Why I Do This

I have to admit that at 8 p.m. Friday night, I wasn't sure that I wanted to make TV shows. We'd spent the day grabbing props and moving furniture and painting flats. I'd found out that afternoon that I'd lost one of my leads, and went home to spend a restless night of bad dreams.

But 12 hours later, my fake bathroom had walls, my fake office was decorated and being lit for fake night; and in our first rehearsal, I knew both actors were going to be great. The rush of production kicked in, everyone bunkered down and we met our 5-hour shoot schedule.

I owe a life-debt to the producer Tara Boire, the production manager Adili Yahel, and Steve-the-film-student who stayed super-late Friday night to create a bathroom out of wood and paint and vinyl and sweat! It will all be worth it when you see the final product, I promise.

My actors were outstanding. A special kudos to Lachlan Murdoch, who got a call at 4 p.m. Friday asking if he could fill in the next morning. He jumped right into the character and really pulled it off! And Jennifer Foster brought the perfect balance to her role of Sarah. I hope both of them get lots more work once the strike is over!

Lachlan Murdoch as Travis

I wasn't sure what it would be like to have someone else directing my words, but the director Dylan Smith was generously open to input, inviting me to feel like it was truly a collaborative effort.

Given the major time constraints, every aspect exceeded my expectations. Thanks so much to the rest of the crew - true pros. Congrats to Angie-the-makeup-artist who made my post-brawl actor look so authentic that a guy in the men’s room asked him if he was ok!

Then after we struck the set, my editor Lisa kindly picked up me and the tape and whisked us up to the CFC editing studios to watch the rushes!

And looking at the footage, in the high of seeing the results, it was suddenly all worth it. I can honestly say, there truly is nothing like it for me. The closest thing I can compare it to is friends who have given birth saying they barely remember the pain. I've always doubted this, but by last night, the exhaustion and terror of Friday night was fading into a pleasant prideful glow of accomplishment and teamwork.

Lisa got to work and I went to take a nap on the couch. I've never had someone edit my story before either, and it was somewhat surreal to hear her Assembling the Assembly Cut. As I drifted in and out of sleep, I could hear Sarah, the mom in the story, calling for Travis, her son, reminding me of my bad dream from the night before -- searching for Travis and finding only an actor who looked about 40...

12 hours after the first rehearsal, and 24 hours after my dark moment of doubt, I was watching the assembly and letting the emotions of the piece wash over me. Heavenly feeling - my vision was now Reality. At least the screen version of reality, which is apparently going to continue to be my passion. Lisa had continued everyone else's work of really capturing what I was going for when I set up this slice of my show.

Jennifer Foster as Sarah

And now I can use the energy and emotions from this tangible creation to finish rewriting my pilot - second draft due tomorrow! Better get to work, since the idea behind the trailer is for someone from the industry to become intrigued enough to ask to see more about this world and these characters. And with television, unlike a short film, I can show them more, and give them an opportunity to let us show What Happens Next...