FEAR, INC.: Official selection at TRIBECA 2016
The feature meta-horror-comedy FEAR, INC. will compete in the Midnight category in the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival! I script-supervised both principal and additional photography. This was my first time working with the Lone Suspect crowd.
I met the writer, Luke Barnett in SEDONA, ARIZONA years ago. He was playing a supporting role in a little locally-produced feature called "SEDONA" (directed by Tommy Stovall and produced by Pasidg Prouctions). I was a local myself at the time- studying screen acting at the film school there. I was thanking my lucky stars that I was actually given a small speaking role in the film. Luke had flown out from LaLa Land and so he returned. A year or so later, I finally made the move out to LA and looked him up. Turned out he was following the advice given to many actors- don't just wait around for roles and films to come your way- go about making them yourself- and that's just what he'd been up to as part of the production team Lone Suspect. They'd been doing FUNNY or DIE skits, a spoof talk-show of THE WALKING DEAD, and had actually produced a feature that'd screened in the 2014 Tribeca- LOITERING WITH INTENT.
Once I'd been trained as a script supervisor and had some good solid experience on set- the timing was perfect- Luke had written a full-length feature adaptation of the award-winning short FEAR, INC. and they were looking for the best script supervisor they could get. The director, Vincent Masciale, was returning, among the Lone Suspect family (I call them family because it's literally family members- and people so close they seemed like family). LA being so small, the production sound team Icemen Audio were also on board. I'd just come off of BETWEEN US which they'd done as well.
Being on the set of FEAR, INC. was a brand new experience for me. They seemed to have the balance of professionalism and play- seriousness and humor- instilled as second-nature. The cast was having fun and always seemed really comfortable. The crew was efficient and always in high spirits. The producers were present and accommodating. The director was an ideal leadership figure- expectant yet grateful- always knew what he wanted and everyone seemed eager to do their best to do their part in realizing it. I'll never forget all of the chuckles he'd make to himself at monitor- he wasn't so serious about what he was doing that he couldn't be perpetually tickled by the hilarious moments happening before us. I've never been on a set with so much laughter. The fact that Lucas Neff, the male lead, is an infinitely funny and profound guy had a hand in that. I've noticed that to amusing people, everything is amusing. Lucas seemed to delight in everything. He was truly in his comedic element- but then, in the more severe moments when an actor's dramatic mettle is tested, he delivered a performance just as authentic- showing craft and ability to rival the most prolific dramatic actors.
At the time of writing this article, all showings of FEAR, INC. have sold out at Tribeca.
Big congrats to everyone involved- hope you have fun in the Big Apple!
Happy Cutting,
Z