"Previously Viewed: 2-Day Rental" - Day One

Tonight is the first round of shooting footage for the sequel to "Drop Box," a short film made by Eric Henninger for our film class. Unfortunately, since he wants to do a series (at least a trilogy) of these and screen them for the public, he has had to make the decision to rename them. Seems a couple years ago, someone made a feature-length film called "Drop Box." The specific plot points are completely different, but the name was the same, nonetheless. So the new name, I believe, is "Previously Viewed" and the shoot tonight is the sequel "Previously Viewed: 2-Day Rental."

I am directing this short. Eric and Zack Hightower developed the story and wrote the script. Since they also want to act in it and have significant roles, Eric decided to ask me to direct. I gladly accepted. Since I directed my own piece, "The Obituaries," for class, I have been wanting to do another one. Although I'm interested to see how I handle directing someone else's script.

Monday I met with Eric's wife Lori who is serving as the assistant director. We mapped out camera placements for the shots we absolutely have to get tonight and worked on a schedule for getting those. We also added some shots that we'd like to get if there is time. Unfortunately, I feel as if we were a little too ambitious. But we'll see tonight. The thing is we have two actors who are only available tonight, and one of them can't be there the whole time. So, we had to schedule all of his scenes first, and for the other, we had to be sure we scheduled her so we can get all of her footage tonight.

I lined the script and drew storyboards, which are some of the most hideous things you've ever seen! I never have and never will claim to be an artist, and those storyboards are proof of that. But I think my kindergarten-level stick figures should help get the job done once we get started.

It's now 9:54 a.m. and I will be at my day job until 5 p.m. I intend to go home, sleep until 9:45 p.m. or so and then head to the location at 10 p.m. We will shoot all night, probably wrapping the day by 5 a.m. and then I will drive back home and prepare for my work day. How crazy is it that I plan to work tomorrow? We are shooting next Thursday, as well. I think tomorrow I may change my mind and take next Friday off.

Man, I hope I don't mess up Eric's and Zack's vision...