The new studio was everything we could ask for. It became a sort of clubhouse for the growing circle of friends we'd accumulated. With the bowling alley, we had a guaranteed time-killer when things were slow. And Chris and I found an old jukebox at a flea market that an electronics whiz-kid friend restored to play CD's, giving the place even more of a retro-feel.
But business was still business. And there were several movies in production that we got photo contracts for, along with TV pilots and returning series. This usually consisted of us hanging around the set on certain days, snapping promotional photos for the studio or press kits. To me, it was always a good way to see how movies were made. And of course, there was the chance to mingle with the stars. I say "chance" because we usually had none!
"Sunshine Dreamer" was the newest film we'd be working on. It was set in late 60's San Francisco and centered on a young girl working at night as a photographer (how coincidental!) at the old Fillmore West concert hall, her friendships with local musicians, and her day job at a local coffeehouse.
For us, it would be a chance to see the city by the bay, and get paid for it.
We didn't have much of an idea what to expect on this film. The casting hadn't been confirmed when we got the gig. A few days before departure we finally got word from the studio people what our work would be like. As well as the film's star.
The "sunshine dreamer" would be Blake Lively.
The thought of Ms. Lively made me smile quite widely (terrible pun, I know!). In between my nightly viewing of Seinfeld reruns, my new guilty pleasure was her series "Gossip Girl". I knew I'd have to try and not turn into a fan looking to get insider info on the show if we met. In other words, discipline Hollywood, discipline!
The studio sprung for a decent hotel for us and they made good use of the city. Several other locations around the city were chosen for their retro-feel. The main set was a funky looking coffeehouse modeled on a real one in the Haight-Ashbury section of the city. A facsimile of the inside was built on a soundstage nearby. The old Victorian homes made for a great backdrop and one would serve as the front for Blake's character's apartment.
I was more thrilled to see the Fillmore West. We'd be doing a lot of filming there. And the CGI crew would do their magic and digitally insert Blake against footage of famous bands performing onstage. And they'd be able to make the outside look the way it did 30-odd years ago. Chris and I found ourselves speaking in reverent tones as we walked around the place, knowing the history of it. It was like being in a classic rock church. It might sound like a cliché' but we could "feel the vibes" inside. It had been extensively restored in the years since it closed in 1971.
But as I said before, discipline Hollywood! Discipline!
The director of the film was a tightly wound spring of a man named John McDonald. He ran a tight ship and I doubted we'd be able to do clever things like on our other assignments. He insisted on punctuality by everyone, and I mean everyone! I have to admit I liked his style but it took some getting used to. He didn't appreciate it when Chris tried an artistic shot of John watching a video playback with some of the actors.
"My friend," he said with a calm, professorial tone "if you're going to do that kind of a shot, DON'T!" he suddenly yelled
After that, we stuck to snapping shots of the actors, not the directors.
5 days into filming, things were running smoothly. John was turning into an easy going man who simply wanted to satisfy the demands of a studio and his vision for the film. In other words, if we stayed out of his way, he'd stay out of ours.
But oddly enough though, we had yet to see Ms. Lively.
For the most part, John had been doing a lot of exterior shots around town, so I guess you could call that our "tourist moment". And the interior scenes involved other actors on the film. Although Chris, being the lecherous one, took a shine to a hippie-type actress. And a lighting tech, as well.
