TECHNICAL SCOUT; May 30, 1996

The department heads check out the locations before shooting commences.

6:30 am and we're off to Fletcher's house for a technical scout. I've loaded the vans up with soft drinks, chips and fruit and trying to keep my eyes open at this unusual hour. I hope that Hall and Pat are not still in bed like I guess most of the neighbourhood is. Last night I got home at about 10:30pm, and for the first time in a couple of weeks, picked up my guitar. I really do get frustrated not being able to take five minutes to do what usually I spend my whole days doing: writing tunes. It's all part of the journey.

I also tried to call Australia last night. I heard along the grapevine that the band I started five years ago and had performed over 650 shows with over that time has had a name change -- from Harlem Shuffle to Shuffle Kings -- and that I'm no longer a part of the band I started. A great shock that I'm having trouble getting my head around. There's not much I can do about it being so far away from home. It's a lesson I'd thought I'd learn in America, not Australia, and not from a friend. I guess it is someone else's way of saying that it's the right time to move on.

The time is now 7:40am and the production heads are all standing around in the ivy outside of the Hammonds' house. The grips have just been advised by Jim, and Marshall, that the house has had one family owner in the past 100 years and that "the light in the basement can be seen through the lounge room floorboards." In other words, all care must be taken with camera equipment, etc., being set up and moved around the house.

Scattered through the garden are piles of rock formations that have been built by the art department during the past week. Inside the house there is a lot of work going on in preparation for the start of filming. A fake wall has been built and secured to look like the original wall behind the grand piano. A montage of women's faces have been cut out from magazines and stuck to the fake wall. The eccentric Fletcher, in the script, cuts out these faces in an attempt to find the girl that he shall fall in love with.

The last time I saw some of these cut out faces was last week at the warehouse. I'd been given the job of going over first thing in the morning and cutting out faces from old magazines. Not a drama except for the fact that I'd had a big night the night before. It was all to much hard work and when someone arrived to pick me up I was in a coma position spelling the word "zebra" many times but never getting past the first letter.

Byron, the sound engineer, has just finished telling me how it shall be as steamy as hell under the canopy of trees over the ivy garden where we shall be filming. A plane flies overhead and a tape measure is passed to me to walk 25ft away, while John Thomas (DP) holds the other end. Must be measuring some camera distance.

The fake wall is carried past by Michael K. and his set crew. The Director explains to Maria (First AD) about how he wants to shoot a scene. Marshall chews on a banana and holds the mobile phone that seems to be grafted to her hand and ear. We are now in the sleeping lounge, or patio, area. "This is scene 101," calls Maria.

Quotes from the Director:

"This is going to be wonderful from out here."
"Roz comes in from the party and hides out."
"The script was written for this house. I came here twelve years ago and wrote the script with this house in mind."
"The owners of the house have said they love this movie and will do anything they can to help."

The scene being discussed at the moment is the garden party scene. "Any questions about the party scene?" calls Maria.

John East, the Transport Captain, just came over and asked if I was writing to my mother. I asked if he would like to do so and he did just that. John and I hit it off pretty well straight away. John, a man of about 50, is a real character who was once on the police force until one day a movie came to town. I shall send his letter off to my mother.

"Continuing on this way, to the driveway," we walk on like a herd of cows to discuss the next scene.

In the garden is a tree that has seen many summers. From it hangs a swing which I contemplate making use of. I'll hand out a round of drinks and food before doing so.

TECH SCOUT - ROZ'S APARTMENT

It has just been explained that the city we are now in is not real keen on any movies being made in the area so we'll be walking on egg shells.

Jim Robinson explains a love scene that shall take place between the two leading characters, Fletcher and Roz. The Director's wife, Denise, who is the Production Designer, wonders aloud where her husband got any ideas about romance from. Laughter... and then back to the air of concentration.

"Into the kitchen," calls Maria.

SAME DAY-- LUNCH AT "THE LIBERTY."

I am now seated in a restaurant whose floorboards lean on many angles. We had some wicked entree ["appetizer" for use Yanks --Webmaster] made from caramel sauce like gravy with cheese in the middle of it. Good for the old cholesterol. [It's a thick piece of toast, covered in caramel sauce, on which the consumer spreads a jalapeno cream cheese spread. I can tell you from experience, it's a beautiful and deadly thing. --Webmaster.]

That reminds me: I'd better write to the Doc back in Australia and let him know how I'm happily killing myself with this Texan food.

Sitting next to me is a wily looking man named Wells. He informs me that he resides in Nashville and usually spends his time shooting music videos for country artists. What's the Go with the Big Mo. Reminds me of a character out of a Wyatt Earp film. Seems friendly enough. He is the Grip. I'm not real sure what that means at the moment, but I'm sure over time I'll find out. A great meal at this Leaning Restaurant of Texas. John East explains the art of fishing.