It doesn't feel as if it's been five days

I know, it's been days...but it feels like weeks. Really, it does, but at the same time it feels as if not much time has passed at all. This is the first chance I have had to sit at a keyboard all week, we are on a turn-around, which means we will be moving from day to night shooting. Today's turnaround begins at 4:30PM. If you are keeping score, this means we will shoot from 4:30PM to 4:30AM.

Day one of the shoot began and ended on a wet note. Drove to the location in the rain, drove "home" in the rain. Oh, yeah, and we filmed in the rain. Although, I must admit, the dampness abated just before lunch, but by then the temps had fallen and we were all wet. So, there we were...a crew of 'meatsicles' running all over the locations, attempting to stave off the cold with activity, warm beverages, humor and smiles.

At some point in the early evening, right before sundown, 3 small, vertical, portable propane heaters were wheeled in, and you never saw so many people try to get warm and not go up in flames in one place.

Picture penguins on an ice floe or at the edge of the water - all huddled up and keeping warm - but hungry and needing to move into the water...and hopefully not get eaten by a predator in the dark, icy water (or, in our case, just having to move about and keep working/filming). Who was going to move first? And there were always more penguins trying to shoulder their way in to the huddle. Trying to get some of that heat, to replace the toasty one who had moved out.

Pathetically funny - but I guess you have to be there to enjoy the humor.

By the end of Day 1, we were all quite happy to break set and get outta "Dodge."

Oh yeah, and we killed a guy. Actually, we killed two guys that day. Welcome to film.

Bring on Day 2.

Also wet, but in another more extremely hazardous way. Snow. Snow and ice. Snow and ice and cold, cold, cold.

Aside from attempting to navigate unfamiliar territory in a sane, timely manner (a.k.a. meeting your call time), was the added distraction of dodging 'snow bullets' and finding a last minute solution to the road sign along 196 North which read: "196 N. closed at Market Street, seek alternate routes."

WHAT!?!!??!!?! I don't know any alternate routes!

Ah, but my loving hosts might!

Ring, ring [17th phone call to Aunt Deb and Uncle Tom in about two days]

Hello. [Sweet, sing-song A. Deb's voice]

Hey there, hi, it's me [again...tired of me, yet?]. Say, do you know of any alternate routes from 196 to get across town? The sign on the expressway says 196 is closed way south of where I have to get to. What exit to hit in order to bypass the jam but still cross GR to my location?

See, the night before we spoke on the phone, while I drove "home" to Holland, after wrapping Day 1, to let them know I was on my way there, and we talked about the next location for the following day. A. Deb kindly Googled it and had a map already on the computer for me to get directions from by the time I had arrived! See, I was all set and prepared...thank you, Aunt Deb!

Then that ol' monkey wrench appears.

Any how, between Deb and Uncle Tom, they air-traffic-controlled my mounting northbound panic into a dull roar, navigating me off the highway and on to surface streets to make it to where I had to be in the best, safest fashion for the circumstances.

Snow, snow, snow.

We began filming in the gently falling stuff, giving a completely different look to the Director's project - but it is looking beautiful. Sort of a lovely powdered dusting on a rough and vicious story.

Lipstick on a hoodlum pig.

Last night I arrived "home" somewhere just after 11PM. I hadn't been here in a day and a half. I ended up falling asleep, face down on my paperwork (long story...another time). I was sitting at a desk in one of the rooms reserved for the film, and clunk! Lights out and drool pool forming. So I went over to the little sofa and curled up for a nap, hopefully to refresh my frozen, very sleep-deprived brain cells.

Maybe half an hour later, the Production Coordinator stumbled in and the lights came on! I was awake! Not functional, but awake.

I pushed through the rest of the owed paperwork (he left and went to another room - also reserved for the production - and passed out there), finished in time to get to the set at the hotel, and have a pseudo-breakfast (I was starving). Thus began the long day into night which was Day 3.

To this point we have been in six basic locations. The Lazy T Motel, a rather old trailer park, the Herkimer Apts, GRPD (front door, parking garage - fascinating, by the way - and city street), an alley, and a Radisson Hotel (posing as three sets).

Well, I need to move about. My time is growing short and I need to be ready to travel back to GR in a few short hours. Tonight will be a seventeen scene day. Lots of reverse shots, extra setups, lots of notes and LOTS of paperwork. My goal is to try and keep up, even outdoors (although rain and wet paper are not conducive for this job, and the time line you must work within to meet end-of-day reporting).

In truth, yes, I am struggling. I guess this is a good firing ground to test my mettle, to forge my skills. It's also a way to break my resolve and make me see I may not be cut out for this particular job. I'll let you know which way I fall on the meter.

For now, my overflowing thanks and deep appreciation to Aunt Deb and Uncle Tom for allowing me to come into their beautiful domicile and throw turmoil and late night (and early morning) noises into their well-ordered world. Thank you, THANK YOU! Oh, and I'm sorry for the inconveniences, too. You are God-sent.

Stay warm everyone.