So what do you say to a guy named "Joey Pants" when he asks you a technical question about your camera?

More on that later.

But for now, let's talk about the Film Clips crew's adventure to the HD Expo at the New Yorker Hotel.

The players in this wacky adventure are me (your producer pal Steve), Eythan (Super Hero Camera Guy), Charles (Director to the Stars), and Dani (Your On-Camera Host and Secret Funny Chick).

I arrived at the New Yorker Hotel in NYC early (as usual) and camped out at one of the many lounge areas in the main lobby. I like to arrive early at our locations, since it calms my nerves about the shoot and I get to people watch.


I was glad that this shoot was in a hotel, much unlike our last shoot at a film festival where I believe the temperature was around ... oh I dunno ... 175 degrees of moistness ... hey, there's a visual.

Eythan showed up next and we did our classic text routine called, "Hey, I'm over here ... no here ... no behind you ... I'M OVER HERE!!!"

Very popular with the midnight show ... two shows on Sunday.

Eythan lugged all of his equipment my way and we camped out and lit a campfire waiting for our next crewmember.

The main goal of our story today was all about how High Definition plans to help the filmmaker's vision of storytelling. Sure, there were going to be a lot of cool toys of the HD variety in this expo, but our show is all about the filmmakers and their journeys.

Dani and Charles finally show up and it's time to head out to get our official press badges.

Now, as "Producer Guy" ... my main goal of this day was to make sure everything ran smoothly. That basically means having to anticipate the next move and set up interviews along the way.

Steve shows off the all-powerful press pass

Getting that all important press pass is the first step, because it's kind of like a super power.

"PRESS PASS! I get to walk in to places where nobody else can go!"

Chris from Ignite Strategic Communications was our "Ninja Press Relations Person" ... and I call her that because she would appear as if out of nowhere whenever you needed her. Along with her assistant Jennifer, these two helped get us through the day like it was nobody's business ... well .. it was their business ... you get the idea!

So as we got settled in the press bullpen, Chris and I mapped out the day's interviews, as Dani started going over her notes, while Charles and Eythan started assembling the camera.

But what about Joey Pants?

Patience.

Our main goal was to interview filmmakers, editors, and cinematographers during the course of the day.

Dani talks with Charles about the next shot.














These guys were like rock stars in this environment. Picture a large convention floor filled with all of the latest camera equipment and the people that love them.

The main floor of the HD Expo






Was that on Jerry Springer? I'll check my local listings.





One of our major "gets" for today was Lance Acord. He's worked with Spike Jonez and Sofia Coppola on their projects and was the "shooter" for a little film you may have hear about called "Where the Wild Things Are."

Know of it? Big beasts, roaming around, playing in a young boy's imagination? I think there were some ads about it.

Y'know I'm being sarcastic, right? Cool. Points for you.

The rest of our interview list wasn't too shabby either (all editors) ....

Michael Berenbaum - Emmy Award winner for Desperate Housewives and credits include Nurse Jackie, Sex and the City, and The Wire.

Brian A. Kates - Emmy nomination for Taking Chance and credits for the Philip Seymour Hoffman directed Jack Goes Boating.

Criag McKay - Oscar nominated credits include Silence of the Lambs and Everything is Illuminated.

And we also snagged Filmmaker Josh Apter who is also the founder and director of the Manhattan Edit Workshop.

Now, our challenge is to make these very talented men interested to the average viewer ... and that's what where good at.

Eythan and Charles map out the next shot.

Of course, it was kinda funny telling these editors how we were shooting the segments ... since they probably could've given us a master class on how to set up the camera.

Dani and I were hard at work editing the questions I did the research for and she wrote. The fun part of that is remembering the questions when the camera is rolling.




Dani hard at work editing her questions.














A lot of our interviews took place in the Main Theater room where all of the guests spoke, which usually meant that there were crowds of people waiting to get in and one very impatient person asking, "So are you done yet? THERE'S PEOPLE OUTSIDE!"

Dani in "Host-Mode"


Okay, no pressure.

Chris ran interference every chance she got ... and God Bless Her for that.

Jennifer jumped on a few grenades (figuratively ... cuz otherwise .. that'd hurt) and helped us out also.

As for the Film Clips crew? We rose to the occasion and got all of the shots we needed to make a damn fine episode ... or "pod" as it's now called.

BUT WHAT ABOUT JOEY PANTS?!

Okay, here it is ...

Joey Pants aka Joe Pantoliano is an amazing actor that many of you know about. You may know about him as "Guido the Killer Pimp" from Risky Business or as "That Guy That Betrayed Neo in The Matrix" or from many of the other great films this guy's been in.

Eythan and Charles were setting up a shot for Dani in the lobby when this guy walks buy and starts asking Eythan about the camera.

Eythan was too busy answering the question while Charles read this guy's press badge.

"Hey, you're Joey Pants?" was Charles query.

"Yeah, now tell me about this light," was Joey's quick response.

What followed was a surreal moment as they continued talking while Dani and I exchanged looks as if to say, "Hey, is that really Joey Pants?"
Then, in a heartbeat, Joey was gone and we were left standing there stunned.

Very cool guy, a wacky moment, one that will stand the test of time.

So the day ends and we head over to a local diner to assess our previous shoot.

We continued to explain to Eythan just who "that guy" was that talked to us in the lobby as we basked in the glory of OOOBSE (One Of Our Best Shoots Ever).

Check out the "pod" at http://www.nyfilmclips.com and enjoy the FilmClipsy Goodness that is our show.

Many more blogs to come about our adventures in the world of film and I'll make sure to take enough pictures to post here .... even if another celeb starts asking us questions about our equipment.

CUT! CHECK THE GATE! MOVING ON!

Steve