Capt. Mondo's World o' Mondo-ness

Visited the Set of The Frantics TV Special
Got an invitation from Paul Chato to visit the set of the TV special that The Frantics are shooting this week. (More truthfully, I asked him if I could come to the set when he mentioned it in an email). Today was the only evening this week I have been able to get away, and (as it turned out) was also the final day of the shoot.

I made my way to 212 King St. West, which turned out to be the offices of S&S Productions, which also makes The Red Green Show and History Bites. Ran into a bow-tied Paul in the hallway, who gave me free reign to wander about and take photos.

I made my way onto the set, which in this case was just the non-descript junction space between several offices, being made up to look like a typical doctor's waiting room, with bland posters exhorting a healthy lifestyle (or something) and a simple non-descript couch that could seat two. When I arrived the lighting was still being set up, a total of four sets of lights arrayed with various gels and translucent paper to cut the harshness. A director's chair was set up near a doorway out of scene, facing a monitor showing the scene from the camera, which was set up on a tripod at about knee-level in the middle of the floor. Behind the camera was a cart containing all if the sound equipment: a DEVA 10, set up for four radio mikes and a notebook running AVID.

I've been on several film sets before and was impressed by the compact nature of everything, and how fast things were set up. Barely half-an-hour passed before the beginning of the setup for this shoot and the first rehearsal -- much faster than usual compared to an equivalent film setup.

The skit turned out to be the "Stop Hitting Me" one. Rick was made up as a female nurse -- looking tired and suitably frumpy. Dan and Peter were just people waiting in a Doctor's waiting room. What is interesting is that the original stage version of the skit featured two office workers, and there was no doubt that the character whacking the other on the head was doing it deliberately. In this case they've added an extra twist, by making it seem that maybe, just maybe, the guy getting whacked with the plastic water bottle is in fact delusional. Dan Redican had just the right sad and imploring look in his eyes as another patient walks by impassively while he is getting whacked noisily about the head. It's that touch of deliberate ambiguity that improves upon an already classic skit idea, elevating what is essentially a slapstick sketch into something slightly more cerebral. Which is likely why I've been a long-time, appreciative fan of their work...

It was interesting seeing the troupe at work. Dan and Peter rehearsing their lines, and Paul acting as director, helping to craft the nuances of the scene. They're all actors with decades of experience, and it was interesting to see them discuss the subtleties of the skit: should Rick the nurse come out again to see what Dan was yelping about, should Peter be visibly sneering when he whacks Dan, and how much should Dan appear the hurt puppy dog or just confused about how his world has become just that little bit more inexplicable. While there was give and take about all of this, there was little doubt that Paul was directing things, and that he had a "vision" as to how the skit should unfold. The first few takes were shot wide-angle, taking in the whole of the scene, but the third take was filmed as a two-shot, focusing more on the reactions of the pair. It'll be interesting to see which take of the skit will be used.

At the end of the take it was announced that it was a series/show wrap for Rick, and he waved his hand Queen-like while the crew and I gave him a round of applause as he left to get the make-up removed. Left soon after myself, in order to get home in time to help put the kids to bed. Did meet up with Dan Redican before I headed out the door, introduced by Paul as the fellow with the "fan Web site".

Left feeling very pleased with myself. ;-)