I couldn't believe I was feeling sick again and was nutty enough to get back on the LIRR. Why? Again...I paid therefore I go.
I arrived at 8:20 am to find nobody was there. I sat. The guard who had been checking us in (and out and in again) each day made me a cup of tea. Aw! I was getting nervous that I had missed some directions or something when it was 8:40 and I was still the only yahoo sitting there. And then the elevator opened and out came six of the group. They had been at a door that was not open on the weekend and waited around to figure out what to do. Ah......feeeling better that my comrads were back.
This day brought about more lectures and the second assignment. This time we had to find a character for our 20 minutes of taping that should narrow down to that one-minute piece. We were dismissed at 12:00 to go find our story and had until 5:00 to return. I headed for Bryant Park. This way I wouldn't have to have a location release signed, wouldn't have to ask them to turn down the music, and wouldn't worry about people coming in or out of a business and interrupting that establishment. I walked around in the frigid temps for a little and saw a guy with a HUGE backpack and guitar sitting there playing. Sweet! Here's my character. He was with another man and they were chatting. So I interrupted and introduced myself and said I was a film student in need of a character. His name was Steve and he had arrived in the city for the first time the night before. I asked him where had he come from and he said "Around". I asked him where he was staying and he replied that he was staying with some guy he met on the internet. How long would he be in NYC? However long he felt like staying. Where was he going next? VT. Why? To see what's there.
He smelled. And he kept playing songs he learned three months earlier while in Columbia. He had picked up a guitar for the first time four months ago. And, I could tape all of this if I let his 'new friend Dominick' be in it as well. Dominick was a homeless man whom he had just met and they were talking about music and the govt. Don't ask.
In 45 minutes time, I had 17 minutes worth of footage. Good footage. I was beyond thrilled. And I took it back to the class. And showed it to the instructors. Who said "You shot the whole thing in night vision."
Huh?
I had shot the whole thing that way and there was no way to salvage it. None. Nope. DRAT!
I went back to the park but the vagabond was gone. Now what? I walked down to 37th and 8th from Bryant. I went in a dance studio. Nope. I walked up the blocks. I tried a dry cleaner. Nope. A tailor. No there either. A florist. NO!
So I got an idea and walked to Central Park. The carousel! I was so happy with my idea and felt a bit better at 1:30. I was almsot there when I ran into a girl from class who is from NC and she was ready to cry. She had been all over, including the carousel, and was rejected. So we teamed up and began to brainstorm. We tried the boat basin on 5th & 72nd. Nothing. Looked for people painting in the park. Not one. We were ready to cry. Then we came upon the sketch artists at 59th and 5th. I asked one if I could film him and he didn't speak english. UGH! So I held up the camera to him and he smiled and nodded. It took me 10 minutes to get 6 1/2 of footage. But that was it. NC followed a sanitation worker and got 5 1/2 minutes of stuff. But she had dialogue because her guy spoke English. I needed dialogue. And wouldn't get it.
We were starving, as it was 2:45 and I hadn't eaten all day. So we grabbed a bite and vented for a half hour and then it was on to Times Square to see if I could film one of those guys who hands out the fliers for the comedy clubs. I got one to say yes but it was impossible to follow him. I'd get him going in and out of frame and then I'd get 80 people crashing through one way and 40 the other. Not a good idea. Oh well.
I was left at 4:40 to go back with NC and my measly 6 1/2 minutes of film. What was a gal to do?
We uploaded and edited until 7:30 and then it was time to call it quits. I had to pray that I'd stay awake long enough on the train so I'd remember to get off at my station. I also had to wait until I got home to cry so that I wouldn't have a complete breakdown on the transit line. Not an easy task.
Three down ~~ one to go.
