BEHIND THE SCENES: SEMI-HEMI SATURDAY

This entry was posted on 2/13/2007 9:49 PM and is filed under production.

After getting the stunt footage with the semi-trailer the weekend before, we had to get the closeups of Star Santiago Craig on the outside of the truck cab this Saturday.

Our always super-dependable Makeup FX Supervisor Frank Guerra arrived on set, then ran our cast for the day through his mobile monster shop, transforming them into the Diseased who are laying in wait for Lionel in a small fleet of trucks lurking around the city. The cast included our multi-talented Assistant Director Paul Adkins who again pulled double-duty as the truck driving Diseased man who goes after Lionel's Hemi.

Once again, we were very fortunate to have stunt driver Scott Olsen bring down his TOP BANANA special edition Hemi Charger for "Lionel" to race through the dead city. Scott's Hemi isn't just a beautiful car - it's a rocket. Stomping on the accelerator pedal in that car is the closest feeling on the ground you can get to being catapulted off the deck of an aircraft carrier. It's a rush.

One if the best parts of my job is the opportunity to meet and work with so many exceptional people. This day was no exception. My Cast, Crew and the individuals who have participated in this project have really made the whole thing a fantastic experience that will soon be over. With this being the last weekend of Principal Photography, I'm going to miss going out and filming with my people but our accomplishments won't get onto the screen until I finish the movie after Post Production. After every filming day, I would look over my shoulder at everyone and just wind down, thinking how very, very lucky, I mean concretely blessed I have been to be backed up by so many talented and dedicated people. There is an axiom which I believe in now more than ever, If you want to be the best, you have to work with the best.

Some have mentioned to me throughout Production how impressed they are by my ability to do such great things without a budget. That's flattering but the truth is I do have a great Crew backing me up, who make this all work, I'm just the Director but my Producer Gabriele Andres sets up and coordinates each filming day. My Assistant Directors Paul Adkins and Justin Mashouf facilitate my plans, often moving mountains to make everything happen on time. My Makeup FX Supervisor Frank Guerra and my Lead FX Makeup Artist Danny Hernandez carry a workload that would make them FX legends worldwide if anyone could even imagine the tremendous volume of FX elements they produce for me every week. My Stunt Coordinator Robert Linden of the ARIZONA DESERT STUNT TEAM has planned and executed dozens and dozens of stunts throughout this picture with safety, precision and visual impact while grooming others to perform stunts they may not have otherwise had an opportunity to try. That's my Crew, they are my Team Leaders who go above and beyond every day they walk on set with me, with confidence and the kind of teamwork that can accomplish anything.

Since my father started A.I.A. Productions in Manhattan back in 1958, it has always been a family business. That tradition seems to have extended into this project. I'm proud of that because my people watch out for each other like a family. That's one of the reasons why no one was injured on this show, despite more than 5,000 rounds of blank ammunition fired, and over a hundred stunts performed without anyone getting injured. We weren't just "lucky", we were careful and looked after each other as a matter of pride in our work and a committment to always doing our best.

You may not even know how many of the Talent in the Cast have contributed their secondary expertise to this project, helping with everything from costume and makeup to loading blank ammunition into magazines. The espirit de corps of my people is amazing because more than a few have made new friendships while earning the respect and confidence of those around them. Don't confuse me with being some kind of genius; those I described above are the kind of great men and women who make a movie this big. I'm grateful and proud to say these are my people.

Below are some behind the scenes photographs of our Semi-Hemi day on the last weekend of Principal Photography of Mary Shelley's "The Last Man":

9/15/2007 4:34 PM ringo wrote:
this is some kick butt stuff

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