Stan's
Adventure in Movie Making -
the final chapter
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We were called back for an extra shooting day on Friday, March 23rd, where we shot several scenes, which all included Stanley and the kids. We also got some great of shots of Stan with crew members!
Back to the block between Spokane Falls Blvd and Main. We love this street because there is minimal car traffic and safer when he is off leash. When we started shooting the movie three weeks ago he was accutely aware of who was crew, who were extras, and who were "the public" who didn't belong in the shot. Now, on the last day, he is totally relaxed.
This is the park bench where the hot dog vendor was. That's Runner's Soul and Old City Hall - Olive Garden and Riverfront Park in the background. Carol & Stan are talking with Juan and Craig while Cody looks on.
Carol, Barbara and Stan. "Mom, will the hot dog man be here soon?" Sorry, Stan! No hot dogs today.
Craig & Carol chat while Abby & Stan visit. Abby's mom watches. When we first met, Abby hadn't had very much experience with dogs. She announced, "We don't have any animals, not even a stupid fish!" and at one point asked her dad, "If you were a single parent, could we have a dog?" She and Stan became good buds.
Abigail holds "Mrs. Dudley" a doll she carries throughout the movie.
Stan greets the crew as they arrive and set up.
Carol and Adam.
Stan with Adam.
Stan, spin on the square! Cody, click! Barb, smile!
Carol chats with Steve, a PA and van driver.
Steve loves Stan. When Stan would board the van for lunch Steve would exclaim, "Stanleeeey, it's the highlight of my day!"
Boarding the van and the ride to lunch was the highlight of Stan's day, too.
Gretchen and one of the big trucks.
Crew scurrying.
Getting the camera set up.
Wardrobe and extras get ready.
Wardrobe Hillary with Stan. She took a lot of Stan fur off actors and extras ...
Stan and Hillary - Brant's grandpa in the background.
Craig, Rick, Juan.
Craig, Juan, Rick.
Stan with Rick.
Rick shoots Stan.
The first scene was in the alley. Stan trots down the alley and around the corner carrying his bag. He also shot scenes trotting down the sidewalk carrying his pizza box.
Carol, Dana & Stan get ready in the alley.
Scene 2: Stan trots down the street with his bag.
... the little blur by the sandwich board sign is Stan.
His bag is his best thing!
No, Stan doesn't "trot" - Stan runs!
Scene 3 - Stan walks down the street with the kids. Way at the other end of the block near Main St. is me, two kids with their suitcase and Stan. I released him and they walked the length of the block to the cameras together. At the end of the third take, as Stan and the kids passed the camera, he caught a whiff of Olive Garden and by-passed his target point, Barbara, and dashed inside!
Scene 4 - Next it's back to O'Dougherty's to capture an additional shot where Stan walks into the scene with his bag, stops, drops the bag and watches "Duke roughing up Doc" then picks up his bag and runs off.
Scene 5- Then on to the carousel.
The camera close-up sees Stan with his paws up, looking at the kids on the horses inside.
The wide shot shows Carol cueing Stan to put his paws up on the glass.
Then through the park, passed the squirrels, to Scene 6 at the river.
Where there are more squirrels.
The crew set up cameras on the Post St bridge and shot a wide angle shot of the kids and Stan crossing the foot bridge with the incredible falls below and then zeroed in with a close-up of the kids and Stanley crossing the bridge together.
Brant's grandpa right, keeps an eye on Brant left, as Dana, Carol & Gretchen prepare for the next shot.
Lots of distractions on the bridge and the sound of the water was incredible.
The water is high with the spring run off.
Dana at the north end, Carol at the south end.
It's a long bridge!
Carol releases Stan to follow the kids.
Come on, Buster, let's go!
Doing good. This will be an awesome shot in the movie.
Stan looks back. What is mom doing back there? After a couple of practice runs, Stan got very good at crossing the bridge from one end to the other with the kids without worrying that I was awfully far away. In fact, he got so good at it, at one point he went into "zoom" mode, racing flat out from one end of the bridge to the other from Carol to Dana and back again.
The crew sets up for the next shot, Scene 7, across from the YWCA behind NxNW.
The homeless kids sleep under the porch on old car seats. Buster is to wake up Tim, who is to wake up Amanda. Then all exit camera left.
Make-up applies peanut butter to Brant's chin.
Carol gives Brant dog treats.
Stan's got his target.
Stan goes "back to one" - starting position - passers-by watch.
Picture's up, quiet please. Rolling. Sound speed ... and action!
Cameras roll. Action! Mike holds light reflector, Dana buffers the way to the street. Buster wakes Tim.
It's a picture wrap for Abigail.
Carol, Stan and Abby.
Hugs from Gretchen while Abby's mom and Cody look on.
Tears and hugs - Abby is sad her movie experience has come to its end.
Don't cry, Cody!
On to our last shot at the old Hostess bakery building.
Scene 8 - our last scene of the day - and the movie.
Stan trots A to B, from Dana to Carol, Brant follows Stan to door of warehouse (where puppies are supposedly waiting to be discovered.)
Fake snow is laid, cameras set, lighting checked, the sun is going down.
Camera ready, Carol in place at right. Dana, Stan and Brant in place at left. Picture's up, quiet please ...
rolling ...
and ... action! Stan rounds the corner.
Brant follows.
Cut! Checking the gate - gate's good!
It's a picture wrap for Brant. Hugs from Hillary.
It sinks in - it's over.
His driver awaits his last van ride to base.
And a picture wrap for Stan. He gives his best "tadaaa" and Director Craig applauds.
Stan with Mike Vukas.
Hugs from Juan.
It's a wrap!
"The Holidays" is scheduled to be shown on the Lifetime Channel starting the week of Thanksgiving 2007 and will be available on DVD shortly thereafter.
Big thanks to Craig for writing and directing such a nice screenplay and all the actors and crew for a wonderful experience. Special thanks to Gretchen for keeping it all so nicely organized and to Cody & Kurt for getting us anything we needed any time we needed it. What a great group to work with.
Thanks to Claudia from River City Rescue for a great little dog, for locating his siblings and his puppy family and writing to KXLY to line up the interview with Rick Lukens. (I think it will be aired on Monday, April 2nd on the morning and evening news.)
Thank you to Laura for taking on the task of keeping and training Bailey, the Stanley Stand-in, and for coming to be an extra set of hands on hot dog day and for hiding behind the garbage can by the carousel. And to Steve Navratil for stopping by with his camera. And all the Ruffians for their help and support!
I can't thank Barbara Carr from AHA enough - she became a wonderful friend and coach throughout this journey.
And thanks to my mom and dad for putting all the daily movie reports and photos together into an album so we won't ever forget the details and people we met during this experience.
And last but certainly not least, enormous thanks to hubby Dana for all his moral support and for eating cup o'noodles for dinner and covering classes without me. He got me up when I needed to be up early and kept things afloat on long shooting days, and was my extra set of hands when he could get away from work to help. And big thanks to his boss for letting him join us on our last day shooting!
Things Stan learned on a movie set
To work your tricks with every expression possible. He's perfected the most dramatic hang dog "sad" over the side of a bed or chair. And a lovely "ta-daaa" that won't show up in the movie.
To climb on anything. Including teleporting from a standstill ONTO the dining room table on the set. (Heck, if the counter is ok, why not the table?)
To get on indicated chairs, couches, wooden crates, beds and face whatever direction/position.
To steal things off counters and take food from strangers and cruise for crumbs - (the sniffing around scenes had food bits in the carpet.)
The fine art of being an expert beggar. (The crew are sloppy eaters and directors share their breakfast!)
That some people wear peanut butter for make-up. (You never know who, so you'd best check them all!)
To put your front feet on just about any place indicated and "assume a pose".
To stand on your hindlegs and put your paws on people, walls, chairs, and to scratch expertly at doors.
To "go" A to B - B often being Barbara.
To scream bloody murder and honk the horn when you want your mom to come back if she leaves you in the van - especially if they are shooting and EVERYTHING is supposed to be quiet.
And the biggest thing Stan learned. WAITING is the hardest part!
And the worst part - hearing that the movie is over.
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