A Well-Meaning Blog Entry by Ryan

Hello all and everyone!  This is Ryan McDuffie, the "trusty-do-everything-man" of the production of The Reunion of Amilia Marbleberry and Marcy Stills. I'm a relative newcomer on the Michael G. Tucker filmmaking bandwagon, but am certainly glad to have joined on just in time to have taken part in the making of this movie. I was more than happy to go into battle with such a fun and gifted group of people, and looking back I remember the whole experience being pretty intense at times, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. Making movies isn't supposed to be easy.  During production I really didn't realize all I was doing. I simply looked at every individual task in the larger scope of just "getting the job done." My most official and thorough job was as sound man, but I also was a general production assistant, camera assistant, stand-in, grip, extra, runner, pretty much whatever had to be done.   This was not only for Michael's film, but also for the DP Alex's musical which we shot back to back.

I'm trying to think of some specific behind the scenes stories or anecdotes, but nothing really sticks out.. what does jump out it me is the memory of shooting in bathrooms. Lots of scenes that take place in lots of bathrooms. Recording sound was always especially difficult in a bathroom, because there's such little space on all sides to really position oneself and a boom pole anywhere that wouldn't be seen in frame. I think for the most part, I had to be lying on the floor of the bathroom for the wide shot, then I could contort myself to fit in the extra space I was allowed in the close-ups. Yes, so contorting myself on bathroom floors is one thing I'll always remember. In a weird way I did enjoy it, to an extent: I always liked the initial challenge and task of finding the best way to get the job done, and I never found this task demeaning or overlooked because I know how important every aspect of the filmmaking process is.

Okay.. one specific anecdote I do remember, which I don't think will be amusing for us for at least another five years because it was so horrible at the time, took place during the wee hours (and I mean as wee as hours can get) of the second night we were shooting the big party scene.  The numbers had dwindled until it was just me, Michael, and Alex for crew, and the three leads (Jourdan, Shashona, and Scott).  Bare bones.  Michael and I were setting up lights outside for a shot of the three friends arriving at the party; a long tracking shot following them from the car to the front door.  The actors were (I believe) sleeping until the shot was set.   We were having a tricky time lighting it, was racing against the sunrise, and there were more important shots to do, so we killed the lights and started to bring everything back inside... and then the sprinklers went off.  Alex was on his way out to help us out just as it happened.  I screamed something at him, we rushed all the equipment inside, and all was well.

After we had a moment to breathe we realized 1: how lucky we were that we had just turned off and unplugged the lights seconds before the sprinklers went off, and 2; how horrible it would have been if they had gone off when we were all outside shooting the scene amongst three electricity-fueled lights and a sneak attack of water spray.  Hot damn that was actually really terrifying.. did we even tell anybody about that?  I can't remember.  I'm hoping it's at least long enough ago that this happened that nobody will be too disgruntled, especially any certain equipment checkout managers that may read this some day.

It was a cool shot in theory, but I have to say I'm really glad Michael made the final call and axed it while on location.
I watched a rough cut of the film a month or so ago, and have to say that the absence of that shot really doesn't detract from the overall experience.  Thank God!  Seeing that cut did get me really excited to see the final version, which I hear from Alex is done and really awesome, and is now in the stages of DVD production and trying to get festival rights for a few songs (correct me if I'm wrong).  One of the songs which I'm sure will be that "Every day's a fantasy" song, since you put it in every video related to the movie, Michael. I hope it'll work out!  I'm really looking forward to having a "Reunion" with all the cast/crew, hopefully either at a screening of the finished film which I can't wait to see, or while working on any future projects that will be sure to follow this one.

P.S.
agh I actually was really hoping to have something more fun or amusing to talk about; that near-death-by-sprinkler story is just such a bummer... I do remember this time someone took a crap in one of the bathrooms we were doing a scene in, right before we were going to film in there, and it really stank. That was pretty funny.

See? Bathrooms, Michael. Bathrooms.

Me (donning the John Hammond hat), Alex, and Michael rolling the final shot of the shoot.

When actresses meet free association...

Michael and I were shooting today for another project. I was asked to just sit and type for some stock footage. Of course, for it to look realistic, I had to actually type. This was the result:

I hope that I go to UC Berkeley because it’s the greatest school ever. My Dad went to this school and played football! He was really great. If I don’t get in, he’ll probably never speak to me ever again. I love my daddy. Why won’t he love me back? ALL I WANT IS HIS LOVE.  Berkeley, pleeeeeeeeease! If I don’t get in, I will KILL myself, and EVERYONE on that stupid campus. You will pay for ruining my dreams. I’m talking to YOU admissions office. I have OCD—obsessive compulsive disorder, so sometimes I freak about about different things. Sometimes I can’t open doors because I’m afraid of touching the doorknobs. And it’s not always—just sometimes. Recently I can’t let any liquids get on my hands, which has gotten in the way of my painting. If I could just get the paint to the canvas without gloves. STUPID EMILY. STUPID STUPID STUPID EMILY. Anyway, that’s what happened at the party tonight. I didn’t tell you because—I just don’t want people to know. I HATE YOU EMILY. STUPID STUPID EMILY. DRINK YOUR FRIGGIN’ ORANGE JUICE YOU FREAK. Except, stay? I want you to please stay? But why do you think you know me Emily? This wretched place Lafayette can help, but my stupid middle school is in the way. Your only excuses for friends are dead animals.  Michael is going CRAZY. He’s shaking like a leaf—a really shiny silver leaf. Goodnight moon.

Don’t know why you didn’t call. Sometimes we say things we don’t mean. Still typing, still typing, but maybe we can end soon. Sometimes the Michaels say funny things. They yell and play rock band but most of the time we don’t know what’s going on. I sort of like acting.