Back on the set after two days off.  I had to go back home to do some gigs and then had to be back here at 9:00 this morning (I left Boston at 7:30!).  These early days are killing me!  Today we filmed the opening scene of the film (well, actually it's the for my character and the Chaney character.  Jerico has a scene that runs previous to this one).  The scene is Renshaw and Chaney watching the SWAT siege on Jerico's cabin.  It's supposed to show the relationship between the two cops and also show the hot headed, angry personality of Renshaw (my character),  Basically, I'm pissed because SWAT hasn't moved in yet and I urge Chaney that we should move in ourselves.  This leads to the clusterfuck at the cabin and the inevitible fight at the waterfall that I chronicled the other day.  There are some funny outtakes from today, including one where I was supposed to slap my clip into the gun and ended up having it backwards, so it didn't go in all the way.  I tried to keep up with the scene while casually pulling it back out and putting it back in...but to no avail.  I couldn't keep a straight face.

  I'm an idiot.  It's true.  I'm so "let's do it for the good of the film" that I don't think of the fact that I have no health insurance right now.  Today's display of idiocy took place as I hung on to the back of the Blazer while Chaney peeled out of the observation area.  This was supposed to be where I rode the dirtbike, but alas, they couldn't get one.  Probably for the best...Keating + dirtbike - coordination = big injury.  Anyhow, I fell off the back of the truck....twice.  One, I just hopped off and landed on my feet.  The second time, I took quite a tumble...but somehow landed on my shoulder and cobat rolled to my feet.  I pulled my gun out for extra effect. 

  In addition to the opening scene, we also did some pickup shots back at the cabin.  In the SWAT picture (they look so happy don't they?  Too bad none of them make it through the siege.), I'm the one on the left holding the UZI.  Yep, I had to serve time in the suit.  And it was fucking hot out!  We needed a bunch of SWAT inserts storming the cabin, so I had to put on a mask and become cannon fodder for Jerico.  The rain kept us in the cabin and unable to shoot for an hour.  Growing bored, I started videotaping Jeff (Det. Chaney) who had fallen asleep.  Basically I did a documentary on him and his sleeping habits for 15 minutes.  Hey, it kept me amused.

   We keep running into big problems with the blanks guns jamming.  That could be trouble with the upcoming water tower shootout scene.  In that scene, I'm supposed to do a Matirx-like two handed shooting thing.  When the clips empty, I simultaneously drop both clips to the ground, via a button on the handles of the guns. I've actually got the timing down pretty decently and can get them almost exact.  Unfortunately, it loses a lot of impact if you can only fire off 3 shots before the gun jams.
 

   Everyone on the shoot seems amazed by my peculiar eating habits.  I wouldn't say that they are peculiar...I just don't like when food that isn't supposed to touch each other, touches (i.e. salad and any kind of pasta sauce...cole slaw and baked beans).  I think the guy that invented those sectioned picnic plates was a genius.  I also made the mistake of telling them how when I was younger I hated soggy cereal.  So instead of pouring the milk into the cereal, I would take a mouthful of cereal and then a shot of milk..almost like a chaser.  We've all got our hangups.

    Tomorrow....my good friend Tony Moschetto arrives for his scenes!  He'll be here for two days!