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The Happiest Day of His Life Blog
These entries are an archive of the blog from the shoot of the Five Sisters Production -"The Happiest Day of His Life."

IT'S A WRAP-UP
In LA, all the Burtons did returns - of equipment, props, trucks, etc. While en route, Ursula, Darin, and Jenn were rear-ended by a distracted limo driver, which not only totaled Darin's car, but also gave them all bad whiplash. Of course, that wasn't in the production schedule. As it was, the returns took all day for 6 people. There are more to do, and Ursula is continuing them this week.

Now we need to turn to other work on our plate as well - the delivery for MANNA FROM HEAVEN, TEMPS, and JUST FRIENDS, a reality show that might go, and the development of a series of 9 films.

As for HAPPIEST DAY, we need to finish up the thank you notes, the returns, the vendor agreements, and a whole list of nitty-gritty items to wrap up the "shoot" section of the film. Then we turn to "post." We will continue to finish up paperwork and filing, and then begin work on the editing, sound work, music, color timing, special effects, titles, etc. etc. Modern Video Film is doing the special effects, and that's going to be an exciting part of this project. We know we're in great hands with our post-production sponsors -- COLOR BY DELUXE, CHASE, MODERN VIDEO FILM. The work on this film has really just begun, although the shoot is over.

I feel very good about it. The crew were a great group of people, and some are already working together on another project. We will definitely work with many of these crew members again. I adored the entire camera department, and interestingly, they were all women. They only had 300 feet of left-over film at the end, and Cheli Clayton-Samaras, the 1st AC, felt that was too much. Just another sign of how excellent our camera department was. Through the monitor, the film looked gorgeous, so now we will wait to see when it's transferred how it came out.

The shoot was a true artistic experience - one of people coming together on a project that's worthy, to make it the best it can be; and because of each of them, it was all the richer. Something to give thanks for tomorrow.

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LAST CALL!
Again, I woke at about 3 am, but I wasn't really tired. Haven't been the whole shoot. I dream about things that need to be done, and then lie awake thinking about them. Pop up before the alarm, get ready, load up the car, and we're off to HOLLYWOOD.

Today was the last day of shooting & it was a breeze, really. Everything had come together; we'd become a finely-tuned apparatus, and we were having a good time. Sadly, we'd lost some crew members - MD had to leave, and so did a few terrific PAs, because of flights for the Thanksgiving holiday. It was a bummer not having them, as they were part of the hardcore production staff -- Angeline Huang, Chris Evans, etc. We all then had to wear a few more caps today, and Sara N took the lead on craft service & did a great job. I helped out in the morning, getting things set up, and then Sara, Jennie Y, Jennifer, and I had a big meeting about all the returns & what needed to get done today & tomorrow. Jennie is a master at organizing these things on paper, and she presented a great plan, which we were to instill. (Jennie had to go back to her office to work on another film too.)

At the end of the shoot in XIOMARA, a beautiful restaurant (called one of the most romantic spots in LA, and it's true), there was the most magical moment. We had to record the violinist in the scene, who was faking her playing during the scene. All the crew had to be still for a few minutes while she played for the background soundtrack (we'll lay it in later into the edited scene). The woman was a marvelous violinist, and her performance truly stilled everyone. It was an extraordinary point in time - a whole crew standing completely still and listening to classical music. It was like a private concert. I was alone, sorting through papers, permits, and contracts in the top dining room. I wanted to join the other crew, but I couldn't move, because moving could make noise on the recording track. Being alone, hearing the music, knowing there were all these other people around listening to a special performance - it felt like a spell had come over us all. When it ended, we all applauded; the costumer was in tears; and it felt like a blessing on the film and all of us there - this private moment of beauty, of art that we all shared.

Speaking of costumes, at the church, we discovered that the matching suits (a joke in the film relies on two men wearing the same suit to the wedding & being embarrassed) were not matching, in fact. They were close -- both green -- but one was black lapelled, and the other green velvet, so the joke wouldn't work. As we clearly needed them to be the same, with cutting & pinning & taping, we were luckily able to get them to match. We lost a lot of time because of this, which was frustrating. However, it was great that we were able to save the joke. Phil LaMarr was hilarious in all the takes he did about his being embarrassed.

On this last day, after moving to the KNITTING FACTORY, the costume designer Rosa sorted through all the costumes, figuring out what was whose, what was unused & would be returned, etc. etc. etc. Unfortunately, there was some loss -- unclear how it happened or where the clothes went. I think people relaxed today, as it was the last day, so some actors kept clothes; some crew got some; and some might have been picked up by people walking by.

In between their other work, most of the departments worked on inventorying, organizing, and readying their equipment/supplies for return or storage. I finalized all the crew contracts. I talked with the G&E guys about making sure everything was present at the end of the day inventory, and if not, making sure I knew about it.

Amazingly, FRIAR TUX is going to clean the suits they lent us for the shoot. This is a such a huge help. They are extraordinarily wonderful! (La Cienega Studio Cleaners is giving 8 suits-worth of free dry cleaning, which also helps with other pieces.) We were able to get things that were sponsored or borrowed returned in good order, and we were grateful to them for helping with that detail. These are the tiny stuffs that make a great production.

THE KNITTING FACTORY was a neat spot to shoot in, and the shoot went quickly. Of course, no matter how hard you plan ahead -- just like a real wedding -- there are surprises. Ours was that our parking permits weren't what we'd applied for. Even though we'd applied for double the space needed, the 200 yards on Hollywood Blvd only included 3 car spots in one of the permit areas (not helpful!), because of fire hydrants, etc. -- so we weren't able to park any of the trucks there. The other area had street cleaning during our shooting time, so we couldn't park there either. My poor sister Jennifer had to deal with the stress of it (this made me not feel as stressed about it!), and she brilliantly negotiated getting us parking in the Knitting Factory's loading dock until 5 pm, then later negotiated to extend it until 8 pm. Jenn is great at problem-solving, and this was a coup, as we thought we were going to have to shuttle from a lot a mile away. The trucks were safer and easier for loading in, and we got it settled by the end of lunch so that we didn't lose any time.

As a thanks to the crew, we got tickets for everyone to go to the show that night at the Knitting Factory and offered to buy their first round. We were wrapped at 5, and then learned the club didn't open until 8 pm! So we got beer for everyone, and we stayed in the part of the bar we had been shooting in. Everyone hung out & chatted, took pictures, and said goodbye. As everyone was in one place, I ran around wrapping things up - getting contracts signed, reimbursing what was needed, disbursing concert tickets, etc. I was finally done about 7:30 and ready to relax myself, but at that point everyone was saying goodbye, so there'd be no hanging out for me... a sad day in Whoville. Ah well, that's the life of a producer!

A couple of people stayed for the concert, and everyone else went home. Maria, Charity, and I were interested in staying even though we were exhausted, but the main act wasn't going on until 10:30, so we threw in the towel. All five sisters got in the four trucks & drove to Raleigh Studios to park the two large trucks overnight. Because we were all functioning a little like lava - in slow motion, and we had to get everything out of the trucks that wouldn't go back to the G&E rental houses, and then the studios couldn't find us on their sheets, it took a while. We were exhausted when Ursula, Darin, and I dropped Jenn off and went back to the apartment. I had to pack for my 9:30 am flight (yipes), but it wasn't as hard as I thought. (I ended up leaving a lot of my things there, which made it easier.) I slept a few hours, went to the airport, got bumped up to first class which was fun, and fell asleep during the movie.

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GET ME TO THE CHURCH ON TIME
Saint Paul's Lutheran Church was the scene of today's shoot, and we had a lot to cover. The whole cast was here for the wedding scenes. Many of them knew each other from working together, which was neat -- some spent the waiting time catching up after not having seen each other in a few years. They were a jovial group, & it was a joy to see so many talented people together.

We had to shoot Enrico Colantoni out quickly, because he had to get to the set of his tv show, Veronica Mars. We had thought we'd have to cheat Enrico's part in another location, so we were really happy when his call time for the tv show was late enough that we could shoot him at the church. Seymour Cassel & Phil LaMarr also had previous commitments we had to shoot around -- these are the typical juggling acts of film shoots.

This is a unique project, in that all the cast members had only a couple of lines each. No part in the film, except for the groom's, is a large part. Although one keeps thinking the bride would be the star of a wedding, Ursula has only six lines. Again, that's the funny thing about the gender reversal. Jill Eikenberry said how she had to catch herself a couple of times, because her role was the traditional father of the bride role as portrayed in the movies (making an effort, but largely ignored), while her instinct was to be more involved in her son's wedding details discussed in the scene. This film is a thought-provoking experience for all of us behind the camera too.

Ursula has had to switch from director to actor in a flash. We were hoping to have video playback so Ursula would be able to look at takes she's in (as big budget films normally do), but the equipment wasn't available as part of our sponsorship. So, when Ursula was on-screen, one of us sisters - often Maria, as Jenn & I were busy doing producing work -- stepped in to watch the performances & give our opinion. As we sisters have very similar understandings, Ursula knows that if we say we've got it, then we've got it; and if we're not sure or think not, we'd better do another take. Our mother & father are also there every day, and so they have also watched the monitor. Charity was teaching again today, so she arrived for the second half of the day.

Ursula & Anette, the DP, have a great rapport. Anette has a wonderful eye, and she has worked with most of the crew before, making it a smooth operation to get the look Ursula and she envision.

The actual shooting of the scenes goes very quickly (as in all films); it is the set-up time and between-time that sometimes seem like a black hole to those outside of the production. There is always motion, and crew is always working (well, those who need to at the time). Still, as a producer, it is my job to see if there's a way to make things go faster. Most of the time, I am running from phone call to a crew member to something else, but there are a few pockets of stillness & rest - and these are the times when I'd have a nice conversation with the key grip or the boom operator... the moments of fun & pleasure & togetherness as a team. I have so many things swirling in my mind that I cherish these moments.

Today was the only day with a steadicam shot. As an outdoor shot, the sunlight changed, and the direct mid-morning light was harsh and it would catch the steadicam op's shadow on-screen. We needed to reevaluate & reset for that. Luckily, the weather was kind, and cloud cover softened the light, so Ursula and Anette got the shot without having to completely redesign it.

To make more background crowd motion in the shot, MD & I had to stand in & cross the screen. That was fun. I chatted with Phil LaMarr, Kim Scott, Jill Eikenberry, & Mike Tucker. Harry Groener & Seymour Cassel had to pass right behind me to get off-screen, and they give me a kind pat on the shoulder or arm each time. I really love these actors. They are not only good actors, but good people. They're real pleasures to work with.

A very cool thing happened today: a Swiss documentary production asked if they could come & shoot B-roll footage for a doc on foreigners working in Hollywood. (Ulrike Lamster, our fantastic 2nd AC is German & in the film.) As I had spoken with the liaison on the phone to give permission, I showed them around set, answered questions, etc. It was fun for me, because we spoke French together, and I love it when I get a chance to speak French.

Jennifer had a hard day today, dealing with traffic and parking issues. We also had equipment on the street front, so we had to make sure someone was guarding it at all times.

The church is where the original FATHER OF THE BRIDE was shot. It's wonderful to be shooting there. The church people are so generous & thoughtful. When we arrived they had made hot cider & cookies for us. For us!

I did more behind-the-scenes shooting today with Aaron Platt, and later with Marc Miller as the videographers. It was fun working with them. We had promised LE MERIGOT HOTEL & SPA that we would take a picture of Jill & Michael with the General Manager in the hotel & shoot our behind-the-scenes footage interview of Jill & Mike there, so we ducked out of the church when Jill & Mike weren't in a shot & drove to the hotel to do so. Alessandro Pinna, our fantastic set photographer -- who is not only talented with a discerning eye and desire for only the best photos (I joked with him, calling him " high quality man") but also charming and Italian -- came with us to take photos. The shoot went very well, and we dashed back to set in time to walk the groom down the aisle.

At the end of the night, we were back to the core group of sisters, Jennie, Sara, MD, and a few fantastic PAs. We did the once-over about three times in the church, locked it up, and then did our end-of-the-night huddle & cheer. This has become a nice part of the day. MD was at the apartment when we (Ursula, Charity, & I) arrived, and she helped us unload. Every night, we producers have parked some of the trucks, unloaded important cargo or props that were no longer needed, then loaded up the van with drinks and needed props, costumes, etc. that we would need in the morning. It's unusual for producers to do this kind of menial work; but in our view, it is going to make this film the best it can be under its limited budget -- and making the vision onscreen as good as possible is what's important. It's tiring and physically taxing, but I hope I have a few good muscles to show after this. As this was the last night before wrap, we had a lot of stuff to unload. MD was leaving, so we were taking over craft service. Her help made the work more pleasant and go a lot faster. It is possibly one of the most enjoyable parts of this film that we have such a great team of people who pitch in where needed. MD and I had a nice talk, until Ursula reminded me we had only a few hours to sleep, so we all said goodnight & headed to our short-lived dreams.

entry by: MD Dundon
Our second large cast day of shooting was on our closest location at a Lutheran church in Santa Monica. Today I had a chance to really see the inner workings of our crew as we shot all of the wedding scenes in front of and around the church with a large number of extras and the full wedding party in attendance. Such an amazing amount to keep organized and they did it with style.

The dance that is a crew on a film set is always fascinating to watch. The people who set up the lights and run electrical current, props people who got there an hour before everyone to decorate the entire church for a wedding (gorgeous), and then the entire camera crew and support crew. There's a person who runs the camera, another who moves the camera, one that works the focus on the camera and yet another who loads the film all day (a tricky job as you do it in a black bag without being able to see what you're doing). Our crew was amazing on this shoot, which was immediately obvious because of the gorgeous shots that kept happening all day long. So with Ursula directing the set-up and flow and the crew pitching in to make it all happen the scenes began to roll out.

Today was also my final day on the set so I'll have to let others take over and tell you about the last day of shooting. My day ended with a trip out to Ursula's place to help unload the Manna van and connect quickly before we sent everyone to bed. In the midst of the storage area that the apartment had become while shooting a film, the one thing that keeps striking me, as always when I am with the sisters, is the incredible feeling of being a part of a family. Everyone gets to join and feel like a part of something important. Not just keeping truly independent film with heart and soul alive and kicking but doing something that you can be proud of - creating something from nothing that's beautiful - and having a whole heck of a lot of fun doing it. I feel incredibly lucky to have gotten to spend the last week with such an amazing group of people. Now for the hard part - I can't wait to see the film!

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FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD
MD has gotten it DOWN on the craft service. She does an amazing job, and it is all good food, always looking great & yummy, and the coffee is strong & delicious. It's quite a juggling routine that she's doing at all moments - making sure there are enough cups, timing the coffee's brewing so we don't run out (takes an hour or more to make), and then lunch set-up, breakdown, handling left-overs, picking up food donations, etc. etc. etc. For breakfast, we have great bagels & pastries from Bagel Nosh & Starbucks, plus fabulous coffee from Peets and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

I have been so delighted at IMPECCABLE TASTE CATERING's lunches. The food is delicious - good vegetables & salads, as well as chicken, pasta, fajitas, etc. It is all fresh & hot when served, and the crew eats it up like a vacuum cleaner. I am humbled at how generous Diane Timmons is with her company's sponsorship of this film. I thought it was cool that a couple of the guys on the catering crew were tattooed & buff, and deeply interested in cooking and service. To be completely honest, I have to admit that it first surprised me -- the juxtaposition of these beefy guys who epitomized "manly" men somehow, and their pride in making excellent food; and this just showed me how deeply ingrained my social preconceptions are -- another good reflection of the reason to make THE HAPPIEST DAY. I will definitely use IT Catering in the future. I can't say enough how good the food is. (Makes me hungry thinking about it now!)

We shot today in a screenwriter's house off Mulholland Drive, and the biggest challenge was parking the trucks & generator (I gave the fire marshal my word we'd do it right, & they spot check sometimes). The road was teeny tiny, so turning and parking the trucks was almost like Austin Powers' 200 point turn. Driving out was a challenge too, as the truck barely cleared the tree branches above the street.

Mostly, the day went very smoothly. 35+ things on my to do list this morning. We were short on extras for tomorrow's wedding, and we didn't have one of the parts cast yet. I was trying to get in touch with an actor potentially for the part -- hard to do on a Sunday -- and I had a good person who could play the part as a backup, but I needed to make a decision. I just wanted to just sit down & do the things on my list one by one, but I kept getting called to do this or asked that, so it was an effort to keep the stress down -- however, I'm not sure people would even think I was stressed. That's the funny thing about producing (similar to ADing) -- if you're doing a good job, no one knows how stressed you are...

The cast and crew seemed to really enjoy themselves today. It was the groomal shower day (i.e. the bridal shower), with the groom opening lingerie & talking about taking time off to raise kids. The house was a perfect setting, and everything looked great. My brother-in-law brought my nephew Roger & niece Lilia (Jenn's kids) to be in the scene. Raji is an amazingly social and comfortable 3 year-old. He is a natural at acting -- save for the time he offhandedly recited “roll sound...speed...marker...action...”during one take. Got to hand it to the kid - he was paying attention & learning the order of things in filmmaking!

At the end of the day, Ursula took the DP and key grip to a scout of a restaurant location to be used on the last day of shooting. Meanwhile, we wrapped up & spent some time figuring out where to park the trucks. Charity drove the MANNA van & scouted for parking; then Jenn & I drive the grip truck & generator to Santa Monica and parked them back-to-back. Charity had unloaded most of the van once we came home; Ursula joined us, and we finished unloading; then Jenn went to stay with her husband & kids in a friend's house; and I flopped onto the couch & went to sleep, still in my clothes.

entry by: MD Dundon
Today's shoot was at another amazing house in the hills of Sherman Oaks. Here we shot a kitchen scene with the groom's family and the groomal shower. The biggest excitement of the day was the plummeting temperatures, a truly unusual experience for the Los Angeles area. The location was a bit smaller and there were more things to pay attention to in terms of set up and where you could be and not be in the camera shot. The owner was wonderful with us again and helped us figure out all the logistics...even letting me heat water when hot chocolate became our saving grace for the day.

On any shoot the PA's (production assistants) are completely essential to the success of the film. Over the past three days I had come to really appreciate our incredibly hard working and loyal PA's who helped me drag several hundred pounds of food and drink all over creation and back :D. I had a chance to really admire our PA's and the crew today as they helped keep everything moving beautifully including a pretty big job of putting down cardboard to protect the wooden floors inside the house and the area around the outside to protect from some slick spots. Production assistants do everything you can imagine on a set from driving trucks, unloading, and helping crew and cast with the myriad of small tasks that literally make the film world go around. I had a chance to interact with almost every one of them over these five days and I'm really grateful for all their help. We couldn't have done it without you!

This was also my last night of staying at my host, co-producer, Sara Neff's place. Letting me stay free of charge was incredibly generous, but more than that it made me feel like I had a real home to stay in with all of her roommates and Sara herself being so welcoming and friendly. Sara, and all the other people on the production team whom I met over these five days, amazed me with their commitment and ability to find and create opportunities for people to be a part of this amazing filmmaking experience.

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TUXES & DRESSES & FLOWERS -- Oh My!
I woke again about 4 am. Don't know why I'm waking so early every day. We loaded up the cars with costumes, cases of SMART Water & Vitamin Water (a sponsor --yum). I drank a Power-C, because I'm still feeling a bit under the weather.

Charity said she'd drive the generator, but she couldn't reach the pedals, so I drove it again. Just as well, since I'm now anticipating the quirky gears and have figured out how to wiggle into 2nd in a way that works OK.

I also drove the 17 foot truck again --and I really like it. I think I'm a trucker at heart.

We shot at a private home in Rolling Hills -- crew call was at 7 AM. We had to shuttle crew from parking elsewhere, as well as cast. To keep things moving quickly, Charity & I started the day helping different departments -- setting costumes up, blocking off areas of the house, marking where the bathroom was, setting up makeup & hair in a bedroom, offering crew coffee, etc.

The 2nd AD didn't show up today. She was sick, but no one had gotten her messages, so that took some reassigning & working out with the 1st. Cynthia Damin stepped in & took to it like a fish to water.

The house looked gorgeous, and then the FLOWERS arrived. It was extraordinary. Sandy Rose Floral Design donated the flowers & lent artificial flowers to supplement -- all purple & white, mainly -- just stunning. The bouquets & boutonnieres were made of orchids & roses. It all looked like a real-life wedding! (We kept saying that someone should take the opportunity to get married, since everything was already set up.) We also got a half-price deal from GREEN SET for shrubs & plants, which dressed up the pool and yard and added a nice texture.

The clothing sponsors have really come through -- Barbara Rybka worked on a number of sponsorships. The dresses for the bridal party & for the main guests have been sponsored by JESSICA MCCLINTOCK & ESCADA. The McClintock dresses work really well for the whole bridal party, which is a relief -- the bridal party needed a dress that was elegant and simple -- comparable to a tuxedo for men. The dresses work well not only for all the different women in the bridal party (including Suzanne Cryer, who's pregnant!), but also are a good complement to the groomal party's outfits.

FRIAR TUX donated distinctive tuxes, which was fantastic. It was surprising to everybody how quickly our eyes adjusted to the reverse world -- the lilac color on all the men looked pretty sharp, and all the single guys' fighting for the bouquet (tossed by the groom) looked perfectly normal! My little nephew, who played the flower-boy, had a tiny lilac tux too.

Barbara also got makeup sponsored by CARGO & LAURA MERCIER & BED HEAD. The makeup artists said the products & colors worked nicely for the wedding setting. I got some footage of head makeup artist Cara talking about the vision for the make-up & hair design in case we decide to put together a behind-the-scenes piece. Marc Miller and Aaron Platt were great at videography -- a behind-the-scenes movie could easily be much longer than the actual film!

entry by: MD Dundon
Another amazing day and location. Today we headed to our most distant location and our second largest day in cast and crew count as our numbers swelled from 47 yesterday to 90 some people today. The scenes that were shot were the wedding reception and the newly wedded couple's send off. Our location was yet another gorgeous one in Rolling Hills - about an hour south of Los Angeles. I only had to get up at 5 am today as call was at 7:15 am. Laughing, that may not be an intriguing fact...but when you're on a film shoot sleep becomes a major accomplishment.

Once you get everything unloaded the crew begins to set up all the little areas and the first shot of the day. The scenes are all being shot in a gorgeous backyard that was decorated with a most stunning array of donated flower arrangements (Sandy Rose Floral Design), tables, chairs (Studio Inn Rentals), table cloths and glassware (Classic Party Rentals) to make any groom blush with pride. Add to that all of the costuming (see Rosa to get your costume - thanks for thinking we're all beautiful :D), hair and make-up (Cara and Kristin keeping up with it all) for the principles and the entire wedding party and the multitude of extras that played the wedding guests and you have quite the bustling set.

The owners, who welcomed us through the doors and were incredibly helpful in every way, made this day a wonderful one. Today was a hopping day for me because of the increase of people and my first chance to be an extra. That was a grand time as I got to be a drummer (on the cool donated instruments for our “girl band” from Santa Monica Music Center) and a person at the groom's father and mother's table; always a treat to get a front row seat to see amazing actors ply their craft. I still get a thrill seeing the different actors do their lines over and over and over again and not lose the intensity and performance, changing their lines and acting to meet up with the director's vision. The race of the day was to beat the sunset with all of the close-ups and reaction shots needed for coverage when the film arrives in the editing room.

This was also a day where our incredible caterer came through with flying colors and amazing food for all of the cast and crew. Diane Timmons, the owner of Impeccable Taste Catering came out herself to help us with our first two days of setting up the hot meal of the day. On a set where everyone is donating their time to the making of the movie - food is incredibly important. Diane's staff made delicious comfort food each and every day of the shoot. She was also very helpful to me, navigating the details about setting up and keeping the flow moving with a bigger crowd of folks with ease. I can hardly believe the generosity of the people around this film. I think it's the magic of this entire amazing family.

All through the film, but particularly on today's shoot, you got to see and admire the sisters working together. Ursula was the visionary and did a really extraordinary job of being everywhere at once. While she is in a scene she could rely on Anette, Maria and Gabrielle to hold the fort. Maria and Gabrielle seemed really valuable to have around as both have directed and so were able to be extra sets of eyes and ears in every situation. Since all three sisters are actors, they work really well with the actors and extras, giving great feedback and directions that provide the performances that need to be reached in the smallest number of takes possible. Jennifer is the steady source of producer control behind the scenes, problem solving in tandem with the production team.

I made it home by around 10 pm. I was awfully happy to have Maggie Tran, the script supervisor on the film, driving home with me, especially since I got lost on the way back from my parking space to the set (I did not cry--well not very much until I found out I was only a couple of blocks away).

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HOW TO HAVE YOUR CAKE & EAT IT TOO.
Today was the first day of shooting, and I have never seen such exquisite cakes as in Topozios, the cake shop where we shot the wedding planner meeting montage & the final scene of the film. The owners (designer & business manager) are remarkably talented. There is a cake commemorating Smoky The Bear's anniversary --it's about 4 or 5 feet tall and green, the frosting like a forest. A number of cakes are decorated with gold leaf. Edible Art.

Jared Hillman, who is playing the groom, did most of the scenes shot today --much of it was a montage about his preparations for the wedding (trying on wedding suits, etc.). Later in the day, Jill Eikenberry & Michael Tucker arrived. Their flight was delayed, so they arrived just in time for lunch. Meanwhile we worked with the effects supervisor from Modern Video Film, David Carriker, to rig the wedding album for the opening scene.

There was the usual getting-to-know-each-other activity among the crew --everyone busy doing her/his job, but then also checking out who's doing what elsewhere, what their names are, etc. A number of people have actually worked together before, so that adds a nice feeling. There was one grump on the crew, but the grumpiness faded as the day went on.

The camera department is all women. I've never seen that (I'm sure few have). They are all terrifically experienced and talented. The cooperation between the camera crew & the G&E (grip & electric --the people who set the lighting, dolly, etc.) is working well already.

People's energy is up for the first day of the shoot -- lots of production work & problem solving (where to set up the food? where are the wedding rings? we need more milk. we're missing part of the dolly order & we need it right now.) Jennifer & I drove to the dolly house (Fisher) to pick up the dolly. We can only carry it in the grip truck, which means we need to clear that with the gaffer, then change the dolly order to pick it up earlier, then drive the 17 foot truck through Los Angeles (including about a quarter mile on the freeway -- consisting simply of crossing 6 lanes to the first exit -- we took surface streets on the way back). Jennifer figured out that we could save a day's rental if we wait for the dolly an hour, so we do. I enjoy driving the truck.

Jennifer & I had fun with the day. Things went very smoothly, though there are always hiccups. For instance, the end of the day came, and the camera truck, which had gone to pick up the tables & chairs, and linens (from Studio Inn Rentals & from Classic Party Rentals -- our 11th hour heroes for making the sit-down reception possible as well as ensuring that it will look gorgeous!!) to drop them in Rolling Hills for the next day was going to get back to set 2 hours after wrap. The camera dept had left some camera elements in the truck because it was supposed to be back by wrap. (Ah, LA traffic). It was 5 pm, and they really didn't want to wait hours for it, but felt there was no choice. Then we figured out that Anette would take the camera in her car, and that worked out well. They wrapped everything else for the camera into the grip truck, which left costumes, craft service stuff, one camera cart, and two grip carts to load into the camera truck when it returned. We Burtons and a good number of P.A.s and Jennie Yamaki & Sara Neff (& her sweet boyfriend!) stayed to do the loading.

Later in the day, Charity & Jenn left set to pick up the musical instruments at the Santa Monica Music Center, who is loaning a full rhythm section, with an upright bass that actually fits me. They came back as everyone was finishing wrapping out, and we needed to unload the instruments & reload them into the MANNA van.

Instead of moving the trucks & parking them in Rolling Hills (45 minutes away) or at a parking lot, the shop allowed us to back the grip truck up to the store, so no one could open the liftgate & rob it. That was good for everyone, so Sara drove the camera truck back to her house, and we sisters took the MANNA van (used for shuttling & errands every day), Charity's truck (ditto), and I drove the generator with Charity. It was a ridiculously hilarious drive, with the truck's horrific 2 nd gear making it buck like a bronco when getting up to speed, so that Charity was laughing the whole ride home, but it was fun. Home and straight to bed.

entry by: MD Dundon
It's 9:24 pm and an hour after my bedtime on a long and exciting first day of shooting on The Happiest Day of His Life. Call (the time the crew is supposed to get to the location) was 5:30 am for our first location in Los Angeles, a working cake bakery called Topozio's. Since I make the coffee and that takes an hour...I got to wake up at 4 am. Since that's normally when I go to bed so it was quite a switch for me.

What an amazing place to shoot our first day. The show room for the cake store was stunning. That process of watching the original layout of the room transformed into several completely different sets for different scenes as the day progressed is a fascinating one. This film is being shot on 35 mm and the lighting and location gave it a million dollar look. The manager of the store, Anthony was amazing. He patiently showed us where we could set up, unload and put all of the camera equipment, lights, booms and sound equipment from two trucks that are needed for any shoot. You'd be amazed at how 50 people and all the props and equipment fit into such a small space. It always reminds me of one of those circus cars.

The various little areas on a film set are intriguing as well. While the shooting took place in the front room the area in front of the store is covered by black tarp and is filled with equipment that will be needed as the day progresses. Little knots of technical people are gathered (or stuffed) into the free spaces in the interior room. There is a constant flow of people in and out of the room as each shot is created, the lightening tweaked and the camera angles and moves practiced and modified for each part of the scene. In the back area there are producers and support staff furiously working on the details of pickups for the following days of shooting, getting more parking and soliciting donations of things still needed. This is also the area of the craft service table that has nibbles all day long for the cast and crew and a hot lunch. Out in the back in the parking lot there is a tent erected that holds the makeup and costuming for the shoot. There is also the main equipment truck and a host of people who aren't needed at that moment for the shoot. It's practically it's own little city.

The film's director, Ursula Burton (who is also acting in the movie), performs a wonderful dance of shifting attention to make her vision come to life as she works with the DP and crew, the actors and her own performance. The Director of Photography, Anette Haellmigk, is a real joy to watch as she works with the crew and technical details to realize the look and feel of what happens on film. The excitement level starts high and stays that way all day as the film being shot is absolutely stunning and the performances of all the actors are going beautifully. The presence of the well-known actors Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker seemed to help keep the energy of the day up. And seeing our groom in his wedding finery for the first time was a real treat...I won't ruin it for you...you'll have to see the movie.

For me, a film set is always a fun place to meet and interact with some amazing people. The highlight of the day for me, since I spent a good chunk of it around the kitchen was meeting the chef, Jesus Ornelas, and hearing about how he creates the beautiful cakes that are his signature. Jesus and Anthony both make appearances in the film, so see if you can pick them out. I had to share this picture of this amazing cake that Jesus had made of Jack Skeleton and Jane from Nightmare Before Christmas. And all that made out of sugar - simply stunning. In independent filmmaking there isn't enough that can be said about how the success of any low or no-budget film is dependent upon the generosity of people donating anything and everything you could imagine. But the kindness of Jesus and Anthony went further than that to make the entire day run more smoothly. Jesus even changed his schedule and baked all night to fill his orders so we were free to have the run of the place for a majority of the day.

The end of the day was a slight adventure as one of the trucks out on a delivery run got stuck in an enormous traffic jam and couldn't get back for three or four hours after it's expected arrival. Some creative thinking on the production staff's part and the issue was resolved. The last die-hards of the production team loaded everything up on the trucks and prepped for the next day's shoot. It was an amazing first day of filming.

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I arrived in LA yesterday to pre-production in full swing. It's always fascinating to me to watch all the millions of details start to fall into place, fall apart and get remedied again. Just a few of the random elements being coordinated by the amazing support staff and crew: extras for all of the "big" shoot days (friends of friends of friends at this point :D), physically getting all the generous food and prop donations picked up, physical details for all five days of shooting on five different locations like parking, call times, shoot schedules, and shot lists completed. All of these details are handled by PA's, co-producers, crew such as the production manager, dp (director of photography), AD (assistant director), and the five sisters themselves. Small production companies are made up of people who wear every hat you can imagine and then some.

Tomorrow is the first day of shooting as we work in a cake decorating store shooting some of the details of the preparation for the wedding day. I'll be up at 4 am since I'm working on craft services (tidbits and food for the crew all day)...time to start brewing that coffee. Crew call at 5:30 am. You can always hope for an early bed time but I'll have to settle for catching up over Thanksgiving along with everyone else.

Now we're in full-on-blow-out preproduction mode.

It's a funny situation these days, because one of the things on this film I worked hard on was lining up great crew & confirming many details early on - but of course, things change - people get studio jobs, television shows go for actors, etc. - so each day has a checked box that suddenly become unchecked, while other items get checked off... or checked off again...

Work on it is going well, though, and steadily everything is coming together. We've got super cool people involved in this film - for instance, the DP Anette Haellmigk (DAS BOT, SPIDERMAN 2, SWAT, WEST WING) is a fantastic cinematographer, and she and Ursula have been working out the shotlist. There's a challenge in that Ursula's vision has to be shaped and refashioned according to the equipment we're getting - the lighting package isn't huge, so shots must be tighter; we aren't getting a crane or jib arm, and we're working on getting a dolly, so a sweeping shot Ursula planned will now need to get its more limited height & breadth from the dolly's parameters; we don't have unlimited crew or shoot days, so more complicated shots must be mindful of set-up time. This is the fascinating thing about making films - one relies so much on money and other people to realize one's vision. If one tiny cog in the wheel goes out of whack, the whole wagon is compromised. So it feels right now (and will continue to until we're done) like we're spinning about 40 plates in the air, and running from one pole to the next to keep them all afloat... So far it's working, but days are long (last night finally made myself sign off from email at midnight) and nights are filled with dreams of those unchecked list items.

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It's always hard to make a film, but particularly hard when you're doing it with no money. That's an interesting challenge, and one that means each day has new surprises & discoveries. The film is pulling together steadily, but it's always a stressful affair with never enough time.

Film is unique in its nature of being a complex organism whose parts (not unlike the human body) all have to work together to make a living form. No individual part can complete its function without the others, but they all must be complete in themselves in order to come together & work. It's in this situation that we find ourselves right now -- where location availability is dependent upon scheduling, which is dependent upon actors' calendars, which is dependent on... It will all come together, but sometimes it feels like the election -- it really could go either way. You want it to go one way, but some forces are out of our control, so we just keep moving forward, keeping the swirling mass moving in the same direction.

One interesting challenge is that we're looking for a sponsor for the clothing in the film. Because the world in THE HAPPIEST DAY OF HIS LIFE is a reflection of our own in reverse, all the men at the wedding, for instance, will wear brightly colored tuxedos, and all the women will wear simple black dresses. (This is a reverse of our world, where men mostly wear basic suits, and women dress very differently.) The complication is: how do you find these clothes? We'd like dresses that have sleeves, so they're not too seductive, and suits or tuxes that are really different from each other -- but it's hard to find!!

Another detail is the engagement ring -- which the groom will wear. There are plenty of engagement rings around, but to find one that fits a man's hand... So you see the challenges that don't seem like much at first, but then are actually pretty difficult!

Next up: more crewing, casting (which means contacting agents), about 50 emails a day about the film, paperwork, and so on & so on... There are about 14 departments/categories of jobs on the set that we're dealing with right now. At the same time, our other films have technical work, contracts, etc., and we've created a reality show that should be moving into high gear pretty soon, so we're juggling a lot of work -- all of it good stuff.

Don't forget to vote on November 2!

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The shoot is scheduled for 5 days in LA between Nov. 18-23. It'll be on 35mm, and we're excited that Anette Haellmigk will be the DP (director of photography). She's shot for SPIDERMAN 2, SWAT, HOLLOW MAN, etc. etc.

Other fantastic crew and talent have already signed on including Jill Eikenberry (LA LAW, TRACEY TAKES ON), Michael Tucker (LA LAW, RADIO DAYS), Harry Groener (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ABOUT SCHMIDT), Dawn Didawick (THE MOGULS, ERIN BROCKOVICH), Phil LaMarr (MAD TV), Daniel Letterle (CAMP), and Rico Colantoni (GALAXY QUEST, JUST SHOOT ME).

The movie is a terrific project with creative people and sponsoring companies coming together to make an interesting, challenging, and fun short film.

For instance, COLOR BY DELUXE, KODAK, PANAVISION, CHACE SOUND, MODERN VIDEOFILM, and IMPECCABLE TASTE CATERING are sponsoring the film. We are so thrilled to have these sponsors. Diane Timmons at IMPECCABLE TASTE CATERING is so generous & supportive of the film, she is providing hot meals & catering to the crew for the shoot. She also offered to help with locations. That's the kind of creative spirit that is making this possible. We truly wish we were able to pay everyone their top possible salary, but we find ourselves in this situation, and with the opportunity to make THE HAPPIEST DAY, so we feel lucky to be able to do so with the support of these businesses!

We're now getting crew & the rest of the casting together. It's entering that whirlwind stage when the train is leaving the station, there's not enough time, and the momentum is heating up

THE HAPPIEST DAY BEGINS...

After two years of traveling with MANNA FROM HEAVEN on the road (and it's still opening!), we're delighted to be doing another film -- it's a 10-minute short called THE HAPPIEST DAY OF HIS LIFE.

THE HAPPIEST DAY OF HIS LIFE depicts a classically beautiful, traditional wedding, where all the gender roles are reversed. This is a hip and entertaining satire that will appeal to anyone who's gotten married, thought about getting married, or ever been to a wedding.

Ursula wrote the film & will direct & play the bride. We are producing, and our parents just may have a small cameo in the opening as a happily married couple..

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Related links

• Return to the main film page relating to The Happiest Day of His Life
  
• See our cast bios page (with pictures)
  
• View the new production photo gallery
  
• See the full list of credits on our end credit page
  
• The crew list page.