Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1515068
Spring 2024 – LOCAL695.COM 27 Spring 2024 – LOCAL695.COM 27 I tagged along on tech scouts as part of my own prep. After visiting multiple locations and examining our one-liner, I quickly realized the schedule was extremely ambitious. I typically work on one-hour shows with generous production timelines. BEEF was the opposite, we had six days per episode shot mostly on location. Having done several years of indie filmmaking during the early days of my career, I knew my crew and I would be fine but that my "run and gun" skills were a bit rusty and would be critical for this type of production. We needed to prepare for a very flexible shoot. I dedicated extra time to prepping my equipment and collaborating with my team to ensure we all shared the same mindset. We loaded our gear the Friday before production and when the door of the truck slammed shut, we felt great. February 22, 2022, was the first day of production on BEEF. On February 21, I woke up with a sore throat and tested positive for COVID for the first time since the pandemic started. I made it nearly two years and then just as I'm about to start a new gig, the inevitable finally happened. Although my symptoms were manageable, the timing could not have been worse. Our initial shot on the first day involved following two bicyclists uphill while delivering dialog spanning several blocks—this initially complex situation became even more complicated in my absence. Making a good impression on the first day of production is always my top priority, especially on a new show. Not being able Chris booming for Justin H. Min in episode 106 of BEEF. Photo by Andrew Cooper/Netflix © 2023 to set the initial tone was a huge let down, but knowing I had a trustworthy crew gave me confidence it would still go smoothly. I want to extend endless appreciation to Chris Thueson, our Boom Operator, and Kendra Bates, our Utility Sound Technician, for consistently going above and for ensuring we got off on the right foot. I'd also like to thank Sound Mixers Jeremy Brill and Mark Stockwell for holding down the fort until I was able to come back to work. I know from experience that jumping in on another mixer's setup can be challenging and frustrating at times since we all do things differently. Jeremy and Mark performed exceptionally well, and their willingness to step in when I was in a tight spot meant a great deal to me. Throughout production, some of our toughest challenges stemmed from the locations and sets. We frequently faced quiet, remote-looking outdoor scenes with major freeways just off camera, and sets with fifteen-foot to twenty-foot ceilings where no number of rugs or furniture blankets could sufficiently mitigate the pronounced reverb. Our aggressive shooting schedule often meant the traditional scene coverage that I'm used to didn't always happen, so we had to be extra diligent about wiring our actors. We tracked several live musical numbers that were more challenging than normal due to large-scale set transformations between performances, limiting our setup time. With three live performances squeezed into just two days of shooting, we used pre-recordings of the band but opted to record the vocals