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

Almost exactly four days ago, I was in the sleep-deprived, Red Bull-fueled throes of laying in Thomas Sullivan’s score for Magic Marker.  Michael Redfield was  hours away from walking through my front door and into my life. I had spoken to him for the first time five weeks ago around 6AM EST (3AM his time) as I was laying in his score of Captivated (why I am always laying in scores??)

Almost exactly two days after he walked through my door, I was hugging him fiercely as we wrapped up just FOURTEEN MINUTES behind schedule. And it’s a good thing too — a few minutes more and we would have lost our cinematographer.

Almost exactly one day ago I was watching the Yankees game.

Come on, I needed a break.

As you know, rejoining us for the first time in 10 weeks was Robb Stey, who agreed to film as long as we set a hard and fast deadline of 3 AM. Due to his covert activities which we are not allowed to talk about in a public forum, he was unable to pull Queen Bee-esque all-nighter, so Keith offered to drive him back home to the UES at three sharp. This worried me, since the only film to wrap on time was James Creque’s After Perfect (which wrapped two hours early!!)

Keith and I had two brief discussions about the wisdom of promising to wrap Robb at 3. The first was while Keith was on the phone with Robb.

KEITH

Can we promise to wrap Robb by three?

MIKE

(smirking, lying)

Yeah, sure.

KEITH

Seriously, Mike. Do you think we can wrap Robb by three???

MIKE

(still smirking, still lying)

Yeah, of course.

Later, after the call ends:

MIKE

We don’t really have to wrap Stey at three, do we?

KEITH

He said he’d stay until ten after three.

Long pause.

MIKE

So we’re fucked.

****

On Saturday, we called the cast and crew at 3 PM. Keith, myself and Redfield went to rehearse the opening and closing scenes of the film on Carroll Street bridge.

Keith rehearses, Redfield loves the smell of Old Spice

Keith Chills, Mike Hangs

We returned at 5. Despite the fact we put on sunscreen, when I got back to the house and sat down, I felt wiped. Brigitte arrived shortly thereafter, straight from Newark Airport, and showered. I felt revived after some Red Bull and pizza and at 7:30 we had a table rehearsal. This was Michael’s directorial debut, but I was floored with how fluidly, instinctively, and diplomatically he directed the actors at the table.

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The Actors Prepare

Mike is packing and naked. Sumi cannot watch

Clint Byrne: He will pwn you.

We started shooting at 9:15 and the race was on. I served as our official time keeper, shouting out how much time we had before 3AM.

SIX HOURS!!

Mid-street filming. Safety last!

Moving on, Keith and Brigitte got their close-ups. Union Street Bridge: 10:15PM.

Keith can do his own damn hair

Inkhero by Proxy!

11:35 PM: We wrap up their scene with a wide shot. “Three and half hours!”

Redfield, Lavoie, Stey, Brooklyn

12AM: Carroll Street Bridge. Mike and Keith go at it — for the first time ever! (We swear!)

Redfield teaches Lavoie how a Zippo works. Keith does not break character (he's so method!) Stey and Chad chill

The future DVD cover of HERO BY PROXY.

Do not believe his lies.

Brooklyn at 1AM looks like a sound stage

We wrap Keith at 1:30AM. “NINETY MINUTES TO GO!” Finally time for Angela and Clint to shine — the poor souls have been hanging around since 3PM. I sure am glad they were familiar with the old filmmaking maxim, “Hurry up and wait“

Ninety minutes to go. Redfield is looking a little nervous. He has three scenes left — and ninety minute to get them and that ain’t easy. Keith pulls me off to the side. “It’s looking tight.” I’m feeling queasy myself but I have smoked half a pack of cigarettes for my character (it was for the role, mom) so it’s hard to tell what’s going on.

1:50AM: Angela and Clint get into their places. Camera. Speed. Action.

Stey gets down and dirty

Meow! A unexpected onlooker takes the spotlight

It's getting late -- er, early

THIRTY MINUTES! 2:30AM: We wrap the bridges. Two scenes left. Gulp.

Free lighting! Thanks wasteful cement factory!!

Angela Perri. She has no idea what's coming.

At 3:14AM Robb Stey takes two final wide shots of the wasteful cement factory and its surroundings. Michael calls cut and moments later: “And that’s a wrap!” Everyone cheers. Only fourteen minutes late. Michael turns to me, a look of exhausted exhilaration on his face. “I didn’t think we’d make it! I really didn’t think we’d make it!”

Before Robb Stey leaves, we get a few final shots.

It's Clint and Keith. But is it art?

Clint presents the Caffeinating Ashley Stubblefield

Now that's friendship

Victory

Thanks to all. That was awesome.

Posted by Mike