Geoffrey Gould
Reports from the set/s...
["behind-the-scenes" with]

Southland
episode 501: Hats and Bats

Tuesday November 20, 2012
It's all about the blood
During the previous week, close friends indicated that they had been approached by the Warner Bros. TV series Southland's location scouts as possibly using their domicile as an episode scene location. The shoot date would be Tuesday the 27th, and possibly being a two-day shoot.
Two practical issues I noticed included their cats (their having about six or seven), which could be handled; many were indoor/outdoor cats and the latest, young cat Darwin (who has proven himself to be Hunter enough to warrant being kept indoors and away from my friend's king pigeons), can be stowed in a large container for the day. The other issue would be my friend's sweet if 90+ year old mother, who is just barely mobile, and doesn't exactly speak with an Indoor Voice. It is probable my friends will take out their Mom for the day someplace, but the scout pointed out a twelve-hour shoot day is not uncommon; I pointed out a fifteen-hour day could be probable as well.
My friends pointed out to the main scout that I am an actor, so for the Measuring Mission, as it were, I had on me several of my calling cards.
The production arrived a little after 10:30am; I had expected about two or three to casually measure room widths and such... and was both surprised and amused it was more like two dozen producer people arriving. They were all very pleasant and very respectful of the house and property. They did not mind my being there as various shots were discussed, angles and such, et al. I was not precisely sure if it was the set designer, DP or episode director taking center stage, but I loved his pointing out one of the crux of the scene being, "It's all about the blood" (considering the series is a police procedural, a death in an episode I doubt would be considered a Spoiler any more than the same being said for any episode of Dexter).
As one of the production asked for my card, I was surprised to hear my name being recognized: on the crew was a longtime friend, the lovely and talented Elizabeth Reynolds, who I'd not seen for some time; she's not longer acting and has been working production side for a while now.
It was Strongly Hinted I'd be cast (background, if anything), for the episode. I'd been previously informed that Central does the show's casting, so I notified my calling service as to the next week and that the possiblity existed of my being booked on the Southland episode.

Wednesday November 21, 2012
Notice
As I lived so close, I arrived back at my place from the movies seeing Life of Pi, and found a Notice of Filming regarding Tuesday's shoot at my friends' house, declaring the hours (they'd be taking over the length of the street) to be from 7am-5pm. A nine hour filming day (eight plus an hour lunch), could be considered quite a conservative estimate.

Thursday November 22, 2012
Solutions discussed, planned
When production had said "two days," what was meant was, a one day shoot, a second day to Set Up. What was omitted was a third day: break-down. Schedule-wise it would be Monday set-up, Tuesday shoot, and Wednesday break-down.
Having reminded my friend about his mother and the myriad of cats, I'd initially suggested their taking Ron's 90+ year old mother away for the shoot day, but realizing now the extent of what was to come (my counsel for which [almost surprisingly], was sought), up with which we came included having Ron's sister (their mother's care-giver as it was), and their Mom put up at a local hotel or motel mid-Monday through Tuesday (returning Wednesday morning).
Cats Darwin, Johnny and Tuxedo could be holed up at my place, my own two cats (having become rather territorial), would be retained in the bedroom, a situation they'd had to endure during some renovation to the house, which they would have to endure again when renovations continue within the next few months. The remaining "old lady" cats (who really couldn't control their bladders very well anymore and daily would pee on my friend's sister's bed), could be set up in a large animal-container (as my friends did wildlife rehabilitation, they had animal storage space they could utilize).
While it was anticipated that my friend's routine-entrenched sister would be the most
So as of Thanksgiving, it appeared that the upcoming adventure would be handle-able.

Sunday November 25, 2012
Squabbling settled
Due to my friend's sister and mother refusing to be hotel-ed for a couple of days, things shifted. Over the weekend space was designated for Various Things; sister and mother would be placed into my friends' main place, whilst the friendlier cats will stay in my domicile, in the common area, keeping my cats closed in my bedroom (which they've had to have done before during some renovation, and will again when renovations resume). A friendly, older street tom they know is in the front room which can be closed off as well.
We were not sure when the crew would arrive to set-up, or if they'd call first to announce being on their way. For all we knew they could show up and say, "Thanks: get out," as they start with their work on the place.

Monday November 26, 2012
Set-up
At 9:30am the crew showed up, throwing into a tizzy my friends. My friend's sister and I brought Johnny over to my place, but the friendly if stubborn cat was not thrilled with being Elsewhere, and was far too experienced to evade what he considered to be continued imprisonment. Within seconds he had bolted past us into the yard; thankfully the indoor-outdoor cat was catchable, and I made the call to switch out cats. While my two remained in my bedroom, the bulky Buddy would have the common area and sequestered in the front, closeable bedroom would be Johnny and Darwin (though Darwin got out their his house's open front door and he dislike being brought inside, even though once inside he's fine).
With Darwin roaming the yard, and his since-spayed mother and probable father hanging about, we weren't overly worried.
By the evening it was clear I had not been booked. Either they had forgotten to put my name on the skins (the list on which cast and crew are listed, a separate list for background as the callsheet only lists the number of background, not the names: the names list is with the ADs and PAs), or I had been Politely Lied To.
My friend indicated (who he though was) the producer was coming by to discuss the shoot. Having been watching the show, I noted it seemed it would be highly efficient; hand-held (but well, not Vitual Motion Sickness inducing), on video: possibly the Red or better.
In the evening, it was location manager Neal who came by to look over the new, impressive set production had made out of my friends' place. After a friendly chat, he pointed out while I might not be booked to work this particular episode, they have about a hundred more days of shooting ahead of them.

Tuesday November 27, 2012
Shoot date
Neal came by a little after 11am to convey that they'd be at my friends' place sometime after lunch, which was scheduled for 12:30pm to 1pm and that we were able to come have lunch at basecamp (about which we didn't have to be asked twice), at the old Sears building on Santa Monica near Western. I remebered to ask the episode title and number: this is for the series premier, episode 501, Hats and Bats
Neal also introduced us to Cecil Hardy who would now be the one handling my friends' location.
I headed over on foot to basecamp, arriving at 12:30pm to find a small skeleton production crew and some security. Due to my regular street attire, based on results I passed for a crew member as I was never once challenged as I retreived some Tri-Tip and roasted potatoes, ate in the lunch-box. When I was done, I hung for a few minutes, called my friends who were rather passed the time they should have been there. I described some of the available food, and pointed out the basecamp was a bit crowded (they were apparently expecting it to be somewhat "glamourous," being a TV production). As they decided not to come over for the free lunch I just walked back.
Crew had already begun to arrive. There was no bathroom blood so at the time I suspected that'd be for the night scene.
Prior to this date, that section of backyard had enough foliage as to be refered to as The Jungle, and as kittens my cats and Darwin would romp about in and out of the tall grass and shrubbery. It was implied that the newly opened up backyard would be holding, and fifty chairs would be arriving. This ended up not happening, even though Cecil dragged back a dolly with about ten or fifteen chairs that I don't think even ever got set up.
We were given free reign at Craft Services; my inexperienced friends barely utilizing such license. My friend's sister almost came out of the back house but was too shy to meet any of the leads that were close enough to whom to at least say Hi, and she and their mother remained inside.
Meanwhile, when I was at Crafty, Shawn Hatosy walked by me, wearing a police uniform (having only seen season one, I'd no idea yet how he goes from detective to street cop). As when I was watching the episodes, I kept wondering from where I knew/had seen him before. As I scrolled down his IMDB entry, apart from several projects in which he'd been I'd seen, but not the Full On Connection I was seeking, I discovered he had been the main student in my second background gig: In & Out. I printed out a photo of him "with" me to show him, but he had been wrapped and was gone; I gave it to Cecil who would endevour to show it to him next time he saw him.
The shoot wrapped about 8pm, and my friend was still amazed at how quickly all the equipment was taken down and away. There would still be Break-Down the next day; returning their house to its original condition.

Southland:
The Complete
First Season

Southland:
Complete Second, Third
and Fourth Seasons
[This set will be released
on February 5, 2013.]