Boring

My boss had a meeting this morning and since I usually go to set first thing to get breakfast I just drove down with her. She thought it would only last about 20 minutes (which I knew was optimistic) but since I didn't have anything to do at the office I didn't care.

The UPM decided it would be a good idea for me to go watch the motion control (moco) camera in action while I was waiting and I figured "why not?" So off I went to the stage and sat myself in one of the producer's chairs right in video village. I had a good view of the monitors, the moco camera, and the set. Not that there was much to the set, as they were planning to shoot birds sitting on a wire.

It was just about as boring as it sounds. I enjoyed talking to the crew and watching the camera move around, but the subject matter was a friggin' power line. There weren't even any birds yet.

I did hear a good story about the moco system, though. Apparently, while shooting Garp, the scene was set for the moco camera to zoom in on a baby in a stroller (I haven't seen the movie, only read the book). The guy got it all programmed and they put a doll in the stroller for the test run. Well, that camera went through it's paces and ended up slamming into the doll and stroller. The mom, standing there with her infant, just turned around and walked out and did not come back. I guess they got another baby, but man I think I would have peed my pants watching that happen.