A logistic Nightmare!

So both Robert and I at the time lived in LA, working full time.  But we also had the green light to start on EXAMEN.  Both of us being on the scale of perfectionist, I’ll admit I’m more of one than he is, meant we picked apart Emmaus in prep for EXAMEN. Admittedly these were very technical issues and probably unnoticeable to most.  I’m talking about the density of the fall off of a chin shadow, specific. 

One of the big things we wanted to move away from was a rotating set.  The studio portraits for Emmaus had 1 backdrop that we would rotate in and out certain lights and props to complete all 3 looks.  This was not only inefficient in the long term but it was inconsistent.  So we decided to move to 3 complete sets.  Which meant three complete sets of lights.  3 backdrops.  You get the picture.  

The kicker is coordinating this 2000+ miles away.  Our first week of principal photography was the first week of January, days after one of the coldest recorded snow storms hit Chicago.  We would bring ½ of the gear, rent about 30% and leave the rest there.  That meant, Robert and I were taking 8-12 100 pound suitcases on the plane each way.  I don’t know who gave us more death glares - the American Airlines ticket agents or the people in line behind us.  We’d board the plane at 12pm or 1am and arrive in Chicago at 6 or 7 in the morning.  We had hand painted backdrops being shipped in from Russia, picking up about $40k worth of rental gear, and purchased various items from 10 other companies.  I guess we had some pretty deep faith in our countries mail system.  We really didn't have a choice.  

Because we were entrusted with the creative freedom we asked for, we went all in.  We got a fake wooden floor, a table, various other props so we could push ourselves to the limits.  When I said that we took up ⅓ of their dinning room - I wasn’t kidding.  Now imagine a room that can hold 60 men at round tables… that’s a massive room.  

It took months to plan and prepare the logistics just for the equipment, but the largest logistical hurdle was yet to come.  Shooting all of our studio work in chunks, we needed the guys to be fill very specific time slots.  And as they would always joke to me “Its more impressive that you got 40 Jesuits in the same room to do anything except eat or mass… and that still sometimes doesn't happen!”

Flexibility is usually not a strong suit of a perfectionist but working with 40+ schedules gives you no choice but to be flexible.  And scheduling so far out in advance also meant the joys of last minute issues, travels, illness, etc.  

Thank God for spreadsheets, Priority boarding, Hand warmers, and how close the kitchen was to set.