Location Managing: Pretty Much The Coolest Thing Ever, Besides Being A Pirate

Here’s the thing about blogs:
There is the obligatory pressure to sound interesting. All the cool kids are doing it. And yet, I am by no means a cool kid… so how did I gain access to this snazzy blog? Valid question.

My name is Darcy Forlenza and I secured my blog-worthiness by becoming Location Manager & Best Boy/Best Boy Grip for this fine production. My job is both as easy and as difficult as it sounds. The locating part is easy enough – it’s the securing of those locations that kills. For example, barging into a stranger’s dorm room while they’re eating a delicious sandwich and somehow convincing them to let me return multiple times with a group of 10 to 30 other people to measure, photo, and leer, set up cameras, lights, and props…is not always easy. So thanks to all of you who invited me in and/or currently resist the urge to run in fear when we pass on the street. To those of you who said no or were a big jerk, I will assume you were having an off-day.

So far I’ve gone through the script and determined all of the required locations. After brainstorming with Pat (director) and Chris (props) about the desired “look,” I scouted a bunch of dorms, meeting rooms, lobbies, and restaurants on and off BU campus, taking photos and talking to various head honchos for info on how to reserve the spaces. As a class, we visited the areas a couple of times, and now we’re in the finalization stage. I also have to think about where craft services (food) and wardrobe/makeup can set up, where the circuit breaker boxes are in all the buildings, elevator/loading dock access, parking for actors and crew vans, parking permits for shooting on a public sidewalk, the logistics of creating a closed set in active university common areas, and other fun stuff like that.

My job is pretty cool, because it involves talking to people (which I like) and convincing them to be generous with nothing in return but my hearty handshake, unending adoration and the chance to see their high school tennis trophy in the background of a scene on mtvU (a formidable challenge). And also, as a lighting and grip assistant, I get to light things (always good) and grip them as well (a favorite pastime).

Thank you for reading my blog. I won’t let it go to my head.

Auditions This Weekend!

I Work Hard for the Money

Hi! My name is Elyse Punia, and I am the Producer for Res. Life, a New Television Production. Being the producer officially means that I handle the budget and oversee all aspects of production. Unofficially, I write emails. all day. on special days, I also spend a lot of time on the phone. also all day.

Currently, one of my main projects is balancing the budget. While details will have to remain anonymous, we just received a nice sponsorship from our university that essentially sacrificed one student's tuition. Unfortunately, we are still over budget - a common college student problem. (Note to all readers: Would you like to sponsor a student-run production featuring lots of up and coming future industry leaders? Please contact me at newtv@bu.edu with subject line "I LOVE RES.LIFE!")

Despite our budget concerns, pre-production is running smoothly. Our first open casting call is occurring this weekend, February 23 - 25 at the Boston University College of Fine Arts. For more information, please check out our event on Facebook, or email newtv@bu.edu. The four leads are already cast, which takes a big weight off our shoulders, but the rest of the cast is just as important - watching auditions makes you realize how many talented people there are in the world. And how much they should be in a student-run production about residents' life...wink, wink.

Location scouting is also a high priority. Pat, Darcy and I are working together to find appropriate and available places to shoot. So far, the most difficult will be finding dorm rooms. Building a set is pretty much out of the question, budget-wise, so instead we have to find real places to shoot in during real time - harder than it sounds. Right now, I'm just glad it's supposed to be 45 degrees tomorrow, so I won't be freezing while assessing the usefulness of one dorm room to the next.

Other than the balancing act, casting call and not being cold, Res.Life is going well on the producer-front. My emails keep coming, my phone bill keeps growing, and I'm getting really good at playing with budgeting software. It doesn't get any better than this...

See you soon!
~elyse

Operating Cameras

This is what I see most of the time as the Camera Operator for ResLife. My name is Oscar Rohena and as the Camera Operator, I will be the actual person holding the camera when we get to filming the pilot. Patrick, the director, and Leo, the Director of Photography, have informed me that there we will be using mostly hand held for the shoot, so I need to mentally prepare for holding this very heavy camera for hours on end.

For now, I am also working as our on set photographer until we get someone more professional who can shoot while everyone [including me] is doing his or her [very important] job.

During this pre-production period, I am getting trained on the fantastic Panasonic DVCPRO HD [HDC27hp], which shoots in beautiful 720p. This is the first time that I have seen what High Definition can actually look like, and I have to say, it is quite an exciting future we are looking at. Everything looks crisp and detailed, and the fuzziness of Standard Definition cameras are now gone. I don't think our own eyes even see the world in such high definition. It sounds strange, I know, but trust me, you will remember my words the first time you see a true, uncompressed high definition image, on a high definition monitor.

This image, of our DP Consultant/Professor Austin De Besche, is actually from the high def monitor next to the camera, taken through my camera. Austin is usually our stand in, and during this workshop, we were practicing dolly movements, and lighting techniques. He sat in his chair, gave us instructions and we tried following them as best as possible. I am the only one on the dolly along with the camera, and Rich and Dave, Key Grips and 1st AC respectively, push and pull me along, as I try to keep a steady hand and keep the subject within frame, respecting the DP's directions.

It can be really exciting being the camera operator, yet at the same time very intimidating. Getting 'the shot', at the end of the day, is up to me, that is my one and only, very essential job. I'm sure I'll be updating more as the semester goes along, especially adding more pictures from production, and updating in whatever other aspects of production I get involved with.

-Oscar!
Camera Operator

Director's Update #1

My name is Patrick Sullivan and I was chosen to be the Director of Res. Life, an original script based on the experiences of real R.A.s. It's been one month since our class, the New Television Workshop, began the process of pre-production and we've been extremely busy.

As the Director I had the chance to meet our writer and begin the process of re-writes which has continued since. From there I've begun to plan everything from the look of the show (with the help of my Director of Photography Leo Bonarrigo), to the costumes our actors will wear (with the help of Susanne Dahl and Chris Maggio). The professionalism of the job is certainly a new experience and it's a privilage to be working with some of the best students at BU.

The team has been working hard in all areas to prepare for production, currently scheduled to begin in mid-April. We've begun to secure locations. We've scheduled auditions to complete the casting. Our camera crew is experiencing hands-on, professional training on the equipment we'll be using. We're planning a website and advertising campaigns to increase the exposure of the final product. Across the board we're on track.

To be on track, however, we're having to constantly adapt our plans, from adjusting the budget with each new expense to tweaking the prop and wardrobe lists to account for the changes in each script update. Over the course of the semester, this blog will be similarly updated with posts from members of the cast and crew, allowing them to discuss their responsibilities on the show as they are being fulfilled.

We hope you enjoy this insider's view into our production (as well as the finished product) and be sure to check back for the launch of the Res. Life website soon!

In the News...

Boston Herald, February 15, 2007

Res. Life Auditions

Boston University's Dept. of Film & Television announces open call auditions for RES.LIFE, a 1/2 hour TV Comedy to be broadcast on MTVU. Shooting in April, Res.Life portrays the lives of college Residence Assistants (RAs) and their difficult job of taking responsibility for a new class of unpredictable freshman.

All auditions will take place at Boston University’s College of Fine Arts located at 855 Commonwealth Avenue in Room 102.

Friday, February 23rd from 5:00-8:00pm
Saturday, February 24th from 1:00-4:00pm
Sunday, February 25th from 10:00am-2:00pm

We are looking for actors who fit the following descriptions:

-“The Bratty Little Sister”- 10 year-old Caucasian female
- “The Mom”- Middle-aged upper class, Caucasian female
- “The Dad”- Middle-aged upper class, Caucasian male
- “The Security Guard”- Middle-aged Indian Male
- “The Resident Assistants”- College-aged males and females of various backgrounds

Please RSVP with a preferred audition date and time along with current contact information for yourself to newtv@bu.edu . We will be in touch to schedule your exact audition time.