•WHO SHOULD KEEP AN EYE ON OVERALL COLOR BALANCE AND BRIGHTNESS? MIKE DENNEY?
•CAR SOUND PULL UP: ADD TO VT.
•COLOR SHOTS OF HOLLYWOOD ’50s.
•USE SOFIA PINK CELLOPHANE FOR ARCHIE/CHIARA’S DANCING SCENE.
•RECORD MORE CURTAIN CALLS, FOLLOW THROUGH WITH PAT ON STUDIO JIB.
JUNE 5, 2015
PART ONE
(MAKEUP) Darryl has long hair in nostrils.
SWITCHING—Shot waits, takes too long on Tony getting into Silverfish.
ACTION CUT—Go from TONY BUTTONS, to SHOT OF NY, CU TONY to shot of Hollywood back to DARRYL.
On TONY MCU as he explains modern television “no difference—” and then to
TONY BUTTONS as he talks about his grandfather Vincenzo and then
PKG of Robby PB as we see old views of VINCENT.
CU DARRYL—”So the Corrado family was . . . television itself.”
CU TONY—“one of the thousands who worked on it, standing. . . .”
CUT TO: ROBBY PB, Vincenzo by the machine.
CUT TO: BACK SHOT - TONY & CHIARA JR, “Tell him about Senza Naso.”
CUT TO: DARRYL (leaning forward), “What is Senza Naso?” (as if a scoop).
CU TONY: “Senza Naso is what we call . . .”
MUSIC SOURCE: FADE IN gently, “Caruso recording” setting mood. CUT TO: PHOTO OF SENZA NASO & more photos (before wedding), and we CUT TO CU TONY telling story, says, “best medicine could do.”
BACK ANGLE—TONY & CHIARA—Tony prompts Chiara Jr. to tell story: ‘’Married her himself.”
ACTION TD CUT—As TONY SAYS, “These are all live feeds.”
TONY BUTTONS WITH MANY CLIPS (OF DOCU, NY HARLEM PARADE, CHIARA BUTTONS, POV OF MONITORS/IMAGES)—CU TONY.
CU DARRYL: “Is your grandfather. “LF—CU VINCENZO with bowling pins.
CUT TO TONY: “No my father.” CUT TO: PHOTO* REAL ARCHIE WITH FLUTE (ON WALL), THEN ARCHIE WAITING WITH MIRROR.
WIDE SHOT “FISH” “Little Chiara’s grandmother & namesake” go to: MUSIC UP, ROBBY PB CHIARA typing & V.O. “My name is Chiara. . . .”
MUSIC SOURCE—*Fades up hauntingly.
repeated?
ACTOR—have Darryl wait 6 counts (as Chiara Jr crosses into Silverfish).
(EDIT VT) Possibly tighten Darryl CU for later scenes (when no window).
Pix of (car?) too long.
VT PGK Slower OPTICALS (dissolves, etc) in Italian army story about Rimini.
SOUND Tony’s VO too soft when Vin is praying. Hold on ROBBY PB until Mother-in-law Italian style: MUSIC begins “take out from VO “ta da” So can go to piano downbeat on “Style.”
STAGING—Chair more to her right while holding flowers, then after door slams, rushes to her new position helping with dishes.
CU FILOMENA: “We don’t want any puttane” NEW BRIAN MUSIC on “puttane” parody of whores, & showgirls. (puttane music)
CU Chiara PB ROB VO “Not like my papa’s house.” cut to Vin entrance.
SCENIC (Brent, can we get an old-fashioned picture to hang above where stove is, without disturbing your ax rig but giving more sense of room when we shoot that direction?)
MUSIC on VINCENZO coming to table (La Boheme theme on piano) then FILO: “We only want a boy.” FILO leans in to VIN, “we have enough puttane.” TD go shot for slap just before he slaps her. ACTOR: Vin. Make sound with his hand slapping her, close to her face. ACTION TD CUT from SLAP to WILLY SHOT, as he comes into frame: “Mom’s right,” TD cut to MCS Vin throws bowl at him, “Stupid son I got.” cut to Filo (ACTOR: showing bloody mouth to VIN), “Husband pays good” (when Vin punches Filo, “shut up” should short jab at her) to MS as WILLY jumps across table at Vin, cut to Chiara, INSERT PAIL WITH AX, CUT TO: MCS. Vin takes AX, ready to throw, cut to Chiara, Vin throwing ax, CU Archie, them pulling Willy back just as ax goes into wall, cut to VIN furious, cut to Archie getting Willy down to door, C. ACTOR Vin waits two beats before Archie following (a little to his left) with Vin cursing, & slams door, TD waits two beats, on door, then cut to MS as Vin (hooking right to his seat) comes back toward cowering (ACTOR) Filomena, cut to CU Chiara (ACTOR Alex more to his left over Chiara’s shoulder), cut to MS as Vin sits down. ACTOR Nick too stiff as Vin raps with his glass (new shot, Insert glass rapping on TD’s loop), ACTOR Filo turns her back, thinking “Fill your own glass.” cut to CHIARA, she goes to fill it.
Cut to MS Chiara filling glass as Vin goes on about “my seven little wops and La Stampa.”
Cut to best Vin Shot for “welcome young lady . . .” starts talking about precision and juggles oranges.
ACTOR—cut too early for Archie to pull curtain (does so while Vin is still juggling). Cut to
Chiara seeing boys out there, pulls curtain while sticking tongue out. MUSIC comes up sensually. Her line about “Papa’s house” coming out of boy’s spying. CAMERA (C 2 shot) hold, adjusting only subtly. Be on Chiara CU “How will we live if you don’t play the flute.” Make last jib rise, beautiful and with MUSIC with feeling.
COMMERCIAL BREAK (PART TWO)
ACTOR Archie, be careful that you enter through the Door (wait in place where we don’t see you).
CAMERA pre-frame for Chiara popping up “I hope it’s a girl.” Archie looks up, “a baby.”
For shot with scrapbook use tight MS. ACTOR “but as a flute player” not angry, more sadly, defeated “but as a flute player.” As IF saying, “yeah, but as a water boy.”
TD fast cut to SHOT now tighter CU of Darryl, leaning forward as if to catch a scoop: “What vow?” Fast cut to back angle in “fish” (ACTOR C Jr “A promise to God . . .” etc.) CU Tony, “the vow he made to.”
PB ROBBY—Can Italian flag wipe be more feathered? (PB ROBBY—Can Italian image be colored more GOLD?), Can Vin be placed more down in image of Bernalda streets?
*Can real photo of Carmine (on door) be inserted dissolve right after Vin. “Give me a son,” as new element of PB ROB. then go on with American montage, SOUND PIANO music with FLUTE segueing back and forth until Carnegie Hall image of FLUTE, and (ARCHIE Flute playing on and gently fading to BLACK. PB - ** John change cut of Chiara cooking the way your original had it with pan first then C’ VO and no pre-lap as I had asked for. (new shot ARCHIE’s CU SAYING “Just cook same thing each night, etc) bring on “SUNDAY” when Chiara slaps her head (extend that shot 8 frms).
ACTOR—Hold new bowl of spaghetti higher as if a food commercial and you’re making sure we see it (higher than waist and tilted so we see how beautiful director made it!). After “stai zito” TD quick cut to CU Archie, then back to Vin testing (Archie in a little closer). ACTOR—Vin says “I know you was a good Neapolitan cook” before all the laughing, or make laughing a little short, then say line, and all are relieved.
TD We should avoid Vincenzo around Archie line “Sit me as far from the bill as possible,” cutting around family so VINCENZO CAN LEAVE A PRESET HIMSELF FOR NEXT SCENE. Maybe stay on Chiara, as NICK & ARCHIE, present for next scene, Chiara entering it late with as she’s wiping hand with dish towel. (ACTOR VIN trying to lift shirt way up so he shows Chiara his scars!!!!!)
MUSIC—Jazzy source music change to similar mood BRIAN piano one of Carmine’s music of era “I’m getting Nowhere Fast with You.” RB PB little shorter (shot duration). NEW SHOT for TD loop SEAN (spinning FX ball), TD be on Archie/Chiara dancing into room (PROPS Sofia champagne with pink rolled a little down on neck, in ice bucket already open, two glasses there TD cut to CU of them dancing when you can see their faces there). “Only the finest musicians” on C’s face when she says “but you don’t want to play the flute.” Cut right after “maybe we can get his autograph.” MUSIC sostenuto begins assertively, PB ROBY right to NBC Bldg.,** shorten and tighten Archie’s walk, SOUND heavy echoing FOOTSTEPS in rhythm of music (one-two-one-two-one-two). Cut to ONE-TWO rhythm (when NICKY slowly fades into corner of frame feathered.) Keep on until Toscanini room, then only his VO.* (Anahid, flute’s second note bad, replace scale?) Cu
t to Toscanini a touch later when he turns and writes down notes (composition of frame is weak before this moment). Trim head of Archie with flute after “enough for now” C TO FAST:
DARRYL “What did your family . . .” All filming Tony, CU Tony in her viewfinder, when go to MS Chiara Jr asleep on his lap, use wider shot (ACTOR—pick her up and quickly allow him to kiss her so he can say “Fifty dollars a week” right as you move her out). cut to to DARRYL laughing.
SOUND need ROCKS crashing down Samson & Delilah clip.
PIANO/SOUND, rise up louder for Family music. ACTOR Don’t pause after thank you, but come right in with “$320 a week.” DOLLY begins pull-back at same rate as move-in, but when Chiara (say all wife of et) to get into your father’s song, so PULL BACK IS FASTER AS SHE SINGS. CAMERA too much head room for pull back! FADE TO BLACK and then fade in logo.
FADE IN COMMERCIAL #2.
PART THREE
FADE OUT COMMERICAL TO BLACK, then LOGO AND PB ROBBY SOUND STREET ACTIVITY, DISTANT SIRENS, SENSE OF WARTIME USA B.G.
ACTOR warden WITH FLASH, wait to be sure she shuts door then hurries off to next house. ACTOR—change manuscript to “symphony.” LIGHT lights sweep slowly across their faces as sirens sound, etc., piano emotional.
TD—Be ready for CU Chiara, “Things can happen when you say a Hail Mary.” (JIB—FASTER SWING UP TO END.) (PB ROBBY—can we add cars on parkway rather than lights as now, but make the afternoon shots darker.) (ACTOR when Vin drinks water HE CRIES and GROANS, CRYING, not just choking on disgusting water, AS IF it were toilet water) and old man crying like a baby is very disconcerting, Vin, so CRY!!!!! then he thinks of his son playing the flute for Toscanini and this brings great joy to him, his eyes light up and ARCHIE you say the line about getting fired too fast—take a few beats and then it is excruciatingly painful to say.)
CAMEO CU Vin more headroom, and Archie, you’re too close to Vin when you say you got fired, you were blocked. FX ROBBY ALL HANDS: Can we make Master Shot with TV? HAVE TV effect (snow) please!!!!! (ARCHIE good: didn’t want to disappoint you. CAMERA, TILT UP MAKE NICE SHOT OF FILO, perhaps a tiny bit closer?
POLIO CONVERSATION, ACTORS, have real conversation back and forth, no one person saying more than 7 beats of time before next person begins their comment. TONY, raise your arm slowly like I showed you I did. ACTOR CUEING: WHEN TONY RAISES ARM SLOWLY is when Chiara ought to lead Vin carrying T slowly across room. when we cut to Master, Archie should walk right through shot carrying Tony, with Chiara watching sadly. ACTORS When they hug and kiss it is out of desperation and love, clinging to each other, then arching slowly goes to pray and Chiara is shocked, he said he’d never get on his knees and pray, but SLOWLY he does, DOLLY SLOWLY MOVE ON HIM, and Fade to black, as typing comes on.* Can “Francis” not be completed before backspaces and begins again with “Tony.” ACTORS—START POKER TALK EARLY to help cover for job Set up.
When EVI COMES UP, trim so it can start right on light on Scream. ADD MORE SCREAMS.
When Chiara decides to go for coffee, it is a CHANGE OF PERSONALTY, back to interview, give Chiara a different kind of accent (your own or regional), when she runs into scene WITH HER MORE vehement, really hysterical, Then TD cut to ARCHIE in place as MUSIC crescendos GERSHWIN, ACTOR Chiara gets into pathetic EMBRYO position on chair, quickly so TD can cut to it as if you’ve been there in that position an hour, exhausted. CAMERA Don’t move after you get BEST COMPOSITION ON CHIARA. CHIARA DON’T EXIT, STAY IN YOUR (CAMERA COMPOSITION ON SITTING CHIARA) PLACE ON CHAIR AFTER YOU say you don’t want Tony in the house.
PB FFC package, TD should cut straight from Chiara ‘s line “I don’t want him in the house with Lia, CUT TO, Fish door opening!!!!!
PKG re-cut FFC talking about Royal Crown bottles, EDIT SO THAT we cut to Archie sliding onions onto plates while FFC is standing there, then when FFC says wrong bottles, and hand gestures setting the scene, CUT TO MISMATCHED real table with real Royal Crown Bottles.
LINE of Dial. EDIT sound from best take of young FC (ALEX) saying “not coming from me to you but as if I am coming”—he puts emphasis on wrong word in chosen take. (EDIT Push in on chart Tony holds, so it’s TIGHER INSERT.)
RUSHING toward Tree (all actors rushing to set up SOUND of jingle type bells) Christmas scene (ACTORS GOOD), BUT handheld camera (CAMERA) should hold no less than 7 counts on each shot, never could get VIN HOLDING EUREKA Sign and looking through microscope.
When Chiara sings Italian song, she should pause and look at Archie (CU Archie, who says “With w—w-w-whom did you study?” Then she breaks out into a robust phrase, SENZA MAMA, and TD we fade on that.
TD—Don’t go to colored lights at end; perhaps we could use them earlier, ?? before family and handheld camera all rush in.
COMMERCIAL—WINE AND FILM
SOUND - GIVE faint sound of director (Mike Denney) giving cut instructions and finger snaps (as if this commercial is being made live).
ACTOR—Alison, what you’re saying to Tony is that Archie’s not ready for his break (not gift) but only, “now,” meaning she’s encouraging Tony to keep trying. She loves Archie and wants to see Tony succeed in giving him his break. When she goes off, it’s to make dinner—have her come on and put black on Tony, about 8 beats later. SWEAT on Archie’s BROW.
WHEN WE DO Calendars, DISSOLVE OR IRIS IN SOFT, BRIAN PLAYING PIANO
—TD right after Darryl lifts slate to face (redo?) and snaps it, go to SHOT Alison’s CAM FEED.
The ACTOR (TONY Say your line standing by door, and then move to couch repeating “This movie is terrible.”) SHOTS Archie by piano, all these shots were better before. NOT AS GOOD, fix Shots.
PG LAS VEGAS, ** add a few cuts of OFTH shots, up street, one or two other quick ones, before establishing SILVERFISH with Vegas chroma.
new INTER FISH scenes instructions ** given.
ACTOR Darryl, Steven, more pandemonium about TIME OF BROADCAST, handing papers to Darryl, Darryl talking to suits, begging, threatening to take his show elsewhere if they don’t let show continue, negotiating with suits, maybe even talking to head of CBS: “Les, Les this and Les that.”
When FISH DOOR IS OPENED, we must have shots of Teri and others RUSHING in and trying to take command of Fish as if it was an endangered 747, pushing buttons, QUICK cuts of different monitors, warning banner, action AS TD tries to gain control of fish.
Shot EVS of Archie slumped by piano, with his VO about his son’s success and big limo TIME extended banner on lower part of frame during limo scene (but out after returns from Telegram scene).
pb DON’T HAVE ARCH CORRADO ON MARQUEE RADIO CITY POV. CUT TO CU TONY IN FISH, WORRYING ABOUT BANNER.
ACTOR—Have Alec young FFC check his telegram last lines with me, intend to cut a few lines. He loves hearing his father happy, but when CHIARA says should pack right away, and he says YES, then Tony realizes how deep he’s in and has to say it’s a fake.
ALEC say lines slow enough so we understand his words. AFTER WIPE back to Limo, trim heads (pb) so it starts with “I’m sorry” right after wipe back.
PB HARRY CONNICK UNTIL JIB READY, THEN PAT passionately & quickly swing down to Archie conducting. When Tony and Chiara TILT DOWN, Tony—don’t take her hand until camera sees that action.
SOUND NICE, segue from song, to sounds of Grammys.
When Archie does win, TAKE OUT blue BORDER so it’s just CU.
TD Cut to Ambulance, when Chiara is talking to his ear.
AMBULANCE good light show. TD First CU Tony in ambulance, then Archie, cut for scene favoring Archie (ACTORS When laughing, insane laughter, hysterical), then Archie right into “What’s happening?” CU Tony, you’ve had a stroke. After he says line “We always knew you’d be a success,” SLOWLY Tony bends to kiss his SWEATY brow and SLOWLY rises UP, take sees his father dead.
CU Archie dead (ACTOR—place your baton higher on shoulder).
TONY breaks down for 8 beats, but ends up (TD Cut to MS ambulance, driving away, Tony lying on his dead father’s
breast) sobbing for his Daddy. SOUND continue these murmurs of Daddy.
ACTOR “Don’t go . . . Daddy come back, please don’t go, don’t leave me without you, I love you so . . . ” etc., but when SNOW interrupts, sound of Tony’s voice is CUT off with Snow.
JUNE 6, 2015
I’m grateful and I think what with the LA screening and even the NY screening, the concept of LIVE CINEMA is on the map. So this investment did two things really: one was to prove the concept and also get a glimpse of the characters actually functioning in the story, another to have some possible production companies caught up in its excitement and choose to underwrite the next steps.
I am physically tired now, not having slept well for many weeks (?), and so looking forward to NYC and all that waits for me there: Morton St., Snoetta dinner, Sofia and my little granddaughters, Uncle Kiki, the Annette Insdorf lecture to YMCA group—and so on.
Don’t have much more to say, but this experience in OKC illustrates how patterns can be created, new friends and colleagues all thrown together over a matter of weeks. Also, how comforting to have the car I wanted waiting for me, the condo comfortable with practical kitchen, exercise setup, and SONOS sound system.
Next time I have to do it I will know how.
JUNE 7, 2015
New York. SHORT DV is over, and seemingly a success. I can relax and enjoy NY. Want to contact that JPM tech guy and make a schedule for the city.
JUNE 9, 2015
Now it’s Tuesday, and once again there’s too much swimming around in my head. I have a touch concern that I’ve been in a manic phase now a bit, and so must guard against a depression. How: some meditation (Gracious and Merciful God). Perhaps some turn-off-mind time. However, I know how to do it. Think of nothing, or rather one thing—some activity that requires no brain (sex, cooking, hmmm, need to figure out how to turn off brain).
Regarding Live Cinema, it seems the key is to learn how to build a pre-visualization. I think it has to do with taking a frame, and cramming into it the elements needed, sort of like I did with the Chiara sleeping/Archie telephone call scene. That was manufactured into the “frame,” and the logic of where he really was in relation to her was nil. So I could get some “stand-ins” and then use them to cram into “frame” regardless of the logic of the staging, or then stage and build the set to work for those frames, sort of really, Independent Frame. Frame first, then staging, then set?
Live Cinema and Its Techniques Page 12