Surprise, surprise, surprise

This past week was just a ball of stress, hard work, stress, sweat, stress, and I think more stress and hard work. Starting Monday it became clear to Chris, Jess(our PA), and myself that our location scouting and aquiring for a restruant scene had hit a major wall that was not easy to look around. There were so many questions up in the air. Where would we film at? Could we build a set? What would the set look like? Could we get all the required actors? What times would we be shooting at? Could we get all the actors for those times? Where would we build a set and where would we erect it to film at? Could we get the entire last scene of the film filmed in one weekend and without any mojor problems? What would the weather be and would it hold up to allow for shooting?

So many things there to wonder about. Chris and I started building a set over at my parents' house after we got off work on Tuesday. The basically set up for a week full of he and I working over there until about midnight or 1am and getting to bed at about 2 or 230 in the morning, just to wake up and goto our regular jobs at around 545am. We worked our butts off and came home with clothes we had completely sweated through. Not a lovely picture to paint there for yall huh?

Friday rolled around and somehow it was starting to look rather promising, the set was ready to be moved to a place our by Jordan lake that was allowing up use of their field to shoot in and actors were mostly lined up to start filming at 8am saturday through 8pm, and then 1pm on sunday through 8pm. The weather was a major worry since a 60% chance of storms was being forcasted for saturday. Plus, we still has to assemble the set that night.

Chris and I finally got the set up and standing at around 9, leaving about 45 minutes to do some touches with trim and cloth around the set. We left some for early saturday. When we got out there saturday there were some things that needed to be fixed but the set looked awesome. I have included some pics here. The set really did look like a real building out there from the shooting angles.

So many things came together for the shoots it was just amazingly awesome. All of our actors and actresses were so great and a pleasure to have on set. I was impressed with them doing their lines and being so receptive to suggestions as well as putting up with the usual on-set stresses. We did of course have a few hiccups with someone missing or not being able to show up but everyone showed their true colors and we called upon some friends to get everything great. Thank you all for your hard work and so much sweat and sunburn that went into the filming. Chris and I both sat back sunday night and were just in awe of everything and everyone that came together to make this one fantastic weekend and is going to make this a very impressive film.

Orison Swett Marden once said, "Achievement is not always success while reputed failure often is. It is honest endeavor, persistent effort to do the best possible under any and all circumstances."

I, for one, am very proud of everyone and just all of their's and our achievements!