Downtown Disarray is a narrative short film by director Will Harwell, it was his Capstone Thesis film at SCAD and I had the privilege of serving this production as the 1st AD.

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The film is a modern western, set in a derelict bar in Savannah, GA. With a 12-page script, four shoot days, 50+ crew members and a near $20,000 budget, it was not a stress free set as the 1st AD. I worked very closely with the producer, director and DP to ensure the production was a well-oiled machine.  

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We faced several on-set challenges/potential safety issues:

movie horses, prop firearms (which involved daily coordination with an armorer), intense time-constraints, on-set police on our first shoot day, wrangling extras, and complex practical effects and squibs.

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Additionally, we had a limited production team of only myself, the producer and a couple PA's to keep the set running smooth. I created detailed shooting schedules, call sheets, and led daily safety meetings to ensure the whole crew was on the same page.

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This production taught me extensive lessons that I've carried with me into every set I've been on. Furthermore, this experience gave me the confidence and skill-set to work in the AD department on professional sets post-graduation.