on the set...  Why Time is Money

Prior to the beginning of filming a scene
a host of activities take place which have
everything to do with creating the appropriate
ambiance.

Usually this costs money.

Sometimes a lot of money.

Go to any French Restaurant to get
a similar spin on things...

Many of these activities "on the set"
go unnoticed by the most adept movie buffs.

For the purpose
of exploring these particular mysterious goings-on
and
elevating the awareness of those interested

in suchness

I have prepared a very short list
for the reader's edification and mental digestive
juices:

Did you know that a three minute scene in
the film could take 12 hours to complete?

Well, why not?

In some cases it can take weeks...

"Waterworld"
a long forgotten embarrassment to it's
investors
ran wildly over the proposed budget

and no amount
of Ancient Hawaiian Ritual Chanting

which was really "employed"

prior to the creation of that film
was of any value whatsoever.

Note: notice the root word "ploy";
          it should not be confused with the
          word "poi", which in Hawaiian,
          means something entirely different...

{at this point one should evaluate the obvious:
i.e. sometimes the gods say: "NO WAY!"

Whatever forces of Nature where appealed
to, seemed opposed to the project from the
get-go???

Mysterious stuff.

Nevertheless

there are those
who are interested in the
Creative Process
who would have liked to have seen the
magical accounting practices
capable of writing off the ancient ceremonies
under the heading of

"production costs."

{Unfortunately
the scene depicting the
The Kahuna of Accounting Performing Ritual Magic
was cut from the film during the final editing...
over the objections of the Studio heads
and upon Mr. Cost-ner's insistence...}

Do not think for one minute that
this entire industry

with all the inherent hoopla

is not ONE BIG CRAPSHOOT!

From another p.o.v. a somewhat similar
and far cheaper way
of controlling the
forces of nature were demonstrated
at the macro level
during the filming of "Fifteen Minutes."

First of all
when the
Kahuna-in-charge-of-unpleasant-distractions
hollered:
"Quiet on the Set!"

all traffic moving along Madison Avenue complied.

Powerful stuff to witness.

Somewhat later

when a taxicab inadvertently violated the taboo
of attempting to cross west on 62nd Street during
the filming

he was immediately stopped by several
uniformed NYC Police
who were not actors.

Painfully aware of his mistake
the driver pleaded for his life

{but not that of his passenger cowering
in the back seat}

but to no avail.

He, his unlucky fare and the entire vehicle
were tossed into the nearest volcano.

This is how mistakes are dealt with
by those who know how to deal with
such things!