‘Beg’ Set Report 3
When producer and all-around nice lady Shanna MacDonald sent me an e-mail about the upcoming shoot dates for Beg, an independent slasher shooting in my home state of Massachusetts, the fact that it was filming at a strip club immediately caught my attention. It’s not just because I’m a pervert, but I also knew it would be an entertaining time and make for a great set report. After two previous visits to set (read my reports here and here), I was looking forward to another fun night with the crew, and it did not disappoint.
The night began at a local warehouse where a few police scenes were shot. Star Tony Moran (Halloween) was on hand as Jack Fox, a disgruntled cop forced into retirement with a vicious killer on the loose. Moran’s brother, John, was also present on set. He was helpful, assisting the crew with a variety of tasks. The location had one of those cool freight elevators that you often see in movies, which proved to be perfect for the scenes. The upstairs provided an office setting where we see Moran interact with the new officer on the case, played by Brandon Stumpf.
Genre favorite Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes) was on hand for a little bit of filming. He was going to be filming his scenes for the movie later in the weekend, but his plane got in that night so he stopped by the set to watch Moran act. He said that he became friends with Moran over the years of doing horror conventions but has never had the chance to see him act. From what I heard, Berryman’s scenes are going to be nuts. The man is such a nice guy. He also loves to tell stories, recounting his many experiences over the years, from working as a bodyguard for Bob Dylan to calling out Steven Seagal to coming up with the title for Poultrygeist. Seriously, the guy needs to write a book.
Filming at the warehouse went quick and smoothly, and the crew joked about how they were ahead of schedule for once. After wrapping, we headed to director Kevin MacDonald’s home for a bite to eat. It was during this time where a few of the crew members came up with an amazing concept for a film entitled The Mopper, about an action hero who’s stuck mopping the semen off the floor of the VIP room in a strip club.
Being ahead of schedule did not last long once everyone arrived at the strip club after driving for about an hour. It was 1 in the morning, and the joint had just closed. Since the walls were mirrored, the crew spend a good deal of time figuring out the best way to film it without getting reflections. They also dealt with problems such as lighting and covering up all of the brand names. It was during this time that make-up artist Corrine Erickson applied the great skull face make-up to the face of Stacy Hamilton, which came out great. The lovely Hamilton works at the club and was hand-picked by the MacDonalds to perform in the scene.
With a strip pole in the center of the room, it was only natural for some of the cast and crew members to get up and try it out, only to realize that it was much harder than it looks. Stumpf showed a particular shine, so if the acting gig doesn’t work out he has something to fall back on. This was entertaining for a while, but eventually people got antsy to get back on track. “Who knew a strip club could be this boring?” pondered the comical assistant director Ari Manin.
Once everything was finally perfect, shooting began. Hamilton’s routine was stunning. I had never been to a strip club before — I personally don’t see the appeal — but I have a whole new respect for the dancers after seeing her talent. The scenes look great, with the atmosphere perfectly captured. Moran and Stumpf also knocked their lengthy exchange out of the park on each take.
By the time the night was through, the sun had already began to rise and I had been on set for about twelve hours. The film has now been shooting for well over a year, but it’s shaping up to be something great. You can tell that it’s a real labor of love with everyone having a good time. Visit the film’s official website to see a trailer which features some footage from my fun night. Also be sure to check out the rest of my pictures here.
No Comments
No comments yet.
Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI
Leave a comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
