The first day of actual filming Lowe planned to shoot the first twenty minutes of the library shots. Lowe wanted to shoot in sequence order, as much as possible. Library shots beginning to end. The scenes around the school in the hallways after we finished with the library. The beginning exterior shots entering the school and leaving the school, the last scenes filmed.
The camera angles for the opening were a birds-eye view of us at the desk, and then the cameras down with us getting body shots and close-ups.
The first hour they filmed the sections before John enters the room. We took a short break and then I shot my first scene.
I couldn't be more happy to be playing John Bender, because Bender allowed me to make a mess and destruct everything in my path.
My first set of action: entering the library, and as I walk through the isle and beside the librarian's desk I grab, throw, push, and destroy.
Lowe reminded me of my blocking and yelled Action.
I entered the library, to my left the front desk, I grabbed the phone and threw it off the hook, I pushed over a book, and I stole a mini figurine of a squirrel and placed it in my jacket pocket. I continued to the desks and up to Simon, pointing him out of my chair. Simon quickly flees my area and I set up two chairs. One to sit on and one for my legs.
Cut
"Good job, Simon a bit more scared of Bender when he makes you get out his chair. Let's try it again. Reset!"
The doc-cameras rolling, I stayed in character and intimidated Simon as he returned to my desk for the beginning of the scene. Simon acted scared, and then we both started laughing. The HBO team wanted brief footage of us between takes to use so we began to get in the habit of improving quick scenes between takes.
I walked back to my starting position outside of the door, and Lowe followed me out.
"Try the scene again just like you did before, then I want the last take of you entering with five-times more anger, really demolish the front desk...just for fun."
"Got it."
The second take shot smoothly. Simon almost fell out of the chair, trying to leave it, and then almost missed the chair he moved to.
"Great guys, okay last one...Simon loved the changes, keep that level of scared-klutz. Reset!"
On the last take I entered the room grabbed the phone, threw it aside then I took my arm and bulldozed the entire desk, knocking everything to the floor expect the metal squirrel, who I picked up and as I walked to Simon I hurled the figurine right at his chest. Simon scrambled out of my way and I sat down.
"Awesome, great! Let's keep going...Leah!"
The next segment Allison rushes into the library and collapses on her desk. The four of us all follow her with our heads dramatically. We filmed this twice and then Lowe called a break before we started the scene with the principal. The doc-cameras still filming, we all assembled around Carrie and Andrews desk. I sat on top of the desk with Leah, and Simon pulled up a chair.
"So far so good," Leah said.
"I loved the last take when you shoved everything off the desk," Carrie said to me.
Everyone laughed and agreed. Our main goal between takes for the beginning of filming: to appear to be a cohesive, group of friends. We made comments teasing each other about our transformations into the characters.
"Carrie you look good with red hair."
"Simon those braces look incredible!"
"Leah....you look...different." Leah's short dark messy wig, and her puffy winter jacket, completely changed her appearance.
"Okay, guys moving on," Lowe yelled, walking into the room with Anthony Michael Hall, the principal.
The next three minutes of the film took three hours to finish and we broke for lunch after. After lunch, we filmed our characters first interactions. Mostly we acted rude, awkward and pissed to be in detention on Saturday. I shot the last scene of the day with Carrie where I attempt to push her buttons, and Andrew and I argue. We filmed for ten hours.
All of us headed back to the Shire and slept.
