‘Play The Edge’ Production Diary: Blizzard Improv

CHATHAM – Last week’s blizzard ravaged much of the northeast and knocked out power to nearly the entirety of Cape Cod. Many of us spent time mid-week shoveling feet of snow out of our driveways and off our cars, and businesses remained closed throughout the ensuing week.

One of many things reevaluated because of the storm was the shooting schedule for “Play the Edge,” an independent crime thriller currently shooting at the Chatham Orpheum Theater. While production on the film was disrupted by the blizzard, the aftermath demonstrated a coordinated effort to make up for lost time, and, as writer/director Peter Horgan confirmed before the week wrapped on Saturday morning, only one scene had to be rescheduled to another week.

Horgan said he was “grateful to be working with a group of artists who are willing to fight so hard to see this project reach completion.” To miss an entire day of shooting and still leave so little incomplete is truly impressive…and I’m not saying that because I am a part of the production crew.

 Originally, production was set to shoot scenes at a house in Harwich on Monday and Yarmouth New Church Preservation Foundation on Tuesday. Though they frequently change during production, film schedules are meticulously planned out in advance to accommodate the availability of the actors and locations, and to miss two of the only days at locations other than the Orpheum (the film’s primary setting) could have been a major issue.

 Monday was salvaged through voiceover work with production sound mixer Brian Misiewicz and actor Lance A. Williams. After the county-wide travel ban was lifted on Tuesday, the crew was back to work at the Orpheum, which, at the time, only had partial access to power. The theater itself wasn’t able to open again until Friday due to unreliable service, but on Tuesday night, improvisation was the name of the game. In lieu of house lights, the camera team rigged an overhead lighting setup to approximate the effect of the lights that, any other day, would easily light up the space. And, since necessity is the mother of invention, the setbacks led gaffer Max Frega and director of photography Mike Hechanova to devise new ideas for stylized framing that both brings a new perspective to certain scenes and fits within the parameters mandated by the outage.

The Orpheum fully lost power again on Wednesday, but luckily, thanks to the efforts of producer Michael Hansen, the staff at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church (conveniently located next to the Orpheum) was kind enough to allow production to step in and use their facilities in place of Thatcher Hall at the Yarmouth New Church Preservation Foundatio, which was still without power at the time. That was the first night that utilized background performers, who filled St. Christopher’s pews for a staged Christmas Eve service.

In the film, Lance A. Williams plays the pivotal character of Snatch. “I don't like to get into the judgment of the characters,” he said in an on-set interview on Wednesday. “I want to understand them. Why is it they’re doing what they’re doing? What is it that they want that they need? Even in individual moments…what are they after, and how can I tell that story? Finding their truth is the real beautiful part of the process.”

Williams was inspired to become an actor after watching the 1977 European television miniseries “Jesus of Nazareth” with his grandmother, who explained to him what the art of performing was. His previous screen credits include “Don’t Look Up” and the Whitney Houston biopic “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”

Williams sees Snatch as a spiritual continuation of characters he has played before. “On paper, they’re making choices and doing things that you might not typically agree with, but what I enjoy is the process and the patience needed to understand why.”

Thursday allowed the production to fully return to the Orpheum, and though some time had been lost, the familiar space and full power allowed a smoother, more efficient night of shooting.

The Orpheum resumed full operation again on Friday with another super-sized day of shooting that brought in a whole new host of extras, including some returning from the church, for a scene in which a crowd watches “It’s a Wonderful Life” in the theater’s main auditorium.

A frequent face on set is makeup artist Talia Cataldo, who is primarily responsible for the special effects required for about half of the shoot days. Though they are key to the film’s narrative, we can’t reveal any of the plot machinations that necessitate such effects. Regardless, her passion for her craft is palpable, and she’s enjoyed working on the film so far.

 “It’s exciting to directly contribute to raising the stakes of the story,” said Cataldo. “When you’re watching a movie and first blood is drawn, or someone gets punched, it changes the game. All of a sudden, it’s a different kind of movie. I love being involved in that aspect.”

Cataldo came to “Play the Edge” through producer Michael Hansen, with whom she had previously worked on a science-fiction project. Genre films are in line with her original call to the industry, which came when she and her sister were shown John Carpenter’s seminal horror film “The Thing,” famous for its creative, gruesome practical effects, at a young age. “It really stuck with me,” she said, “and I realized that being exposed to stuff like that, being scared of it, and then seeing the other side — the creative side that actually makes it a physical reality — was really fascinating to me.”

If the blizzard taught us anything, it’s that things can change on a whim, but sometimes they might work out for the better. Through rearrangements and sheer determination, the cast and crew of “Play the Edge” was essentially able to complete five days worth of material in only 80 percent of that time, and the constant setbacks made for a unique challenge.