More Pre-Pro Fun

Now we've agreed on the locations, and Chris and Liz will be flying out from sun-starved Minnesota the day before so we can check out the plan together.

Side note: It's always a wise PR move to have clients out to the Bay Area for a shoot. You can't go wrong with the food, views, wine country, etc. Right Travis?

While Emily has been going nuts organizing everything, including booking the legally-required, on-set teacher for child talent, the permitting process has gotten out of control. We're now less than three days from shooting, and the woman in Marin has yet to get back to us to confirm all the paperwork is in order. While our Man-On-The-Scene Jim Jackson has moved mountains and greased wheels for us with the city permits, things seem to be a bit more frazzled in Marin. It turns out she's still working on permits for the following day, so take your place in line. And, oh yeah, we're not giving permits for the day you want, Wednesday, April 9th because of the Olympic Torch Relay. Thanks, it's now Friday, April 4th at 5:35 pm. Surely this can wait till later, right?

Turns out Jim Jackson is able to rearrange all of our paperwork for the 9th, so we simply switch the days so we get Marin on the 8th.

The gorilla in the room, at least as Emily and I had been avoiding it until the other details had been worked out, was how do we eat. Having enough food delivered for 20 people to a remote spot in a state park is cost-prohibitive. Add to that the idea of hauling 40 35- and 25-lb. sandbags up a small hill, and you've just hired yourself a third assistant. Even Willie, the RV driver, was psyched to see the Mollie Stone's boxed lunches from Sausalito, which would be expertly delivered by PA Michelle Mitchell.

Finally, it seems everything's ironed out. Time to shoot.