The Pitch...Approved

"That's a great idea. If you have the sponsorship, we can do this."

I waited for the but. There is always a but. Always.

There was no but.

It is a simple of mathematics. My co-producer has arranged sponsorship money and if the show pays for itself we get to be on television. The TV minor-GATEKEEPER (there is GATEKEEPER up higher) was straight forward.

For those immediately crying, "Pay for play!" please contain yourselves. Sponsorship and advertising pay for television - that is the reality of life. There are t's to be crossed and i's to be dotted - however at the end of the day the show is one more step to reality.

One more step closer than yesterday. It is a good day people. A very good day.

Someday I'll be able to talk about the exact details - like WHAT THE DANG SHOW IS! For now though it is a victory.

Wayne

Pre-production for Bloomberg shoot

I have to go pick up some fake cockroaches for tonight's shoot.

They may not have been the oddest words I've ever uttered to my boss - though certainly it makes the top ten list - and her only request was that I not show the roaches to her since she hates roaches.

Now how did I up looking for roaches this fine Tuesday? Let's back up 24 hours.

plan A: Film in Central Park, two actors, branded programming for Bloomberg Sports - specifically the football product - and a punchline involving two pigeons.

Twenty four hours later.

plan B: Film in an apartment, one of the actors replaced because of a flu, branded programming for Bloomberg Sports - specifically the football product - and a punchline involving cockroaches.

At least it's still branded programming.

A quick aside on the actor replacement: I didn't even blink. I once had an actor get arrested at 2 AM of the morning of the first day of a film I directed called What Men Talk About. By the end of the film shoot I had him staying at my apartment so I'd know he would be on time for shooting. Having the flu - hey, stay at home better you're sick than I am.

Back to plan A & plan B.

Mother Nature doesn't really care about my production schedule - it's pretty much the first rule of filmmaking. She proved it by giving it an 80% chance of pouring rain. Fair enough. You know the second rule of filmmaking? Filmmaking is problem solving. plan B is solving the problem.

Well almost...there is always one last problem . A corporate approved script requires a multi-layered approval process. Pigeons, while commonly thought of as rats-with-wings is much more kid friendly than bugs that can survive a nuclear strike.

Thankfully it was only two people in this case and the reactions: "Any other animal possibilities?" and one very bemused look.

Ergo. I picked up my fake cockroaches for tonight's shoot.

Yep. This is my job sometimes.

Wayne
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