Share Your On Location Magic Tricks

[craigbowman]

I learned a couple of great magic tricks during a location shoot this last weekend.

Trick One:

1. Scout a remote quiet location where you have only two cars go by the entire day and its a Saturday to boot.
2. Arrive the following Saturday.
3. Set up your camera and location audio.
4. Ta Da! The quiet location instantly turns into an LA freeway at rush hour and with overhead air traffic to rival O'Hare airport in the busy season!

Trick Two:

1. Carefully coil your cables using the technique praticed by location audio masters and secure them with velcro wraps and rip ties.
2. Place them neatly into any container and carefully close the lid.
3. Ta Da! When you open the lid, even if the container has not been moved at all, the cables will be horribly intertwined and knotted up worse than a Belgian pretzel.

 

[Chris Light]

Trick One happens to me all the time. I laughed out loud at your verbage.


but then again, i work on retail storefront doors and locks as a day job, and no matter what...there can be 12 doors wide open right next to where i'm working, and TaDa!!! Dipsh*ts wanna walk under my ladder and over my toolbag while muttering "sorry" to me as they nudge me, throwing my drill out of gear, all without spilling an ounce of their money on me...just to get through the door I'm working on.


and as a musician for 25 years, i can relate to Trick Two. and i'm a drummer. figure that out.


love your post Craig.

 

[Doc Bernard]

1. Sign on with crew to shoot a TV Pilot
2. Arrive at location
3. Start shooting
4. Find out there's no permit
5. Cops arrive, put at gunpoint, and told "grab some wall!"
6. Ta Da, pissed off camera operator.

 

[lhdor]

1. Get your gear packed and ready for an early morning live shoot.
2. Double check to make sure you have everything ready to grab and go.

Tada, someone borrowed the equipment that night and so in the morning you arrive to the shoot missing equipment or dead batteries.

 

[Richard J. Johnson]

1. Arrive on set with no permits and full crew.
2. Owner shows up and shuts us down.
3. We pack up the gear and drive away.
4. Ta Da! We go around the block, come back, and get the scene anyway.

 

[Hawk Teflon]

1. Arrive at location to shoot with no permits, small crew, and very suspicious looking outfits.
2. Security guard shows up and shuts us down.
3. We tell him we had it cleared with owner of the building, and to call it in. He doesn't have his phone.
4. Ta Da! We shoot the short scene and leave before he gets back to us with cuffs.

 

[Mattykins]

1. Print all schedules, daily reports, and current script revisions.
2. Place all printed paperwork in binder and folders.
3. Check binder and folders multiple times before departing to set.
4. Check paperwork one last time before leaving, everything is there and accounted for.
5. Show up on set.
6. Ta Da! Critical paperwork is missing. All non-critical paperwork is in order.

 

[Sad Max]

1. Decide to make War Epic
2. Outfit actors with fatigues, Timberline boots and an assortment of deer rifles and pump shotguns
3. Arrive in public park for the day's shoot sans permit, signage, or any warning for the management and public regarding your plans
4. Terrify assorted joggers, picnickers and parents with small children until city police show up with assault weapons and tactical gear to politely inquire as to just what the rampaging f*ck you're doing
5. Call parents to throw bail

 

[Mark Harris]

Find a big film crew shooting nearby, set up and get your shots for your film, then if anyone asks, tell them you're with the big film and go see them about permits!