatever the mind can conceive of it.  The setting surrounding Universal Studios is pretty breathtaking. A backdrop of green mountains surrounds a world created out of nails and wood. I’ve been on the lots of 3 studios in the last week, and Universal is definitely the most spread out.   

The process of directing a film is quite intricate. The script must first be interpreted, then broken down, and interpreted again. A two hour film could have hundreds of dramatic beats. These “beats” must be translated in such a way to actors so that they can put into “action” the director’s vision.  My script had to do with a guy who uses all the wrong moves to pick up a girl. Although I could have made the script work anywhere (even Jaws Lake), New York was the perfect place to shoot this since a bench was the perfect prop to use in this exchange between a boy and a girl. The footage has yet to be seen, but a director can only hope that their footage comes out just as good as their vision. Directing something so simple makes you really appreciate the pains directors on larger productions go through. In fact, Spiderman was on television that very evening, and it was a new feeling to watch it knowing I had been the same place it was filmed.

Perhaps the best feeling for a filmmaker, who is just starting out, is seeing the hordes of tourists who pass by in trams peeking down the “streets” of the lot, wondering what masterpieces are being created amidst this setting that seems far from the hustle, but is truly the heart of Hollywood. You wonder if the tourists think you’re famous (of course I am!). You wonder if the tourists feel they got their $100 worth of tour and if just maybe you could get one of them to PA for free. You wonder if they realize that there is absolutely nothing glamorous about standing in 92 degree sun sweating, and telling actors they have to wear jeans so your shots look good. Filmmaking is often seen as one of the most glamorous professions. The next time you watch a movie, don’t think of the star trailers, and red carpets, but think of the invariable weather conditions that can be unbearable at times and the obstacles that made completing the film close to impossible, and the magic is all the more.