There is only one thing forbidden in production. I almost don’t want to type it. It’s only a tiny word but the implications of it are so taboo that I might cause a riot just by mentioning it in this blog. Here goes… NO.
There, I said it!
I’ll never say it again, and I’m not alone. Close your eyes. If you listen carefully you can hear production assistants, editors, producers, and entire production companies saying YES to impossible requests all across the country…
Can you get find me an expert on hunting cave eels by the end of the day?
Yes I can!
Can you get a tiger on the set by 3 pm?
Yes of course!
Can you learn everything about sky diving and shoot a documentary about it in a week?
Absolutely!
Can you edit a feature length film this week in your spare time?
No problem!
Oh, that tiger, can you make sure that it shows up wearing a custom made turquoise polo shirt?
Don’t worry, I already did!
I feel a special bond with anyone who has ever said “yes” with a confident smile while keeping the inner panic carefully masked. We do not voice our concerns or ask how, or when, or why… we just say “no problem at all!” and then figure out the answers as we (hurriedly) walk away.
You know, there is actually something amazing about “yes I can”… because saying it out loud makes it true. Once you’ve made the verbal commitment to achieve the impossible you’ll do anything to make it work.
It’s a powerful feeling, making miracles happen. Sure, fine, that “miracle” might be hitting the phones for four hours until you hire the last grip in town during a convention, but it’s a production miracle and it feels good! I’ve felt it and I see my co-workers do it every day. I’ll never say never, because everytime I say yes (especially when, at first, I have no idea how to make it work) the limits that hold me back fade a little.
Heather Hansen