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| Introduction: Opening the Doors Cast and Crew Prelude Journal 2: ACT 1: Blacklisted! March 6 (Day 2) March 9 (Day 3) March 10-11 (Days 4-5) March 12-13 (Days 6-7) Journal 3: ACT 2: Welcome to Ferndale! March 20 (Day 9) March 21 (Day 10) March 22 (Day 11) March 23 (Day 12) Journal 4: March 26 (Day 13) March 27 (Day 14) March 28 (Day 15) March 29 (Day 16) March 30 (Day 17) Journal 5: April 2 (Day 18) April 3 (Day 19) April 4 (Day 20) April 5 (Day 21) April 6 (Day 22) Journal 6: April 8 (Day 23) April 9 (Day 24) April 10 (Day 25) April 11 (Day 26) April 12 (Day 27) Journal 7: April 16 (Day 28) April 17 (Day 29) April 18 (Day 30) April 19 (Day 31) April 20 (Day 32) April 23 (Day 33) April 24 (Day 34) April 25 (Day 35) April 26 (Day 36) Journal 8: April 30 (Day 37) May 1 (Day 38) May 2 (Day 39) May 3 (Day 40) May 4 (Day 41) May 7 (Day 42) May 8 (Day 43) Journal 9: May 10-11 (Days 44-45) May 14 (Day 46) May 15 (Day 47) May 16 (Day 48) May17 (Day 49) May 18 (Day 50) Journal 10: May 21 (Day 51) May 22 (Day 52) May 23 (Day 53) May 24 (Day 54) May 25 (Day 55) Journal 11: May 29 (Day 56) May 30 (Day 57) May 31 (Day 58) June 1 (Day 59) |
introduction PRELUDE: Setting the Scene Before Staging the Scenes Shooting a movie is only a third of the battle, as film productions are divided into three stages -- pre-production (the preparation period that usually begins anywhere from 6-12 weeks before filming, sometimes longer); production (the actual filming period, about which you’ll read daily accounts here in weeks to come); and post-production (which includes editing, dubbing, sound and visual effects, soundtrack recording and other sundry preparations that put the final polish on the film). Frank is not one to rush into production. This is only his third big screen project since he stepped onto the Ohio location of “The Shawshank Redemption” back on June 15, 1993. After completing that enormous effort (working away from home for almost four months, followed by a lengthy, year-long post-production schedule), the filmmaker was doubtful about ever wanting to direct again. Directing a feature film can be a mammoth, exhausting task, albeit a rewarding one. The job consumes your life (personally and professionally) for upwards of two years. Writing and re-writing the script. Countless auditions to cast the roles. Designing and building the sets. Hiring the crew. Sewing the costumes. Shooting the film. Watching the “dailies.” Recording the soundtrack. Cutting the film. Completing dozens of press interviews. All these obligations (and more) fall under the supervision of the director. The entire cast-and-crew answers to him (or her). With all the anguish and fatigue that frequently comes with the job, Frank triumphed right out of the gate! His big screen directorial debut, which opened to critical acclaim is now acknowledged as one of the true classics of contemporary cinema and one of the best films of the ‘90s. The American Film Institute nominated it as one of 400 titles selected for its 100 all-time classics in 1998. Frank pocketed several awards and nominations for his initial effort. You’d think this was enough to entice him back into the director’s chair. And, in the following months and years following the release of “The Shawshank Redemption”, his agent, Robert Stein of the William Morris Agency, had fielded many offers for him to get back behind a camera. It wouldn’t happen again for five years. I recall bumping into Frank on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks (California) on a November night back in 1996. We had briefly stayed in touch via snail-mail (a letter of praise to him after seeing “Shawshank” for the first time, and a copy of Gene Siskel’s Top 10 List of 1994 citing his freshman effort). However, I had not seen him since we completed the film in September of 1993 until we met fatefully that night three years later in front of Tower Records. After brief salutations, I inquired about his return to directing (when not behind the cameras, he makes a very comfortable living as a screenwriter). It was there-and-then he explained that he had found his next project -- “The Green Mile,” from Stephen King’s 1996 serialized novel. My response -- “What, another Stephen King prison film?” He immediately noted my affectionate note of sarcasm, and the irony of my comment. In later interviews, Frank joked about carving out a career in a most unique and unusual genre -- Stephen King period prison stories! He also admitted (particularly to Variety columnist Army Archerd) that directing “was a pain-in-the-ass,” to accurately quote him. Frank would not return to the director’s chair unless he found a project worthy of his time. But, there’s more. Before “The Green Mile” began production, Frank had read a screenplay called “The Bijou,” dropped off at his doorstep one night in early 1996. A note inside the envelope read “Let me know what you think.” Frank, being a nightbird, immediately read the script. The next morning, he called its author -- high school buddy Michael Sloane, who was hoping that Frank’s involvement in the project would help Sloane land his first feature film directing gig. Upon answering that imminent call the next morning, Sloane got the proverbial “good news-bad news” response when Frank confessed two things -- the script was wonderful, and Frank wanted to direct it. There was a hitch -- he already had a project in “development” at Castle Rock (that period before pre-production when a studio expresses interest, but has yet to issue a filmmaker the “green light” signifying a start date). That turned out to be “The Green Mlle.” That, in turn, would postpone any development of “The Bijou.” So, when Frank called his agent that January night in 1999, “The Bijou” began to see the light of a movie marquee. It has now become “The Majestic” (the name of the movie palace in Sloane’s fictional town of Lawson) after it was pointed out that the original title was somewhat confusing. His office had received many calls asking about “The Bayou”. Having experienced a similar scenario upon the release of “Shawshank”, also an unusual title that may have initially confused viewers, Frank decided to change the title. Once Frank and Michael Sloane knew the project was a “go”, Frank expressed his desire to collaborate with several of their mutual friends from Hollywood High School, all of whom had established careers in the movie business in various crafts and trades. The first call went out to production designer Greg Melton, who had initially worked with Frank back in the early 1980s on the very first film he had completed -- a 15 minute short called “The Woman in the Room” (for more info, click on to Darabont’s biography). Melton’s father Jerry had taught drama at Hollywood High. Many of Frank’s classmates had studied under Melton, senior, and many would join Greg on the set of “The Majestic” (as you will read about in future segments). Melton began sketching set designs way back in April, 2000, even visiting the town of Ferndale, well knowing that Frank wanted to shoot the picture in this quaint, northern California Victorian village. Frank would commission another dozen or so Hollywood High classmates to join him on his latest cinematic crusade. He recruited hairstylists Nina Paskowitz and Katherine Rees, costume designer Karyn Wagner, L.A. location manager, John Grant, location assistant Steve Ringel, Melton's art director Tom Walsh, actress April Ortiz, teamster Craig Lietzke, set dresser Charlie Nicholson and Associate Producer and partner at Darkwoods Productions (his film banner), Anna Garduno. Period films (stories set in the past) present a particular challenge to many of the craftspeople associated with a movie production. Costumes are usually designed specifically for the cast, instead of raiding one of Hollywood’s wardrobe warehouses for threads to dress the actors. A location must be found that accurately reflects the era in which the story is set. Because “The Majestic” depicts an aging movie theater, a facade (and interior) may have to be built if a suitable playhouse (called a “practical set”) cannot be found. Hairstyles, starkly different fifty years ago, must be duplicated through the use of wigs and hairpieces. A fleet of vintage automobiles must be secured. The list of challenges and demands goes on and on. Through all this anticipated hard work, Frank wanted to create a familial feel on the set. In addition to those familiar faces from his high school days, Frank also brought back several professionals (in both the cast and the crew) from his previous projects. Like actors James Whitmore (the “institutionalized” inmate, Brooks Hatlen, in “The Shawshank Redemption”), Jeffrey DeMunn (one of Hanks’ deputy guards in “The Green Mile” and the prosecuting attorney in the opening of “Shawshank”) and Brent Briscoe (guard Bill Dodge from “The Green Mile”). Among the crew, Frank sought out the same camera team from “The Green Mile” -- d.p. Tattersall, operator David Emmerichs, focus pullers Heather Page and Todd McMullen and camera assistant Chuck Katz. Propmaster Maureen Farley (and assistant Merdyce McClaran) returned from their tour of “The Green Mile.” As did wardrobe supervisor Heather Pain, video supervisor Scott Crabbe, production coordinator Ellen Dunn, visual effects wizard Charlie Gibson, stills photographer Ralph Nelson, and myself. Once Frank assembled his filmmaking family (with the help of executive producer/production manager Jim Behnke, a colleague from an upcoming feature that Frank executive-produced, “The Salton Sea”), pre-production steamed ahead beginning last fall, when location manager Rory Enke (one of the doyens of northern California location scouts) approached the community of Ferndale to ascertain their interest and permission in hosting a movie crew for several months. Once approved, the construction of several sets (commencing in January) preceded the company’s arrival by almost two months. In the meantime, shooting schedules were prepared by assistant director K.C. Colwell and his staff -- 2nd assistant director Paula Harris and 2nd 2nd assistant director Craig Comstock. The script called for a couple of pre-production days to shoot what we call the “movie-within-the-movie”, the screenplay written by Jim Carrey’s character entitled “Sand Pirates of the Sahara”. The threat of industry strikes by two significant unions, the Writers Guild and the Screen Actors Guild, dictated the production’s start-date. With one guild potentially walking out in early May (writers) and the actors possibly following in late June, Behnke and his staff set out to insure that they could complete the film before the imposed June 30 deadline. They also had to complete the two-day shoot for “Sand Pirates of the Sahara” before the March start of “principal photography”. They needed edited footage from “Sand Pirates” by the production’s second week (mid-March), for the opening scenes of Carrey’s screenwriter attending a showing of his new movie at the famous Chinese Theater in Hollywood. They also had to cast four principal roles for the black-and-white movie -- the hero (Bruce Campbell), the heroine (Amanda Detmer), the father (writer Michael Sloane) and the villain (Cliff Curtis). While preparation continued for “Sand Pirates” (which required specific wardrobe essentials and an entire soundstage set alone, an ancient Egyptian tomb built at The Lot’s Stage 4), the rest of the staff went on with their respective tasks to meet the March 5 start for “The Majestic.” I joined the production just a week prior to the official March 5 first day, so I did not witness any of the “Sand Pirates” filming (you can log onto Harry Knowles’ website, “Ain’t It Cool News,” for info -- www.aint-it-cool-news.com). However, having seen the completed footage, writer Sloane could probably develop an entire feature reminiscent of those B- movie swashbucklers from five or six decades ago. It’s that much fun! But, the real fun was about to begin. So, without further ado, let’s roll cameras, mark the clapper board, and start the “Action!”. |
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