Back from Yoder
Sunday’s shoot at the abandoned airport in Yoder went great!
It was pretty hot, but not as bad as it could have been for a Kansas summer day. Everyone found the airport with relatively little trouble, and the vibe was good despite the heat.
Our friend Jeremy and his Marine buddies absolutely rocked. They really came through and added a fierce credibility to the scene. They were really game, took it all very serious, and patiently waited while we set up stuff. Really a great group of guys.
My beautiful nieces Ashley and Allie, TJ’s girlfriend Tasha, bro Mark and our great friends James and Lacey and their kids were Native extras, and we threw our friend/crew member Sam into the mix, as well, and our friend Josh. And wonderful Synamon was willing to lay on then hot pavement as a zombie that tried to advance and got shot. Really, just a fantastic shoot.
The only factor, again, was time. We were working with a very fast-setting sun, which made it hectic but made us be focused, and we didn’t get one more scene that I really would have liked to get. But we’ll add it in later. At some point.
Today we move back to Oaklawn for one quick scene that we’ll shoot at sunset (again, it will be hectic to get through it quickly), then tomorrow we’ll be at the Mark’s office to shoot the new ending, which takes place in a hospital hallway. Should be great.
Our home base camp. Yeah, it was as hot as Loni makes it look.
The crew sets up for the first shot of the day.
The awesome told control tower at the airport. The place was perfect.
The Marines wait patiently. There were five of them: two Jeremys, two Jasons and Eric.
A Marine aims at incoming zombie.
Marines all set for the scene.
D.P. Jerod composes the shot.
Wonderful Synamon endured basically just laying on the hot concrete for hours as a dead zombie. But it really added a nice touch to the scene.
After we got her in position, and Megan poured the fake blood around her, Jeremy said, “Do you care if I chew my guys out now?”
I said, “Why?”
He said, “For letting a zombie get this close before they shoot it.”
Funny!
We started out with tripod stuff to get details of the Marines scoping out the territory, then we moved to handheld once the survivors show up, and there’s a great, long take with Jerod following the Marine to Guy and TJ and James as he questions them, then says as the survivors walk past him and “into” the building (they didn’t actually go inside, too unsafe). Again, I love these kinds of shots, because I think it puts the viewer even further into the action, makes it more urgent, more real. It’s tough because everyone has to be “on,” stay in character, don’t look at the camera. And Jeremy did great, especially with no prior acting experience.
One scene closer to being done. Slowly but surely. Awesome job, crew! Thank you, thank you, powers that be.
-r.
