Day 4 on the set will be memorable in so many ways. I learned some new things from my talented camera Team, which makes me a better Director; I watched a new Star being born with first time actor Kimber Cleveland's sparkling debut on our set; and then closed out the day with a story-filled dinner and an unbelievable recording session with world-class percussionist and long-time Neil Diamond band mate - King Errisson.
Kimber continues to astonish me. In addition to licensing several of her wonderful songs for the movie soundtrack, I selected her for the pivotal role of "Candy" - knowing up front she had zero acting experience - because she's an accomplished singer-songwriter with a dynamite stage presence, is simply stunning to look at and because I believed all she needed to do was play herself. Her real-life struggle to break through in the ultra-competitive music business mirrors what her character goes through in the film, so there was little downside to the risky casting of an inexperienced actor from my point of view. That decision was among the best I've made so far for "Beautiful Noise".
This first week of the shoot centers primarily on the relationship between 'Noah' and 'Dez' as it develops in the second act of the movie in rustic, scenic Myakka Florida. As such, Kimber's character, who is firmly established at the start of the movie, only had one scene scheduled to be shot this week, but it's one of the most important scenes in the film, so I scheduled the entire day around her big sequence with Jay. Kimber walked on the set in full 'Candy' mode, bonded quickly with our upbeat Crew and the playful dogs on the set who've kept us company all week, worked diligently with us to block her shots with Jay, conferred with me on the dialogue - then proceeded to take my direction and deliver take after take after take with the raw power, emotion and intensity of a veteran Hollywood actress. Her explosive performance on her first day on the set confirmed to me and all present that the three key actors that must carry the movie on their shoulders for it to work are more than up to the task.
But there was more to come.
After dinner, I took Kimber with me to our Soundtrack headquarters, Sarasota's Top Secret Studios, to listen to King's conga/percussion work on a couple of songs for the film. King, who shot his scenes on Tuesday, got in sync right away with Mo & Roger as they dialed in the right tones. Then this incredible artist performed the same kind of beautiful work that you can hear him play on every Neil Diamond album over the last 35 years on a song Kimber wrote and that Danielle sings. What he played on "Maybe You'll See Me When I'm Gone" brought wet eyes and chill bumps to both me and Kimber. (Mo & Roger are a little more hard-core, but they too were astonished...in their own way!). Then when King heard Jay's vocal on the smoking hot new arrangement the boys cooked up for Joni Mitchell's "Free Man In Paris", he jumped back into the studio and put on a show for us. I thought the guy was having a "Cherry Cherry" solo flashback from one of Neil's concerts. He could have walked in and cut some simple tracks and I would have been more than grateful...but this consummate pro delivered like you just can't believe and lifted the entire song into a higher vibration. It was just amazing. Pure and simple.
One more day in Myakka tomorrow and then we move to a variety of Sarasota locations this Saturday. The rain has subsided, the sun is shining again - and the "Beautiful Noise" caravan moves on!
Steve
