"The Targets" was a feature film my friend Mark had written. Forgive me if I've mentioned this story before.
I was still in school when I was recruited to be the cinematographer for this movie. It had a budget of about $3 million. I had no prospects and was interning at some music video place at the time. I'd finished film school and just lingering when I got a meeting with Mark. I'd met him before on a different set, while I was setting a light. Mark is a movie stuntman. He's done a lot. He brought me on early, since he knew very little about equipment needed to make a movie. In those days, you'd have to put together lists for camera equipment, usually a first assistant camera would do this on your request. But I knew no one, except for film school friends. And they were desperately trying to get their own jobs. This would've been a freebie.
Mark rented an office in Burbank, CA. It was a tiny space upstairs from a bunch of other offices. I often wondered if these people were doing the same thing. Having nowhere else to go, I'd spend hours at that office. Just to feel like I was doing something. Lizette, the production manager was always...she just seemed overwhelmed by everything. Her hair actually turned gray towards the end of it. Well, I recruited my friend to be my gaffer. He was from school and I knew if I at least had one person I knew, it'd be easier. He happened to live on my way to the office, so I'd pick him up in the morning before going to hang with this production at the office. In a strange way, we thought our presence could will the production forward. We'd make lists after lists. Spent days and hours and eventually weeks breaking down the script. Mark, having come from the stuntman world, would never admit he didn't know the process, was a little overwhelmed we spent so much time dissecting the script into a shootable stage.
On the wall were headshots of actors he'd want in the movie. I didn't have an opinion on any of them. Except one. The lead actress and love interest was a mixed race girl, half Mark's age. She was Australian and had a part in "Pearl Harbor." She was definitely beautiful, but...also very inexperienced. I didn't say anything. I didn't have experience. It is what it is.
One day we took a field trip, Mark, me, and Lizette to a studio in West Hollywood. It was a tiny theater in the parking lot shared with a bookstore. We went inside and Mark told me he wanted to introduce me to the director. "Cool" I thought. Even though I thought Mark was going to direct it. He informed me this guy was an acting coach for "Baywatch" or the "Playboy Channel movies." Didn't even realize they made movies. Didn't even realize they needed acting.
When I walked into the theater, it was dark. But I sat down until...a guy about the age of Methuselah walked out. It took effort for him to shake my hand. I panicked. This guy was going to helm an action movie...
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