More Filming in Newhall

Days two and three went quite well on the shoot. Saturday the director said he’d decided his original location wasn’t safe enough to dangle an actor from, so we headed to Vasquez Rocks (of Star Trek TOS and Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey fame, among many others) to try to steal a few shots before we were discovered by The Man and kicked out.

Things went pretty well after a short hike up to a lesser known outcrop. We got most of what Jason, the director, wanted before I spotted a figure in the distance below. He was wearing a white shirt and black pants. Possibly a Mormon, we surmised, but equally possibly an official of some kind. As the shots rolled along, the guy below kept walking back and forth, then sticking his head in an SUV that parked itself at the trail entrance. Jason decided he’d gotten enough coverage to edit the scene together, and rather than risk a confrontation, wrapped the set and we all split into small groups and hiked back down.

When we reached the parking lot, however, the guy in white turned out to be a painter who was merely framing his own shot for a watercolor.

We laughed like hyenas as we drove out. Paranoia does strange things to a person.

I don’t want to post too many photos of the sets before the film is out, so as not to spoil much. But here’s Sunday’s set, a funeral. This short has been great fun to be a part of, and I can’t wait to see the finished film.