INDIEêFILM INSIDERC O N F I D E N T I A L !

O n L o c a t i o n ! L o c a t i o n ! L o c a t i o n !

“M&M BOYZ INTERNATIONAL”

DANA B. LARRABEE’SF I L M I N G

T h e S C E N E S t h a t

C o u l d n ' t B e S H O T !

I n t h e F I L M M A K E R ' S

O W N W O R D S . . .

MOVIE THEATRE SHOOTING!R E V E A L E D : W H A T R E A L L Y H A P P E N E D o n t h e F O X " M & M B I " S e t !

LINKEDIN HAS

IT FIRST!

Part Three

Entire contents copyright 2015 by Dana B. Larrabee All rights reserved.

There was a beautiful Art Déco box office, chandeliers, an ornate mirror in the lobby, and elaborate gold scrolling above the orchestra and the balcony exits. I fell in love with it immediately.

The Salinas merchants call their downtown area “Oldtown,” and it was host to two older theatres, one vacant and in disrepair; the other, the California Fox Theatre. No longer a movie house, the Fox is still a going concern though, with stage shows, concerts and other events. The Oldtown Merchants Association referred me to owner Anthony Lane, and after explaining the production, he OK’d my request to scout the location and put me in touch with his theatre manager.

pLarrabee films “Mark” replacing a light over the newly refurbished Fox box office. The new red curtains sparked an idea for a whole new scene.

Behind-the-Scenes

E x c l u s i v e !

INDIEêFILM INSIDER

C O N F I D E N T I A L !

MOVIE THEATRE SHOOTING!T h e R E E L D E A L : F I L M I N G o n t h e F O X " M & M B I " S e t !

When I determined that some scenes for “M&M Boyz International” would take place in the theatre where Mark works as an usher, I contacted two Salinas multiplexes hoping to film at one or the other. Both turned me down flat, the managers citing corporate policy. Their refusals forced me to consider alternative downtown locations for my

O n L o c a t i o n ! L o c a t i o n ! L o c a t i o n !

' One lunch hour in Apri l ,

2010, Gabe Cortes and I

went by to check i t out and

take reference photographs to

determine how best to ut i l ize

the Fox for the sequences I had

in mind. What we found inspired

scenes better than imagined.

Although several renovat ions

had occurred over the years,

enough or iginal decor remained

to make the Fox visual ly

str iking.

by Dana B. Larrabee

and LINKEDIN's

Gabe was also quite taken with the building, but for entirely different reasons. While I was running all over snapping photos, he spoke at length with the manager about their events. About one year later, in the first week of April, 2011, we finally began filming at Fox. These were simple exterior scenes; Mark in his usher uniform sweeping, putting up posters, mounting the giant letters on the theatre markee and bringing in film cases for the next day’s show. Two weeks later, Gabe and his lady, Tiera, were married there in an elaborate football-themed wedding ceremony (his team is the Oakland Raiders; hers, the Chicago Bears) that got play on the internet and national TV. Soon after, Larry Booker and I returned for scenes of the adult Mark Farraday occurring forty-two years later. On lunch hours we’d meet at the box

office to film where he finds the old theatre closed, up for lease and reflects on when he worked there; saving up to buy that camera and the plans he and Migel had for the movies they yearned to make. Four years would elapse before I could return for the interior scenes with Mark and Migel. By then I had more ideas for action capitalizing on the theatre’s striking visual

Kyle Morton as teenage

Mark Farraday suits up for

work. q

tLarry Booker as the adult Mark Farraday revisits his teenage haunt on the way home from the dry cleaners in this scene from “M&M Boyz International.”

Gabriel and Tiera Cortés finish tieing the knot at their Fox wedding

celebration in 2011.q

"A key sequence was for Mark to

sneak Migel in through an exit..."

elements, and “work arounds” for limitations imposed by changes made over the years. A key sequence was for Mark to sneak Migel in through an exit and watch the show, imagining a preview of their sci-fi movie, “Rock It Science!” Trouble was, all the lower level theatre seating had been yanked, but fortunately it still remained in the balcony.

Unfortunately, along the way some misguided soul ordered the movie screen cut to accommodate a particular stage set. Impossible to repair and too costly to replace, the new owners simply removed it. The theatre interior sequence had to be filmed in the balcony where the seats remained, but without showing the screen which would only appear in effects shots. I had also wanted scenes of Mark taking film into the projection booth, but by then the projectors were sold off, the booth gutted and converted into a recording studio.

Usher Mark Farraday sweeps up a custom

blend of popcorn, ticket stubs and

cigarette butts while Larrabee films. u

tMark sneaks Migel in through a balcony exit in this scene from “M&M Boyz International” shot at the Salinas Fox Theatre.

Larrabee coaches Kyle Morton on the “break” scene, drawing cartoons of the theatre projectionist.

Larrabee drew this ‘toon in 1965 for an assignment at the Rhode Island School of Design.

I delved into high school memories of working at the Shoppers’ World Cinema in Framingham, Massachusetts, to come up with some other “business” for Mark, and remembered sitting in the mezzanine on my breaks drawing or doing homework. The Fox mezzanine had a lounge area

with a bas-relief of Greek goddesses crying out to be exploited. We staged Mark’s break scenes there, with Kyle snacking on a 5th Avenue bar and drawing cartoons of the theatre projectionist. We filmed him in the lobby at the fancy mirror putting on his usher jacket, then sweeping up and bringing the film upstairs. Anthony had fun coaching Kyle on how to use the broom and dustpan. I even made up this fancy “Sorry-- Balcony Closed” sign. Fox manager Charles Steppes liked it so much, I let them keep it. Then we filmed Mark at the switch box turning on the theatre lights, after which we went outside and had him change a light bulb over the box office.

Larrabee coaches Kyle Morton on the “break”

scene, drawing cartoons of the theatre projectionist.u

pMark changing the markee for the next attraction at the Fox.

That’s when I noticed the new red curtains and got the idea for the scene where he helps open up the box office. On the way to our Fox shoots I would pick up ice for the drinks in the cooler for my actors and get there about 10:30. Our pizza lunch was timed to arrive before the start of filming, right around noon. Hauling in my gear, setting up and lighting each time was tiring and time-consuming, and the building was so dim, scenes required most of my lights. Even then, the lab had to “push” my film two stops for acceptable images. I was still setting up when my actors and A.D. showed up. Fortunately, our pizzas were just delivered, so they ate and chatted while I finished positioning the strobe light for the movie “flicker” from the non-existant theatre screen. The action was simple enough: Mark guides Migel to their balcony seats. Then he goes for popcorn and when he returns they munch and joke during the previews. There’s even a brief popcorn fight. But when the “STARTS WEDNESDAY” preview begins, they are sucked in to the moment, imagining it’s a trailer for their movie, “Rock It Science!” They cheer, high-five each other and applaud like crazy! But as their mental movie unspools, it morphs into a mock

Mark brings in the next day’s movie in this scene from “M&M Boyz International” shot at the Fox California Theatre. The

“steel" film shipping cases were manufactured by Larrabee from discarded cardboard cartons.q

rock-music doc of how the M&M Boyz’ International production spectacularly unravels. Because of the effects to be added later, I used a tripod-mounted camera. Also: Gabe was there on his lunch hour and had to return to work. Already behind schedule, I eliminated some shots and filmed Kyle and Gabe’s reactions to their imagined movie from a single camera position; starting with

a wide two-shot, zooming in for a tighter view, then tighter still for their individual close-ups. Between cutting scenes and not moving the camera, I saved time enough to wrap at two pm-- exactly when Gabe had to leave. I try to leave a location as clean as I found it, and popcorn was all over from Mark and Migel’s popcorn fight. Cleaning up and tearing down the camera

pGabriel (Gabe) Cortés as Migel Bravo and Kyle Morton as Mark Farraday enthusiastically imagining it’s their “Rock It Science!” movie preview showing at the Fox-- before reality sets in.

. . . T h e y a r e S U C K E D I N T O T H E M O M E N T . . .

and lights was quick and easy though, with Kyle, Gabe and Julie pitching in to help. But, there were some surprises. One week before filming the box office scenes, the Fox employee slated to portray the cashier-ticket-seller left. I had to find someone else, and thought of my former supervisor at the County’s IT print shop,

just had cataract surgery. ‘Can’t have any eye make-up.” “So make yourself up normally, except for the eyes.”

you there by noon. Can you do it?” “Yes,” she replied without a moment’s hesitation. “Oh! But I

S C R E E N - L E S S in S A L I N A S !NO PROJECTOR, NO TIME! NO MATTER!

There was POPCORN

ALL OVER from

Mark and Migel's

POPCORN FIGHT...

Larrabee adjusts his camera for one of the effects shots in “M&M Boyz International.” The black box on the stack of empty cartons in row #2 is a strobe light to simulate the on-screen movie flicker.

Susie Murillo. She had always been supportive when I filmed with Gabe on our breaks and lunch hours, even looking the other way when we ran a bit late. And in M&MBI, Migel’s father is played by her son, Art, and Migel’s two younger brothers by her grandsons Christian and Julian. A frequent visitor to her son’s apartment, she knew their neighbors, Kyle and Julie Morton well. We were three days away from filming when I called her to explain the Fox box office scene. “Just make yourself up like you’re going out,” I said. “Wear sparkly earrings and one of those colorful outfits you used to wear at work.” I knew she had plenty of both. “And we need

Larrabee drafted his former

supervisor,Susie Muri l lo,for the

“walk-on” par t of the Fox t icket-seller-cashier. in this M&MBI

scene, usher Kyle Morton

prepares to help her open the box

off ice .

pWhen the Fox employee slated for the role of the ticket-seller moved on, Larrabee recruited his former work supervisor, Susie Murillo, for the part. Here, Kyle Morton assists her opening up the box office.

S h e S T R U T T E D O n t o T h e S e t . . . W E A R I N G A S C R E A M I N G

F U S C I A O U T F I T N O O N E C O U L D M I S S . . .

XThat was that, I thought. But on the day of filming, I learned Susie had to leave at one-thirty for tendonitis therapy to her left hand. “Just be there by noon,” I said. “We’ve a short scene with Kyle, first. We’ll do yours right after and get you done quick, I promise.” She strutted onto the set right on time wearing a screaming fuschia outfit no one could miss. Since she’d never participated in any of our other shoots, the production process was entirely new to her, and because of her handicaps, she was a little anxious. I decided on a hand-held tracking shot of them coming out the theatre entrance, opening the rear door to the box office while I swung ‘round front to catch Susie parting the curtains and taking the tickets and cash box from Kyle. Her left hand was in so much pain, though, she had to do everything with the other. Thankfully, Julie worked with her on handling the props so she could manage comfortably, and I could concentrate on blocking my camera moves. We did some run-through’s for production stills, Julie patiently coaching from behind the box-office. Then “dry-run” rehearsals to get my camera moves and angles down pat. I didn’t want reflections of the late model cars out front showing in the shot. By the time we rolled film, Susie and Kyle had it down. Nailed it in two takes, and she left all smiles in plenty of time for her appointment. “That was really fun!” she gushed, incredulous;

amazed at how we got her through it so efficiently. “Well,” I said, “we have been at this for eight years...” By giving my non-actors things to do, they got caught up in the mechanics of the action, would focus on that and lose track of the camera and being filmed. Thus preoccupied, they couldn’t be self-conscious. Despite all the problems coordinating the Fox shoots, adjusting to others’ schedules and limitations-- plus the tiresome labor of prepping the set each time, I always came home from those sessions doubly exhilarated -- even when things went awry. Because, besides the adrenaline rush I always get when filming, being back in a theatre made it even more invigorating. I felt young again-- which at my age, counts for one Helluva lot!

Larrabee’s popcorn shot was almost scrubbed. The Fox had

no concession stand, and both Salinas multiplexes refused to

let him fi lm theirs. So he popped in on the Salinas Target store

manager and wangled permission to f i lm their popper and later cut

those shots in with scenes of Kyle Morton at the Fox. q

One of the SCENES

JUST HAD TO GO...

One of the SCENES WAS

"RIGHT ON TARGET!"

tPages from fi lm plan for Fox session #5 in the balcony. Larrabee dropped the frontal views to get actor Gabe Cortés (there on his lunch hour) back to work on t ime.

falls in with a Hippie bunch and hangs out with a drug dealer. His ‘toon art and “light show flick” made during a “pot party” are influenced by these new friends and the drug culture. 16mm footage of weekend “acid trips” made my final year in the service were incorporated into this section.

My own underground comix-influenced art suggested some scenes. To simulate Mark’s LSD trip I filmed Kyle through a rotating prism, but the result didn’t ring true some-how. Better, was filming his reflected image off mirrored window-tinting film taped to a flexible piece of cardboard. I cropped out the edges and filmed, tracking with the reflected image as my actor walked through the woods while my PA kept pace with us and bent and twisted the distorting mirror from behind. With these new scenes of Mark plus my old Army hippy home movies and artwork I had a visually stunning sequence. But it didn’t take you anywhere. Then one night watching some “chick flick” with my wife, a teenage mother-to-be was shown with morning sick-ness-- and that gave me the idea for a “barf scene” to end the sequence. The fake vomit

Migel doesn’t come back from Vietnam. The service for him was filmed one Me-morial Day at the Garden of Memories in Salinas. Mark

was oatmeal and raisin bran tinted a bilious yellow-green with food coloring. Just after Christmas, Mark is invited to visit Migel’s parents. They haven’t seen him since the memorial service and had recently re-ceived their late son’s effects which included reels of movie film Migel shot while in the service which they thought Mark might do something with.

INDIEêFILM INSIDERC O N F I D E N T I A L !on LINKEDIN

DANA B. LARRABEE’S

“M&M BOYZINTERNATIONAL”

Forty-two years, two divorces and three kids later, Mark Farraday (Larry Booker) is with his third wife, Pauline (Kathleen Nolan) and working at a so ho-hum mail room job. Until sketching his

‘Toonasaurus Rex art on the job gets him fired! Pauline is frantic over all the bills that are piling up while her husband fritters away his time writing and drawing his “Godzelda” children’s book. When all he gets from publishers

are rejection slips Mark unhappily agrees to hock the “dream camera” of his youth to raise some badly needed cash. Later when Pauline’s urgent “honey-do” sends him up to the attic, he finds

the forgotten box of Migel’s old Army footage which he starts to review and begins to edit into what becomes the emotionally charged ending of:

A LIFETIME IN THE MAKING...

tLarry Booker and Kathleen Nolan portray Mark and his wife Pauline in M&MBI’s climactic scenes. Hock shop scenes were filmed after hours at Salinas Pawn. Larrabee liked the look of their “loan sharks."

pDespite their best efforts, Mark and Migel’s last teenage monster flick in M&MBI is a disaster.

Copyright 2015 by Dana B. Larrabee All rights reserved.

N O W I N P R O D U C T I O N !