Hiding Under My Desk

Getting ready for a Make-a-Movie birthday party is always a creative process. I always read through the script to make sure I feel it is tailored perfectly for the birthday boy or girl. If we're doing SPACE: The Movie, and the child playing the Commander is a girl, then I'd better go through it and switch all the 'him's" and his" to "her's" and "she's.'

I'll never forget the party where the Scientist character was played by a sweet little girl, yet the script referred to her character as a boy throughout. And wouldn't you know it, but I didn't even catch this until I was at my computer editing the footage??!! I wanted to crawl under the desk and just sit with all my wires and cables hoping the world would forget I even do Make-a-Movie birthday parties!!

Luckily, the family who hired me for this party was the most understanding and accommodating family I have ever worked with. This proved true when I rang their doorbell to deliver 15 freshly burned DVD's with a lovely printed sleeve that read "SPACE: The Movie" starring... "Misspelled Birthday Boy's Name." With no desk to hide under, I crept back to my car and hightailed it back home. Once there, I crawled back to my computer, and relaunched Final Cut so I could correct his name in all the titles. Fifteen freshly burned DVD's later, I trundled back to my ultra-patient customer to deliver the perfected DVD's.

I've never been one to describe myself as a perfectionist, but when it comes to spleling, I mean spelling, and a customer is the victim, there's no choice but to crawl out from under the desk and make it right.

Happy Movie-Making!