Actual Day 1

Day 1 (again) – Half way there, a two hour drive, get calls from both Mitch and Colby asking where I was; we can go right from wardrobe and makeup to the set. I’m at mile marker 151 and in the middle a serious stink – literally. Beyond methane!!! Even the Van Morrison on the cd player can't distract me from it. I mean – there are no words for this smell. But the black-eyed susans are out prematurely (well for my altitude) and it gives me the sense that all is well – a good omen, right there at Bromley road.

Get into wardrobe (Vanessa—hilarious) and makeup (Liz – the first face I see on this shoot – lying on the ground with Diana’s son Zack bouncing on her belly). Onto the set – meet “Cool Breeze” grip extraordinaire – big hug. Hug Diana, see Joey, my fictional son, perched on her directors chair watching from the craft services table.

I’m in a blue and green tie dyed shirt and light jeans, jean shirt. I tell myself this to remember later for continuity. I’m supposed to be freezing – it’s already 90F. Puffing away on my cigarette. Town’s kids watching. Little do I know that this will be the first costume of a shoot where the overwhelming wardrobe choice for me is tye-dyed shirt paired with… and the first of two packs of cigarettes that day. I utter the first lines shot of the film “Hi, my name is Annie Evans”. What pride I feel. Getting to do my first scene opposite Diana.

Alan asks for my view and I’m distracted – finding Annie in the ether. I thank him for his patience at the end of the day. Slim and Breeze are telling me their life stories between takes. Breeze is identifying his jewelry, which seemingly corresponds to the many women of his life – daughters, mother, wives. Goes quickly, get to giggle a bit with Ron, who wants to get some homeless guy pushing a grocery cart into frame.

It’s over quickly enough and I’m already clicking off the scenes with regret – damn that one’s done and I won’t live that again… like watching a baby grow. Master, mid shots, two shots, close ups over each others’ shoulders. Done…

Then it’s to lunch. Meet Spice – “Judith” – Keri shows up. Food is slow, but Spice is a trip to talk to, Kerry eats Joey’s salad and then no one eats her’s. Tarik, Mitch, Dora. Sweet people at every turn. Get to talk to Tarik about Tribeca. I'm going to New York for a few days for a screening of the short if I can get a release.

Into the RV for, just guess, another tie-dye shirt and jeans. Lots of jewelry that is lost by the next day. Cowboy boots, no socks. My trademark on this film – forgetting my socks, and the damn lining keeps falling out of these boots. At least I get variety – Joey only has one pair of shoes the whole shot until the 1992 scenes.

Shooting the scene outside on the bench. HOT as hell. Local press covering the scene. Master, two shots, puffing away. Then the close-up in one take in which the cigarette burns down and I drop it. “CHECK THE GATE – that’s a wrap for Gina” and I’m thinking “NO!!! I need another take” but I’m being told it was great! Oh DEAR GOD!!! ONE TAKE! In retrospect I realize the distraction and dropping the cigarette probably played true. Dora is very reassuring.

One day down – I’m already in mourning and these were the easy scenes!!!