Filming Begins!
(April/June)
April 24th 2002 - Even though the weather forecast called for rain (which came later that evening) the morning of filming started out beautiful. A perfect day to start our a film. A good omen? Well, we hope. After I applied a slight 'beat up' make-up to our lead Angel & with a dab of fake sweat here & there the scene was ready to be shot. Well that is after all the lights & sound equipment was set. Unfortunately on this day we didn't have access to the video assist or a crane. The filming started around 10am, an hour & a half late. Slowly & somewhat bumpy as the camera film jammed on the first shot, but soon everything was zooming along. The shoot was completely finished by 3pm. Below are a few video captures of the days work.
April 25th 2002 - Receive a call on my answering machine from Tadeo telling me we're going to have to change the ending a little bit. Hmmmmm?
June 20th 2002 - I receive a call from Tadeo at my work & he tells me that the shooting might be off! This due to the damn college he attends not letting him use the camera he wants to shoot the film with - the Aaton-Minima Super16mm camera. This camera would really help out the production due to the fact that it's so small & lightweight. Tadeo tells me that we're going to have to use the basic Airriflex camera instead. Our second day of shooting begins tomorrow.
June 20th 2002 - Today we filmed the scene between Isaac & Angel in Angel's Apartment. From what I understand everything went great - I say this because I was unable to attend this filming due to some unforeseen circumstances. Another scene that was going to be shot later that night was 'The Big' scene. But due to atmospheric conditions of the warmth in the air the shot wouldn't look that good. I really don't understand that but I'm sure Tadeo & DP Chris know what their doing. We continue tomorrow with the 'Isaac & his mother fight scene'.
June 21th 2002 - The first official day of summer & we were rolling again. Nothing like sweating our butts off in the hot sun & under extremely hot lights! Whew! Filming again went along great, our crew really has their act together. Especially Chris who likes to move everything along as swiftly as possible. Today is a tough scene to film for our actors, one with a lot of emotion & anger. Isaac, played by Anthony Sancho has a heated argument with his mom played by Carmen Cenko, & ends up leaving home. All this is played out in front of Isaac's little brother Andy played by 9 year old actor Jonathan Rodriguez. Truly some gifted actors we have here & after about two takes we had it in the can. We actually shot the exterior scenes first showing Isaac driving off leaving his mother crying on the doorstep. Yours truly has loaned my automobile over to the production to stand in for Isaac's car. True it may look like a gang banger's car, & I didn't mind, but I was getting a little worried hearing Anthony squeal away in it about 6 times just so we could get the shot right. After production, Tadeo may need to supply me with some new tires. Again, apart from the hot temperatures (a complete change from the frigid temps while shooting the original 'Broken Warning') the shoot went along great & we finished before scheduled. Below are some video captures of the day.
June 22th 2002 - Saturday, and fortunately because shooting went so well on Friday we all have a day off. My buddies Perry, Doc & I head out to Pepe's for some Long Islands & a hearty meal. I also bring along a video copy of all the video I've shot during the film shoot so far for Tadeo. During our conversation I finally convince Perry to let us use his gun for the film. It will be shot at Isaac & Angel in the opening action scene of the film. Of course we will be using blanks & Perry & I make arrangements to head over to the local gun shop this weekend to get some. Once I get home I take another look at the schedule that Tadeo set up for this production. Suddenly I become aware that most of the shooting dates are on days that I'm at work. This is going to cause a problem. Not so much for just attending the shoots & documenting them on video for a nice little documentary, but because now that we are using my car for Isaac's I have to be there. Another thing I noticed is that one of our biggest shooting days that includes the shooting of a real gun & a chase through my mom's neighborhood is set on a weekday. Not only do I have to be there to help out with the crew going in & out of my mom's house, but Perry who is supplying us with his hang gun for the film will also not be able to take off work. Ah, to be a student & have the summer off - no such luck when your a working man trying to pay the bills. I immediately email Tadeo to make him aware of this situation & to tell him to rearrange the shooting schedule.
June 23rd 2002 - I receive in the mail a CDR from our composer Gregory Martin who lives in Los Angeles. He will be composing the score for Downlow & has composed our earlier film Broken Warning. This CD contains musical themes he's come up with so we can hear what he's been working on. Apart from some other tracks for some future projects we may be working on ('My Project' & 'Pumpkinseeds'), he's included three cuts for 'Downlow'. These include both a simple & an orchestra version of a Love Theme & a bit of music for when Isaac's in the church. They all sound great.
June 24th 2002 - I call Tadeo to see if he received my email about not being able to be at all the shoots. We have a lengthy conversation to try & come to some sort of arrangement. Now that my car was already shot in the film last Friday, we need to keep it for continuity purposes. Tadeo explains to me that the reason the shooting scheduled was made out the way it was (instead of only on the weekends) was because the crew would eventually get board with the production & start dropping off to enjoy their own summer activities. This may be, but I stress to Tadeo to rearrange certain days that have to include me (The days with my car, The day at my mom's, & the day the gang beat up Angel so I can supply the gore make-up). Tadeo, pulling his hair out agrees & tells me he'll try to work something out.
By the way - The next day to shoot is Wednesday night, June 26th. I will be at work. This again is a big filming day. It is of the big gang party on the Forth of July & Isaac arriving there. This was written to take place in an apartment building with a long stairway loaded with gang bangers partying heavily. Now it will be shot at a house belonging to a relative of Tadeo. My car will not be there & I do hope there will be a lot of extras enjoying the party & fireworks. I only hope.
NOTE: From this point on I am not sure what will or will not appear here in the Downlow Diary during production. I will however keep all of you updated on what I can find out as to how shooting is going, & supply anything I can when I'm actually there on the set. Only time will tell. Till the next time...
June 25th 2002 - I call Tadeo from work to see how things are going. He tells me that all is set for tomorrows shooting. He has picked up some fireworks for the party in the film. He also has picked up a few prop guns for viewing purposes in the film, non firing of coarse, but good enough to look real in the film. I tell him that I will be there right after work, around 11pm, & that he should rescheduled the shots where Isaak arrives at the party to that time. That way he can still use my car. Cool - But now we need some more extras. I tell Tadeo I'll see what I can do. On the way home this night I stop by a few places I frequent (food establishments & a local liquor store) & put the word out that extras are needed for an independent film. Everyone I talk to is really interested in being there. Our extras problem may not be a problem after all.
June 26th 2002 - Filming began a little late as the crew waits for the sun to go down. It was set to start around 8pm but the sun now sets around 8:40pm. The scene being shot tonight is where the leader of the gang Reaper, played by Donato Cruz escorts Angel to the basement during the party for the final confrontation. A most important scene indeed. I promptly leave work at 9:45pm & speed to the location. Filming is well in progress as I arrive & I check to see if all is going well. Unfortunately none of my extras showed up, but from the looks of things when I got there Tadeo seemed to have everything under control. The yard was littered with bad ass gang lookin' dudes. Shooting continues for the next two hours as a huge lightening storm approaches. Because of this we have to rap up early & set to shoot the shots where Isaac arrives at the party (in my car) tomorrow after the Church scenes. Sounds good to me. After the shoot I ask Tadeo if all went well & if he was sure he got enough footage. He agrees & we break up ready for tomorrows big day.
June 27th 2002 - The crew & cast arrive at the church location late in the morning & we quickly prepare for the setups of the day. This is the scene where Isaac decides to stop by a nearby church to seek some help on the situations going on in his life. The first shots of the day were of Isaac inside the confessional booth speaking with the church's priest. The priest is played by SAG actor Phil Camacho who has appeared in various stage, television & movie productions. After the lights were set & our sound tech Dan Shiller called ready the scene was on it's way to the exposure of celluloid magic. The sincere, quiet, & touching scene in the center of this tightrope drama played out to perfection. Again thanks to our extremely talented actors. Once that was completed we continued on to the shots of Isaac entering the church. Some beautiful photography was filmed here by Chris. Once we finished for the day I found out that tonight's pickup shots of Isaac arriving at Reaper's party were postponed due to some other business that Chris had to attend to. It was quickly rescheduled & we wrapped for the day. Tomorrow Chris & Tadeo are going to cruse various city locations to capture some life on the streets to give our film some life of it's own. I will not attend but will be updating here as soon as I hear how it all went.
June30th 2002 - The intense scene where Isaac meets Reaper in the playground is shot today, but unfortunately I am not there because of my damn job! Later in the day I hear that everything went great from Tadeo, & that tomorrow they will be shooting the grocery store/bigot scene, & the initiation of Angel into the gang. Again, I will not be able to attend. I'm sure Tadeo will do his best as always.
On to
Copyright ©2002 Roger B. Domian