So that story I told yesterday, about the time I nearly lost my job on a Tony Scout movie by suggesting a roof without an elevator? I did indeed find a replacement Tony liked – but that’s NOT where we filmed. Because there’s one more very unexpected part to the story…
Day of the shoot. I’m excited. I’ve got the building permitted and signed up. It’s a quick one, the last shot of the day. “We’re on the move” crackles over the walkie, and suddenly an armada of crew members is charging toward the building.
I ride up with Tony and crew to the rooftop. He walks to the edge. Stares off into the distance. Looks around. Squints. Notices something.
Then, he abruptly turns and points at the apartment building across the street and announces, “I want to be on that rooftop.”
As everyone tries to figure out if he’s joking, he points at the DP and 1st AC and says “Come along, boys,” in his gruff British accent –
And suddenly, I’m jogging to keep up as they ride the elevator down, slip into the new building thanks to a departing tenant, and take the elevator to the roof, where Tony starts figuring out h camera position.
Meanwhile, back on the original roof: total chaos. No one knows what’s going on. Camera dept is racing to get their gear to the new roof. I call my boss, who tells me to find the building management and make a deal, ideally before they realize we’re already on their property.
I find the manager. Very nice woman willing to work with us. As I’m attempting the most casual version of “our director is on your roof shooting a major Hollywood movie,” I get a call: the camera dept is trapped in the elevator.
Turns out, they overloaded the new building’s elevator with gear and are stuck between floors. Oh, and one of them is claustrophobic and losing his shit.
In the end, it works out. Tony gets his location. The building gets a payday. The camera crew is freed from the elevator without harm. And ironically, the crew has to schlep their gear up five flights of steps due to the elevator problem, the very issue I nearly got fired for.
Oh, and that rooftop shot? It lasts a total of 3 seconds in the final film.
Leave a Reply