After a 12-hour flight to Paris, a one-and-a-half connection to Nice, and a half-hour shuttle to Cannes, it couldn’t be more convenient to be accepted into a festival right here in L.A. Well, it could be more convenient if I find one that takes place on the left side of my bed (I’m a right-side guy, and call permanent shotgun there, btw.)The Los Angeles United Film Festival, and its kinda enigmatic logo is the 18th fest to honor The Beneficiary. Fist-bump me.
Today I’d like to recall my favorite day of shooting, and maybe my greatest morning ever: creating the road-rage scene. Ted the Director held on for dear life with the crew on the back of a Shotmaster, a converted Ford F350 with tiered seating, on the 210 Freeway, while I was behind the wheel of a car behind them.
Ted directed me via walkie-talkie as I veered in and out of traffic, and thanks to CHP officers on motorcycles a hundred yards ahead and behind us, I had carte blanche to do 110 mph during rush-hour. It was so utterly intoxicating that for a moment I wanted to drop everything and pursue a career in stunt work. But then I recalled my fears of heights, explosions and knees to the groin.
If you ever get the chance to legally experience the thrill of three-digit territory during a morning commute, feel free, as I did, to gun it and laugh like Tickle Me Elmo.
