Finding a Hero

Last week Director Joe O'Brien sat down with Transportation Coordinators Marti Wells and Julio Palomino. They were looking for a hero.

Not an actor, they were deciding on a "hero car." The vehicle is important to the film; the interior layout at least as important as to the make and model. Joe had a model in mind, but Marti thought it would be difficult to find. They decided to let Marti find something compatible, with the understanding it had to have bucket seats.

Yes, bucket seats is a plot point.

In the script and storyboards O'Brien had crafted a scene which was possible only if the car had bucket seats. It's the kind of detail that a film crew must attend to. And it's why there are so many pre-production meetings. Telling the Transportation Coordinator to "bring a car" simply wouldn't do.

They moved through the script to identify all cars needed. They discussed the make, model, and color for each vehicle needed. Not just the cars in the foreground of a scene, but what should be parked in the background. They listed what cars may need to be painted to match. Which cars may need to appear damaged, or suffer damage.

They identified which car might need special effects to damage the windshield, and the need to have backups in place. And a person who can install said windows.

Planning ahead means the crew isn't standing around waiting for a window glazer to make it to the set. Shooting a film requires a lot of very detailed-oriented people.