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Geoffrey Gould
Reports from the set/s...
The Lepidoctor
Jonathon Barenboim's USC Student Film

Sunday August 15, 2010
Spotting a flat cat
Several days earlier whilst going through various "projects for which" I fitted, one was a student film seeking museum patrons, the role being listed as "cameo," meaning "smaller" supporting role. Late Saturday afternoon I got a call from one of the project's producers Chris Caraballo, asking if I was interested in participating in the project. I responded in the affirmative, and Chris proceeded to convey what I thought to be audition information for the next day, at Woodbury University, the audition time window being "between 8:40am and noon." I remembered the casting post listing, but not a huge amount of detail as I'd submitted to several projects. Back at my computer I noted it was for Museum Patron; I figured slightly upscale casual. I also decided, as I had my friends' son's 9th birthday party to attend in the afternoon, I would arrive by 8:40 to get done the audition and head to Pasadena from there.
This was not the case.
At the time of Chris's call I was walking a (former) friend's dog, so I didn't really catch that the call really was indicating that I was cast if I so chose, and that it was not a Woodbury University student film: that was the scene's shooting location.
Through mta.net I found I could get nearby relatively easily but when the time came, the 222 bus driver blew the correct stop, forcing me to hike back a ways to head up Hollywood Way to the side street to the University entrance on Glenoaks Boulevard. In the wee hours, Chris had emailed me the callsheet as he said he would (which I thought was odd, as, for an audition, I would have expected him to say script or sides). Receiving the callsheet and directions, I then realized that it was the actual shoot, not an audition for it, and that literally I was background.
Anyone who's read these student films reports know that I rarely do "background work" for student films unless there is something about the project I find really compelling, such as with Chicxulub (filmed on Warner Bros. back-lot), or Trails (a fake airport terminal set). Even with Trails what worked out was my being called in, requested to help on the film a second day, and with my interaction with them, when the director made his next film Santa Croce, I got a call just to show up to play the supporting role of Deputy Sheriff.
However, as I'd agreed to work on the Lepidoctor project, I dutifully arrived shortly after 8am. The production was pretty easy to find via the provided directions, and it was here I learned it was a USC film. As I didn't realize at the time that the project's callsheet neglected to list almost anyone of the crew, I do not know the name of the very pleasant girl doing wardrobe, who sort of doubled as background handler, along with Alex Jacobs. I relaxed, and eventually was brought to set, which was a large room done up with a few peculiar "exhibits," such as a stuffed and very not-clean standing polar bear, the arranged wall-pinned "butterflies," and a spotted-leopard pelt simply thumbtacked to a blank wall.
Along with a girl who was friends with one of the principals, I was set to ponder over the flat feline. With our back mostly to the camera, I was one with the thought that at least my same aforemention friend would recognize me in the scene, as she can spot the back of my head in a massive throng, but with a single straight-on shot of me she doesn't seem to be able to recognize me.
After a few takes, the scene was complete. Director Jonathon Barenboim thanked us, promising a copy of the script would be forwarded [as of Sunday the 19th, it had not arrived in my email box].
I gave Alex Jacobs my contact information and headed back to Hollywood Way at which to catch the 94 bus down to the Pasadena bus to my friends' house for the rest of the afternoon.

Sunday May 01, 2011
Forgot to mention...
While the short was screened, I never received a DVD copy.
I have to admit partial bafflement at the finished product (about 85% worth); what made sense on set seemed (to me), lost on screen, though this might mostly be due to the muddy audio; it came across as though it were a preview teaser for the actual story.
As mentioned, after well over a year later no DVD copy has been forthcoming.

Thursday May 03, 2012
Another year later...
I attended the Newport Beach Film Festival for the 4pm What She Did for Short block of shorts in which Drowned on which I worked, was a part, driven down by its director Marcio Migliriosi and producer Paola Gazzaneo (their also happening to be married to each other).
Ours was shown fourth of the eight shorts, the others of which being far better than those shown with Drowned at the previous film festival at Raleigh Studios on the previousl April 12th.
There were to be two after-parties, and it w'd discussed the lateness thereof, so as I'd found I was able to return via public transit, Marcio dropped me off a couple of blocks away at the start of the OCTA 43 line, which took me up to Disneyland, albeit tardily so, and I missed the initial 460 bus connection and had to wait for the next, "fortunately" late enough the wait time wasn't overly long, and from downtown I caught the local bus taking me up to my second closest bus stop, getting me back at 10:45pm (after catching that first 6:19pm-scheduled Costa Mesa bus when it picked me up at aboot 6:27pm).
While on the first bus, I went through the mega-program guide for the festival, stumbling across that in a later same-day block of shorts was being shown the USC short The Lepidoctor on which I worked, for which I never received my contracutally owed DVD copy. Had I noticed that earlier, I might have renegotiated; while Marcio and Paola and all went to the parties, I'd attend that block (as Marcio was kind enough to buy my ticket for the block in which his film was shown), and by the time my block ended, their partying would be close to finished, and I'd have headed back with them (as opposed to the four+ hours by public transit). I confess had I attended, during the Q&A I would have asked Jonathon Barenboim as to what was payment for actors in student films. On the answer being "copy and credit," I'd have pointed out not having received my copy...


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