12 Films. 12 Weeks. There are worse ways to spend a summer.

Photos from a Hectic, Umbrella-Spotted Shoot

This past Friday’s “Moving Pictures” shoot was a wild, unpredictable, stressful, and strangely beautiful experience. The weather vacillated between brilliant sunlight and ominous thunderheads; the mood swung from exhilarated to fearful and back again. The location — Empire Fulton Ferry State Park — was nothing short of breathtaking, with the Brooklyn Bridge looming picturesquely in the background, the Manhattan Bridge (with its screaming subway trains) towering just overhead, and the Manhattan skyline glittering across the river. Between shots, we had live music on-set, courtesy of the wonderful Villa-Lobos brothers, whose songs are as joyful and soothing as any I’ve ever heard.  Adding a touch of the surreal to the scene: a flock of yellow-clad schoolchildren, who streamed between us and swarmed in the background as we delicately framed them out of our shots.

But the most magical moment of all was toward the end of the day, when the vaguely threatening clouds overhead suddenly began massing angrily above us, the wind picked up and whipped at our scripts and hair, and a torrential rain that never came seemed perilously imminent.  At this moment, nothing needed to be said; the cast and crew moved like one body to protect the camera and the lead actors with a hastily-constructed umbrella barricade.  It was a perfect encapsulation of the kind of unhesitating esprit de corps that makes film sets — the good ones, anyway — such wonderfully life-affirming places.  The true strength of a group is felt in a crisis, and I can hardly think of a time when I’ve been more proud to be part of a collective.

In the midst of all this chaos, first-time director Caitlin McEwan stayed miraculously calm and level-headed.  As an actor, as a producer, and as a brother, I was thrilled and relieved to see her so effortlessly composed.  The director always sets the tone on a set, and I think Caitlin’s Zen was a big part of what carried us through.

But enough of my sentimental blathering.  I’ll let the pictures tell the tale.

“Moving Pictures” will be posted on Friday, August 7th.

Waiting out the early-morning rain.

Director Caitlin McEwan and DP Derek Van Gorder pose in front of a row of ducklings.

Can you spot the film crew in this picture?

Definitely our most beautiful location.

Actor Keith Boynton, a bunch of color-coordinated schoolchildren, and two people wading in the East River for some reason.

The Villa-Lobos brothers help keep the mood light.

I hope Mike is not trying to speak Spanish.

The clouds roll in. The umbrellas start to come out.

The whole crew moves in to protect the actors, as actress Caitlin FitzGerald enjoys the mounting absurdity.

Lovely and serene amidst the chaos.

What's that expression on Genevieve's face (just right of center)? That's right, folks: joyful panic!

Posted by Keith