Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1277960
Summer 2020 – LOCAL695.ORG 33 any time to prep and, just get there and shoot, move on. Sort of like carrying a piano up and down the mountain. It was intense, but I love working with him. What were some of the other challenges that you faced? José Antonio Garcia: I would say mostly the many different locations. The crew was really cohesive and we worked very well together. The actors were always cooperative. Delroy Lindo can be very intense, but when it was time to switch out a lav, he was very cooperative. The biggest challenge was the logistics. We had very limited time, and we were moving very, very fast. Obviously, the humidity, and the wardrobe department with its need to keep the costumes wet with "sweat." In the scenes where Delroy was walking through the jungle, all handheld. How did you manage that? José Antonio Garcia: The terrain was very uneven. Jonathan had to boom between the branches and stay above the camera to be safe. There were moments he could come in, but mostly, I would say I stayed with the wire. Most of the show, I wish we had had more opportunity to use the boom because it sounds richer, fuller. We had two locals helping, one called "Pop," Charat Phonwon, who was very good and experienced and Ford Samart, who had never been on set, he was a trainee, but he had a trerrific disposition. He would help us get things from the truck. Pop was pretty good at wiring. We would have a whole row of cast, and Pop and I would wire one after the other. Because I had a washing machine, I was doing the laundry for the chest straps every night. Did you bag the transmitters because of the sweat? José Antonio Garcia: Most of the time, the transmitter was in their pants pockets. We placed the mic element of the Sankens upside down so they wouldn't get wet, but eventually the glycerin would find its way in. I would wash them in water and hang them and hope that they will work fine again the next day. Does Spike like to have the actors improvise? José Antonio Garcia: In a scene between Jonathan Majors and Delroy, there were lots of cicadas, Spike had them improvise "What is that sound?" Delroy, "cicadas." Jonathan answers, "Cicadas don't sound like that in Brooklyn." That was the reason for that. Their levels to the cicada ratio was good so that helped. What was it like shooting in Vietnam? José Antonio Garcia: I loved it, Saigon is amazing. The French influence, the styles, architecture, a fantastic city. Fantastic. Very alive, very, very different. I really enjoyed my time there, but I wish I could have been able to stay longer to see the rest of the country, but I had to come back to do a Clint Eastwood project. The movie is full of references to other films. José Antonio Garcia: Yes, Spike does that with Apocalypse Now and the walk-through the rice paddies and The Treasure of Sierra Madre, with the line, "We don't need no stinkin' badges." The homage to Marvin Gaye, I think is beautiful, where they're singing while walking. That was very difficult to achieve, and I'm very proud of that one. It was the entire song, so it was a very long walk. We remoted the antennas for the wires and my team was walking them back. Without walking the antennas, I wouldn't have had any reception. I got a lot of exercise. I lost serious poundage. The script is fantastically written and delivered. The long scene with Delroy walking through the jungle talking to the camera was amazing. I couldn't see him, but when we filmed that scene, I got chills. It was really intense. Sometimes with the performances, I turn off the image because it's all in the voice. The image can stupefy you, it's beautiful, beautifully composed, you can get distracted. For me, the performance is in the voice, and when it clicks, it's very musical. Antonio's main cart (L-R) Clarke Peters and Delroy Lindo. Photo by David Lee/Netflix ©2020