We're getting to know the Film Experience community one-by-one. It's taking a long time, bless you! Today we're talking with Peter, a script supervisor.
Peter working on the set of a movie!
Nathaniel: When and why did you start reading TFE?
PETER: I was referred to it from Kenneth in (212) and thought TFE catered to the fun side of film I adored and come awards season... glued. I haven't looked back.
Nathaniel: You work in the industry, right? What's your favorite part of the biz?
PETER: Yeah. I've been a script supervisor primarily for independent features for close to 8 years. It's still strange to me that I get paid to do what I do. Though there are definitely bad days, I generally love what I do. It's great to be on the scene and be so close to the process. My favorite part of this nutty business on the independent level is seeing how sometimes unforeseen elements (ie. weather, talent illness, location flooded) can force the creative team to come up with last minute solutions to make that particular scene work. It really becomes a collaboration and it's a great example of why I love working indies. Some of the best stuff from projects I've worked on resulted from this.
Terrifying, really!Do you remember your first movie?
When I was 6, my dad brought me and my sister to see The Land Before Time. It was very traumatic. Me and my sister cried our eyes out from all the death and abandonment. My dad had to take us out of the theater because I'm sure everyone was staring. I vowed to never go to the movies ever again, thinking it's just a big, dark room where bad things happen. Little did I know....
Do you have a dream project as filmmaking goes?
Oh boy... As a scripty, I'd love to be part of another smart comedy. I love the vibe it sets to the behind-the-scenes team and the relationship it creates amongst cast & crew. On the far-reach scale? A period musical. Oh yeah... my brain gets orgasmic just thinking about that. Someone should really be remaking Newsies now that it's doing well on stage.
these are a few of his favorite things ♫
Name your three favorite movies in each genre.
Sci-Fi/ Fantasy: Gattaca, The Fifth Element and Blade Runner
Horror: The Exorcist, Ringu & does Stephen King's "It" count? I still can't watch the whole thing in one sitting and am relieved once that spider monster thing appears because I know I made it and now I can just enjoy the campiness.
Comedy: Best In Show, Mean Girls & try to not judge too hard, but Rookie of The Year. I wanted to be Henry Rowengartner so much as a kid.... "Pitcher has a big butt...". That movie will always have a place in my nostalgic heart. -
Drama: Ordinary People, A Streetcar Named Desire & Grave of the Fireflies
Musical: The Sound of Music, The Lion King, Moulin Rouge!
Take away an Oscar. Regift it.
I know Humphrey Bogart was great in The African Queen, but I think it's a travesty that Marlon Brando didn't win for A Streetcar Named Desire. He transformed the way I see how a performance can truly elevate a film.
Which move would you want to live inside of?
As a young kid, it was being a Von Trapp kid in The Sound of Music. As a grown-up kid, The X-Men universe for sure. I don't know what mutant power I'd have (it'd probably be a lame one) but living in a world where it's a reality would be awesome. The strange thing is that I'm not sure if I'll be part of the X-Men or the Brotherhood... Haha.
Hmmm. If you don't know it's The Brotherhood ;) What's the last movie you saw before these questions?
Bluebird, a film I worked on last winter had its world premiere during this year's Tribeca Film Festival. And yes, Roger Sterling is just as cool as you think he is in person!