Location Scouting: It Doesn't Have to End with Bullets

The first scene that is looking to be shot is the opening with Caleum seeing Abby for the last time in her hospital room. Since OotGG's budget is roughly $1, renting a hospital is out of the question.

"How are we going to get the look we need?" You ask.

Well, this is where the magic of being polite and asking come in. I recently got to meet with the head of the Coral Desert Rehabilitation center, Tony Wrigley. He was nice enough to give me a tour of his facility and let our crew film there when need be.

This is where all my dreams will come true. Or die.

In the scene, Caleum enters the hospital and walks down a hallway. He is stopped by a man, Paul, who he has a small chat with. After he is finished he enters Abby's room. After they have their scene, Caleum returns home. Later that night, Caleum gets a call from the hospital informing him of Abby's passing. Caleum returns to have a doctor tell him the news. Caleum is in Abby's room, her possessions in a bag and her bed stripped. He is clutching her rosary and is left alone with no family.

Tony opened up the building to us. He started by asking what the scene was going to play out like. I gave him a quick rundown and after he got over his depression of the sadness of the scene, he had some ideas of where we could shoot. 

*NOTE* ALWAYS bring a camera with you. This is so you can show your crew about the space you will be shooting in and to help you visualize your scene. Also, if you are story boarding these pictures can help your artist create custom story boards that fit exactly your scene.

Here are the areas that I believe would fit perfectly for our scene:

This is one hallway that Tony showed us. It is carpeted with artwork hanging on the walls. The coloring is very warm and almost comforting. The lighting is a very soothing color. Almost looks like a home. Looks great. Only problem being that patients are housed here and we couldn't use the entire hallway. Tony was courteous enough to block off a section of the hall for us to film in.

Here is the 2nd hallway Tony's facility had:

The complete opposite of the other hallway. Sterile. Clinical. Almost dead. This is a service hallway that the employees use for things as maintenance, dining and laundry. The walls are blank and one color. The lighting is a fluorescent and flat. The bonus to this hallway, after 4PM, it is cleared out. There are no patients to disturb and it is clear of people.

Both hallways have their pros and cons. Shooting in each can change the scene dramatically. In the warm hallway, the scene could have a look of home. This is Caleum's home because Abby is here. The cold hallway has the uncaring, clinical aspect. Someplace our characters don't want to be. I think either will be great to use. I lucked out by having these options.

There is also the rooms we need to shoot. The rooms at Coral Desert come in two sizes; big and small. Tony made no promises on which will we could shoot in as patients are coming and going. Hopefully a big room will be open, but that may not happen. Either way, I'm stoked that we can even get into a place like this.

Small room.

Big room. 

I personally like the smaller room because it has that cozier feel, but I need to remember that getting gear in there would be a pain. Both rooms are great though and I would not hate either one.

Here is a desk in which Caleum can greet a nurse. Nothing fancy, but it adds that little bit more.

So that was our magical trip into scouting this location. I learned a lot and got a better feel for the space and the scene. A huge shout out to Tony and Coral Desert Rehabilitation center for allowing us to film in their location. All it takes is asking. The worse they will say is no. Most people are interesting in film making and would love to help out. We will probably knock the scene out within the next two weeks as I am going to give Tony a weeks notice so he can prepare everything.

Location Scouting Blues: When Things Go Wrong

One of the main aspects of OotGG is the bare knuckle fighting. I needed a location for an underground bare-knuckle boxing match which needed a setting to match how bad ass it was. Luckily, Ben Bank's pop owns a gravel pit. The idea of shooting in a gravel pit had me watering at the mouth. Benny told me to meet him at the Costco that Saturday and he would drive us out there.

Saturday rolls around and about 11 in the AM, I meet up with him. We hop in his jeep and away we drive towards the gravel pit. The whole time, we are talking about the movie, as Ben Banks is my main actor, and we are both thoroughly pumped. We arrive at the barred off gravel pit entrance. The two of us get out of the jeep, jump the bar, and start exploring. Needless to say, the pit is fantastic. There were so many places that would be great to stage a knock-down-drag-out-fisticuffs session that every Irishman from here to Dublin would be dancing a merry ol' jig.

Actual screen shot from our movie.

After about a half hour of exploring and imaginations fitting to burst, we decide to head out. While walking back, we see a truck racing down the hill towards our general direction. The two of us think nothing of it and keep walking. Soon the giant Ford screeches to a halt in front of us as to cut off our path and, with a thud, steps a man that is basically a dime store knock off Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Get off my lawn.

Ben and I say hello, but are quickly interrupted.

“What the hell are you two doing here?”

Clay Freeze Sven Ashton barks. Ben attempts to talk, but Clay Freeze Sven Ashton keeps barking the same question and promptly informs us that we are trespassing on private property. Benny tells Clay Freeze that we are film students just location scouting and that Ben's step dad owns this here gravel pit and all Clay Freeze needs to do is call him. To bad logic and reasoning only anger Clay Freeze Sven Ashton who than tells us that he can legally shoot us if he wanted.

The joke was on him. We can't read.

Benny again says that his step father owns the gravel pit. Clay Freeze, frenzied by the thought that he may be able to legally kill us, asks Ben which pit is own by Daddy Dearest. Mr. Banks answers that where we have been walking is owned by his pops. A wry smile peeks out from Clay Freeze's mustache as he waves to us and utters a low:

“Goodbye.”

Ben and I look at each other and start walking away. Behind us we can here Clay Freeze Sven Ashton calls Step Dad, gets a voice mail and demands that he call him back to tell him what the hell is going on. I ask Benny if his step father usually employs psychopaths and wannabe wrestlers in which Ben responds with a shrug. 

That is when the gun goes off.

Kind of like this only way less awesome.

We both turn around and see Clay Freeze pointing his .44 magnum at us and fires another round in our general direction. What this raged filled mongoloid does not know is that Ben and I have been shot at before by people scarier than he. The two of us shrug our shoulders and keep walking slowly at our normal pace and let out a chuckle at the idea that Clay Freeze probably has a below average sized wiener. Looking back, insulting a man with a large hand canon was probably not the smartest idea, but who said that Benny and I were ever that smart? Well, our mommas say we're smart, but that is about it. 

The two of us strut back up the hill to the jeep as Clay Freeze Sven Ashton fires the remaining five shots at us. A couple of the bullets even whizzed by us. We finally arrived at the jeep and got in. Up from the pit barrels Clay Freeze's truck who than stops at the gate. While backing out, Clay Freeze points the gun at us the entire time we are leaving. We drove away and went to get lunch. The two of us laughed about the whole ordeal over burritos after wards. Film making sure is fun.

A great cure for PTSD