geoff shotz

hey b.j.- surf's up, biznatch.

geoff

ooohhhh...steadi vomit, hot chicks, romantic sunset with all the other operators, i'm in. outside deck it is. if we are there early enough, maybe i'll give b.j. his first kiteboarding lesson. we can all sit on the deck and tip our drinks to him as he gets dragged downwind accross the rocks. hot chicks love wounds. all who say we sacrifice b.j. to neptune to attract the hot chicks, say aye.

geoff

there's gotta be a good joke about blythe blowing jim's unit here somewhere. somebody stop me. i'll be in long beach this weekend jim, you around?

geoff

count me in for a year and a half. can't work enough so support that habit. should we start a support group?

geoff

just finished a full feature with the viper yesterday. i'll post a full review when i feel a little less sleep deprived. if you need some immediate feedback, contact me off forum. where will you be renting the camera from? which rig are you flying?

geoff

well, sort of erwin. sadly, it was a very similar situation. during medical investigation, my best friend passed away due to cancer. my shaved head/mohawk was a big screw you to cancer as well as a reminder that life can't be taken to seriously. funny how a lot of people really understood the meaning and supported my statement. kris, please wish my best to your friend on the show. my heart is with her. as for you guys, wear your mohawks proud. it's a statement of power and a feeling of empowerment that is quite liberating. when the native americans said "it's a good day to die" they were trying to remind themselves to live each day fully, so that come what may, you'd never regret missed moments or feel life was wasted. the haircut was merely an outward sign, the rest was the internal philosophy of living life fully.

geoff

hey guys- i'm gonna throw my opinion in here, too. when i saw erwin's prototype for this cart i saw the need immediately. we waited for months for backstage to actually get them done, but it was totally worth the wait. when your whole kit becomes as streamlined as this cart makes it, you just wind up with more time to do what you are there to do- operate. i find my assistants happier and more available now that one cart moves the whole kit, stand and all, in one trip. at night they just strap my rig in the truck and it's all safe with no extra work. in the morning you just roll the cart off and throw the camera on. there is no worrying about is my rig safe on the shelf, do i lay the stand down on my cart, or anything else. everyone is happier and you have more time for your job. i never thought that a cart would do all that, but it does. it is well worth spending the extra money to have that security. hope this helps.

geoff

ron- been so busy feeding my family that i haven't had time to respond. i think those dates work perfectly for me. count me in. my only question is, if b.j. isn't there, who's gonna play the female parts in the campfire plays? jim has a beard, tom's too tall, you organized the trip, anthony's too good with a knife. that leaves....me?!?! damn. maybe i can pay b.j.'s rent instead. talk to you when i return from spokane.

geoff

jason- the boom sucks. as erwin said, the arm is flexy. add on top of that, the boom controls don't feather all that well. when possible, make the moves as simple as possible if you are on a long lens. we're using one and i'm all over my dolly grip on the show i'm on. he is not subtle as it is and this dolly really makes him look bad. if you have the ability to get a 10, get that instead. if space is an issue, this dolly is tiny and fits nicely in small areas. good luck.

geoff

erick- all the above is great advice, but the best is just remember to smile. you've got the job everyone else thinks is the coolest on set. and don't beat yourself up about small things. in the beginning, try to get past the gear and stay present and focused for the shot. every other dept. can blow takes or need another. you are no exception. about this movie, is it directed by petter naess or shot by svein krovel? if so, let me know. i'd love to send them a big hello. good luck.

geoff

sorry boys, been a few days since i last updated you on this situation. it got stranger. upon my arrival home monday night, the show was canada bound. by tuesday morning, the canadian unions had issued a no work order to all members and stood by u.s. iatse. way to go boys, we appreciate it. the film and all equipment that was in transit, were turned around for spokane. i received a call tuesday afternoon saying the film was back on, it would work under a full scale feature contract, and i had first right of refusal on my job. so, aftera call to the wife, i was on my way back to spokane. to answer michaels question, sam jackson can not strike a movie due to sag rules, but he supported us. he had also built an escape clause into his contract. he was signed to do the movie with his own hair, makeup, and wardrobe. if they could not work, he was able to no show. well, they are all union folk and walked out with the rest of us. sam's words when he heard of the whole isssue were, "can some one bring me a blanket? i"m gonna take a nap until you guys work this out. whenever that is. don't ask me to work until then." he rocked. we've been back at work for three days and everyone is over the issues and just back to making a movie. the hardest part is figuring out what the hell is happening with all the back per diem and rates and travel days. everyone is receiving checks for random things and sums. but we are all working again. so, in the end, i would really like to thank all my canadian brothers and sisters for standing up with us and showing support in a strange situation. ya'll really helped change the direction of the outcome. my hat is off to you.

geoff

ben- let me top your picture by telling you about shooting at a japanese girls boarding school on this movie i'm on. well, 50cent comes out in the open and 250-300 girls appear, each with a camera around their neck and struggling for an autograph or picture. scared the hell out of me. sure was a scene though. thankfully, i don't have yellow fever. really threw one of my a.c.s though.

geoff

oh, sorry boys, i was wrong. they aren't scrapping the movie, they're moving it to vancouver. all the viper equipment and accessories are already on their way. still sorting out all the details of who, what, where, and how, but it feelslike there are 5 sides to the story and every one of them is actually true. i'll post more on this one later.

geoff

brad- i know what you mean. i know better than to believe their lies. but, i took the job for the d.p. and the director. this one is worse than imaginable. they have failed to reach an agreement and i am on my way home tomorrow. millenium and nxnw are the problem. irwin winkler and his producer, rob cohen, have been nothing but upstanding gentlemen. irwin even tried to pay the difference out of pocket, but a medium could not be found. now my problem will be getting paid for my expenses and my rate/rental, all of which i have in writing. we'll see how far that gets me. they have decided to scrap the project and take the loss instead of finishing(they being millenium and nxnw).

alec- believe me, i know that union movies can be done for less than $3mil. i completely get that. the problem here is that no one locally thinks that they would benefit from being in a union or really worries about how hard they are being screwed on benefits. the local company even went so far as to offer to pay all exissting union members scale and keep their workers at the local rates. that is illegal . and to further that, we came to find out some of those flat rates that the locals have been working for work out to below state minimum wage. honestly, they are not professional film folk and just like the extra income. sadly, they do not see how badly they are being taken. they are weekend workers and it shows. i seem to have become an expert on the area, unfortunately. i think they would benefit greatly, but they do not want to bite the hand that feeds.

i will keep you all appraised of the situation as it further unfolds.

geoff

the show is indeed non-union. i made a deal with a local production company in spokane who i have worked for a few times over the last 5 years. they sub out jobs for larger companies. they are a little slimy, but if you know that going in, you can deal with it. (an example being, i cut a deal with them for this job and a day or so before i travel, the upm calls me and says that they are lowering my agrred upon rate by 20%. it took some work, but we worked it out. just extra stress that is unnecessary.) i took this job because the director is irwin winkler, the d.p. is tony pierce-roberts, the lead actors are samuel l. jackson, 50 cent, christina ricci, & jessica biel, and we are shooting 2.35 on a viper. the admitted budget is $12mil.. this is not a small picture. well, they failed to tell me that the mother company is millenium pictures, avi lerners company. the union and avi are old rivals. there is much animosity on both sides. the union was already here when i showed up and they were rearing to go. they called a lunchtime walk out/work stoppage yesterday, 4 days into local production. now while they were "negotiating", the local company, north by northwest, was busy rounding up a new crew to replace us. they wanted people to fly last night. many of the people that they called were our friends in l.a.. these friends immediately called us and told us what was occurring and that nxnw was not notifying them that there was a labor strike in effect. in my opinion, unionizing the local company is a bad idea. there is not enough of a market to support them doing so as most of their projects are in the $3mil and under range. but they are dealing with us very poorly. leaving us in the dark or starting false rumors among us or literally outright lying to us (and getting caught, which is amusing). on the other hand, i think the walkout and negotiation was handled mediocre at best by the union. the ideals are correct, the performance poor. we are feeling a bit like pawns at the moment, unhappy with both sides. a no win situation, it feels. going home seems the best alternative sadly. since i am the one who makes/agrees to my deals, i live and die by my deals. this job can't seem to live by it's deal on any side. hope that provides some insight.

g.

we are getting responses from a.c.'s asking us why they are getting calls, but we haven't heard from any operators. any of you out there getting calls?

geoff

hey all- i'm just giving out a heads up regarding the movie i'm on in spokane. the union has come in and set up a picket line and work stoppage due to "unfair labor practices". they are trying to turn this show and may get it done. the problem is that the production company, north by northwest, is calling around to find another crew and not telling anyone what the situation is. if you receive a call regarding a movie called "home of the brave" starring sam jackson please let me know. also, please let them know that you are aware of the situation and are not willing to cross a picket line. i can be reached at 310: 880 2233 at any time. thanks.

geoff

matt- looks like they are gonna want the tether, much to my chagrin. but, they are promising a really thin cable to run from my vest tothe camera. we'll see. anyways, for ten minutes of record time, those venom backs sound a little much. oh, and did i mention that the job is shooting in 2.40:1. what fun.

thanks to both of you for the info. i'll read it tonight and see how much i can learn without actually having the camera in hand.

gentlemen- just wondering if anyone has any experience flying the viper? i'm gonna check it out before this upcoming job, but first hand knowledge would be preferable. any tales from you lads? thanks.

geoff

oh... the red lion. hope no one plans on driving home after drinking their beer. strong to say the least. and the best schnitzel and wurst in town. good choice. good lingerie store next door too in case any of the married guys need to go home with a get out of jail card. just thought i'd throw that out there.

geoff

dude, that looks so much better on the imax screen than in real life. where do you put your balls when you climb like that? do they go in your backpack? do they fit in a backpack when they are that big? just wondering.

geoff

well done. i think it is a brilliantly done web idea. hope it becomes as useful as it seems. also hope there's no problems from the manufacturers themselves.

geoff

ugly strippers, and uglier transvestites across the street at the great late night thai place. jumbo's sounds great ron. not sure alecs' wife and her friends would like that though. although my wife would probably want to come along then. hmmm.

geoff

alec- i'm on hiatus next week and would love to join in. if you need a good bar rec. let me know.

geoff

eric- from experience, the modulus will work with a pal signal in and transmit it just a little bit off channel, but definitely usable. i used one in asia for over six months with a transvideo receiver. it took 4 receivers to find the one that worked the best, but it worked for the six months i was working there. and as i recall, just cheap handheld tv's and basic tuners worked even better.

geoff