Los Angeles Wrap on Retrieval: Writer Producer Director

And that’s a wrap on Retrieval in LA! This was my first real SAG short film that I directed and produced. I’ve shot and action directed many times before, but in terms of putting everything together and formally being in the director’s seat, I’d say this is my first real project. But before I get into the film, let’s go back to the beginning.

As with all things, this project started up in a flash. I had this story that I wanted to tell. I ran it by a few people and two key people really helped me make that final push to get things rolling. Before I made the trip to Vietnam for a friend’s wedding, I told my friend Steven about this idea I had for a short film. He liked it, but for him it was missing something. After a good evening of discussion we had gotten the final touch of the story. He was so supportive of the idea that he said he would back it. It wasn’t a hefty sum, but what was truly important was that someone else believed in the idea enough that he was willing to put money down. I quickly did some re-writing to incorporate what we had talked about. Then I had a finished script and synopsis.

Soon after I had to fly to Asia for my friend’s wedding. When I got back, my friend Eliver picked me up from the airport. I told him my story about these individuals who wanted to get something important back in their lives that they had lost. He was supportive and on-board. He was so on-board that he said, why don’t we get started today? So after dinner we worked past midnight getting SAG paperwork filed and setting up auditions to search for our lead roles.

It was A LOT of work, but like a whirlwind in less than 3 weeks we had our full cast, crew, and locations, etc. It was truly amazing how so many friends came together to help.

So if I hadn’t mentioned already, I was acting, directing, producing, writing, action coordinating, scheduling, and more on this project. That’s kind of how it is on your own project. People say it’s too much.. and they are right, it is! But I’ve seen Jackie Chan and a few other talented actors/directors do this so I’m not saying it’s easy, but I’m saying it is possible.

In the short amount of time we had, a lot of prep work was still involved. I had to find wardrobe, props, etc. We got airsoft guns. I had to go to so many prop places to find retractable knife sets. We had a rubber prop phone created specifically for this shoot. I remember running around the mall searching for the right sizes for the lead antagonist’s clothing. I was shopping until the last day.

I had set up Day 1 to be our interior shots so it would be a nice start. I saved Day 2 for the intense action and drama. On Day 1 the whole team got warmed up. Here we are after wrapping on the first day.

Here was our view from downtown.

Immediately Day 2 was upon us. I/we had to have our game on. It was a night shoot. I had over 24 people on set for Day 2. We had a larger cast, larger crew, and more mouths to feed. Thanks goes out to Harrison my DP and Director Dennie Gordon (who I worked with on My Lucky Star). Dennie liked the concept and offered to help feed everyone so she came by and brought the whole crew food. Very very kind of her.

There was so much to shoot and so little time. From an acting perspective it was also difficult because I had so many other things to think about besides just my lines.. but in some twisted way I enjoyed the intensity and pressure. It forces me to step everything up.

In miraculous fashion we got all the dialog, action, establishing shots, etc done that day. Huge thanks to my highly capable team. Huge thanks to my DP, camera operators, ACs, and Rock who basically became a 1st AD as well.

Huge thanks to my wonderful actress Bethany who had to endure the cold for the whole night and my beautiful makeup artist and set designer. They were both always there when you needed them and could almost read my mind on what I wanted.

Big amazing thanks to my thugs! My stunt friends came out to help me and it means so so much. They were doing action choreography, getting shot, falling, and beating me up. No way this could have been done without these incredible guys.

And then when it was all over I pretty much collapsed. haha! Also huge thanks to Jay who provided our exterior location and also helped me with sound.

We started at sunset and literally shot until the last drop of darkness left the sky and then… the sun came out.

And THAT was a WRAP on Retrieval in LA… but you thought it was over? So my film involved a second part that was to be shot in China. I had no idea how I was going to make that part happen, but they say build it and it will come.. and it came. A few days after the LA portion was completed, I was called to China to work on a Jackie Chan movie. So before I knew it I was on a flight back to China. Read my next post to see how I completed the China portion of Retrieval.