TECHNICAL SCOUT; May 29, 1996

The time is 7:30 am and I am on a technical scout. I am seated in the van next to Leighton (Locations Manager) and Byron (Sound Engineer). We arrive at the Babylon Grill which is to be the scene for the coffee house. The other van arrives and Jim Robinson tells the production heads about the scene.

Marshall (Producer) was awake until 5am this morning, to finish a budget, and so is walking around in a different world. As set PA I am responsible for making sure that all the production heads have got drinks and food while we cruise from location to location.

Inside the Babylon Grill now, and conversation is rife. John Thomas (Director of Photography) has now taken the floor and is requesting that some spotlights be hired. Byron looks over and gives me the big thumbs up. I think he and I will get on real well.

I'm in real need of a plate of vegetables. In Texas, Mexican food is common, and I'm right into a burrito or two... but somewhere you have to get some veggies into you.

John Thomas walks by and playfully kicks my leg on the way through. I've worn my cowboy boots for the past month since arriving in America and they are starting to wear through. On the first day that John arrived in San Antonio I drove him from lunch at the leaning Liberty restaurant to the Emily Morgan hotel. He seemed real quiet at first but over the past week his good nature and sense of humour has shown through. I like the guy.

"Into the bathroom," points Maria the Assistant Director, and the crew-heads pile into "the heads" to check out what they need to know about the location for filming.

Max Day, the Second AD, walks towards me but then thinks of something else to do and turns around and walks away. I pass out some drinks as the heat of the day starts to rise.

Back in the air conditioned van, and we are off to the scene where Paulo Seganti's character, Tomas, gets ripped off at an art gallery. The scene is actually set in L.A but shall be filmed here in San Antonio. So far, today seems like it shall be a pretty cruisy day. It's good to be able to see the sets that I imagined while reading the script.

It's now down to the San Antonio river. All the crew are warned of the chance of being bitten by fire ants. If bitten by a fire ant apparently you get a pus filled sting that can sometimes take 3 to 6 months to heal. Nobody leans against any trees. After discussing the scene, Jim advises every one that it is essential that the crew wears sun screen and hats at this location. The missions, here and at the Alamo will be hot days' filming.