ReTired

I was script supervisor/continuity on Bevan Klassen's short ReTired this past weekend. This is the film he's making with the Manitoba Emerging Filmmakers Award funding. Damn fun for the most part, though of course, hard work and long days. Great crew, brilliant setting (tire warehouse, hence the photo), good script, and most importantly, fast turn-arounds on lighting setups thanks to a DP (Director of Photography aka Cinematographer) who was confident in what he's doing and had Big Equipment and lots of help with which to work.

So what does a script supervisor do? My role is first to make sure that the shot list will cover everything originally in the script, and if it doesn't, alert the director so s/he can either add something or say they meant to leave it out. Then I keep a log of all the shots as we go - how long they were, if there were any issues with sound or picture or performance - that helps when they get to the editing room and try to remember why they took 4 takes. But the real challenge is the continuity side of things. Have to remember what people were wearing, how many buttons were undone, what hand they picked up a mug with, how much blood was dribbling down their cheek, what a desk looked like before it was cleared in a violent rage, so it/they can be put back together for the next take or a scene in another room...

It's a pretty mind-consuming job, but on a pro set, there would be a costume person and hair person who would also be watching continuity for those areas. The best thing about it is I'm at the director's elbow most of the time, so get to basically be a director observer. And it's fun to be the know-it-all - I field questions from the director, camera assistant, actors, crew - for the reasons above, plus I'm keeping score on what's been covered and what's left, and when we can all go home and get a little rest before getting up to do it all again...

It's actually hard to come back to the real world after the intensity and pace of a film weekend. But have much to do before I go on my trip so better get to it.