Today, I begin my first day of production as a script supervisor for Jino Kang’s second flick Hand To Hand. Initially, being nervous at the idea that I will be part responsible for a movie (years of internalized obssession with film as the “celluloid world” only accessed either through theatres or Blockbuster & Netflix), my experience gained me a sense of,”Hey, there is work that can be fun!”
The scene being shot today was between Ken (played by Jino Kang), the hero of the film, and Sensei Bob (played by Johnnie Rodriguez), in a quiet garden setting. Well, it was suppose to be a quiet scene with the sun beaming down, and the birds chirping – but we had experienced additional, unwanted sound effects of trains passing by, dogs barking, and what I believed to be spousal abuse argument going on in the next door. But, in a Jino Kang movie, that may be normal soundtrack of victims being avenged.
My work consisted of keeping a record of scenes, takes, and descriptions of the action within the scene sequence. And, also, I help the actors remember their lines. I am now haunted by actors screaming to me,”Ray, line?!” as I fumble for the right words through a revised (and heavy with notes) copy of the screenplay. I love it! =) I also helped Bob… oops, I mean Johnnie, rehearse his scene as I stand-in in the part of Ken during our waiting breaks for the camera set-up.
The director, Kurt Nangle, tells me that this is his first feature film, and that he worked his way up starting as a grip and PA on various movies. And he had made a short flick with his wife previously about cloning entitled “Only You Can Be Me“. He will bring me a copy of it on DVD.
The movie was written and being produced by Jino himself. He explained to me that he has 2 more screenplays that he is planning to option in the near future for production. He’s been busy. He tells me the budget for Hand To Hand is 3 times what Blade Warrior (which had barely a budget, he claims) was. Johnnie is currently working on various other projects, but you can catch him playing the character of Ulee in the movie Blood Loss being released by Lagoonside Pictures.
This feels like the beginning of a bee-oo-tee-ful relationshp…
