The Milford Area Players (MAP) put on a play by Ray Cooney called Run for Your Wife. I called and asked to help out. I didn’t want to be on stage. There’s no films being made near me, so this was a way for me to see interactions with directors, actors, scripts, props, set building, etc. I basically pressed some buttons for lights and sounds behind stage. Nothing major. But I got to see a play come to life from casting to completion. I got to see just how important each person was to the play.
It was a blast. Small cast, funny script, and great people. I learned far more than they think I did. I would recommend any filmmaker volunteer where they can. It helped me pull my head out from behind a computer studying cameras/editing/audio/technical-stuff and put the human element back into my thinking.
While reading a script, watching a great director work, going behind a stage and all that was really cool. The most amazing thing for me was watching the actors work. I saw how they were in rehearsals. Saw how they changed when there was a set. Saw how much they changed when there was a live audience. I saw mistakes, recoveries, great performances, and actors… well, acting. It gave me a huge respect for all involved.
And as for building flats and creating a set, I learned the power of a a good impact drill. Need to put a screw right through two 2x4s without pre-drilling a hole?… no problemo: just hold screw, use drill, and listen to the wood scream as the screw goes in. You’d think I was killing the 2×4. Lucky for me, Santa put one under my tree last Christmas. Makes me grunt like Tim the toolman Taylor. uoh uoh uoooooh.
