Yesterday was the first day of filming in LA. My little loft in downtown Los Angeles has become a studio, serving as several different locations as well as storage for equipment.
I awakened to rain this morning, a welcome commodity in a land of drought. Not so welcome when the plan was shoot out of doors this afternoon. There was no Plan B, so I need to come up with one as well as Plan C and Plan D.
We filmed two scenes yesterday, the "Fairy Tale Scene" and part one of "Case Files." I can't express how deeply I appreciate Jim's willingness to dredge up unpleasant memories and to reveal aspects of his life that are, as he describes, "embarrassing." He emphasized that no one - no one he repeated - comes out of foster care unscathed. Of course I want the documentary to be entertaining to everyone, but it is important to me that Jim's story help others in the foster care system feel less alone.
During our lunch break, Seth (cinematographer), Nate (assistant camera) and Jim and I walked through the legendary Bradbury Building. This architectural landmark, built in 1893
was used for many films including Bladerunner, City of Angels, and Mission Impossible. We absorbed some of that Hollywood magic and brought it back to the loft.
