ok, so first of all…Holy Crap! I can’t believe that I’ve been in NY for a month, and that we start principle photography in 1 week.  

So, now, coming up on the final prep week…I’m torn as to how I want it to go. See, a long held film superstition says that your final prep week goes the opposite of the shoot. So, if the final prep week is calm, the shoot is a disaster…or the other way around. And being, at the core, a fairly superstitious person, I’m not going to deny that there is a part of me hoping that this week is a complete clusterfuck, because then the shoot will go smoothly. 

In the past couple of weeks, as we have brought more and more people on staff, it’s interesting to be reminded about the way people view different positions. What do I mean? Well, in LA, my business partner and I have people who work for us. But the staff is small, and they all know us very well. They also know that the environent is one of collaberation, and everyone’s views are considered. After all, we wouldn’t have hired them if we didn’t think they had something valuable to bring to the table. 

That said, on a film set, all of a sudden, there are legions of people that are, for a limited period of time, on my staff. Some of whom I’ve never met. So it takes some getting used to that people are reluctant to share their ideas for fear of treading on toes. 

Example: we were out on the tech scout, and two of the people (which this was the first day I had met either of them) were talking about the way a scene was blocked after the director explained his vision. One of them had a simple question “why isn’t it like X, instead?” I overheard this, and asked him to show me what he meant. He immediately told me, no, that he was just thinking out loud, and apologized. I insisted he tell me. When he finally did, what he had said was a very good idea, which I brought to the director for consideration. 

Apparently, the guy felt like any suggestions would be stepping on toes, rather than being viewed as a good thing in the realm of collaboration. Now, not that he should have gone to the director with the idea, but I feel like part of what I do is serve as a conduit between people on the production, and it always feels strange to me when people feel like the producers are unapproachable. We should be the people that everyone on the creative side, and everyone on the production side knows are there as problem solvers. After all, every film I do is one that i’ve been living with for at least a year before production, and will live with for at least a couple years after. I want…no…I NEED to make sure there are as few problems as possible, and things go smoothly. 

So, there you go. and yes, if you’re wondering, the guys suggestion was taken by the director. Until we ran into a bigger technical problem that changed everything around anyways.

As a producer, a big part of my job is to say “no”

Talent agents, writers, directors, line producers, lawyers, actors. All focused on getting the magic three letters to come out of my mouth, “yes”. But the word “no” is what they most often hear. 

• “Can my client have a Most Favored Nations deal?” No.
• “Can we shoot for one more day?”  No.
• “Do I have even a modicum of talent, and could ever possibly work consistently in this industry?” No.

Now, by nature, saying no to people doesn’t come easily to me. I’m a bit of a people pleaser, and kind of a pushover. In fact, I find myself with a list half an arm long of political ways to say no, rather than just say it because I have such a hard time with the word. 

• I’m afraid your client’s stature in the industry just doesn’t warrant equal pay and backend.
• An extra day of shooting will mean that we have to drop down in the amount of two camera days we have, and I know that’s a priority for you.
• No. 

Now, I know the first two of those sound like me playing politics with my words. But truly, it’s the difficulty I have with telling people “no” directly that leads me to the phrasing. And as for the third, there are way too many talentless people trying to be in the industry for me to say anything else.

The propensity within me to be a softie who makes everyone happy is why when I get to say yes to something major, it means even more. This week, we made a deal with a relatively unknown actor to be the second lead in the film. It was really one of those rare times where someone walks into a room, and everyone: producers, director, casting director, other cast; just KNEW he was the guy for the role. 

And it really was the best call I’ve gotten to make all week. Closing the deal with his agent, and being able to say emphatically and without reservation, “yes!”