The Bunnyman Production Day 4: The Bunnyman Begins

David Scott presiding over the crime scene as Sheriff Sam Hooper

We had planned for a really rough day because we had several long, one take tracking shots; including one which moved from exterior to interior. It was also the day that a photographer was coming over from the magazine to take pictures.

The photographer, a slightly youngish looking man with a glint in his eyes and a rakish air, was the antithesis of the reporter we met with yesterday. The photographer arrived before any of our actors and proved to be a very amiable person. Not once during the five or six hours he was there did he get in the way or mess up a single shot. In fact, we forgot he was there. He even agreed to put on a Deputy shirt and can be seen as a crime scene photographer in the movie.

Sheriff Hooper (David Scott) discusses the murders with Coroner Michelson (Raven Gabbard) as Anthony Rao takes photos in the background.

While we waited for our cast and crew to show up, we posed for some photos and dressed the location. We started with scenes 4A, 4B and 5, which comprise the 2nd sequence of the film, and opens with GENE THOMPSON (Lee Matheny) reporting on the first murders enacted by The Bunnyman (James Koncyk).

Lee Matheny as roving reporter Gene Thompson

This was our major tracking shot and biggest worry because we move from Gene and news cameraman (Mike Rechis), who we had standing in the courtyard, up to the front door where Deputy 6 (Richard Madrid) is questioning Mrs Elaine Driscoll (Nesly LaTorre). Stephens (Trent Stover) enters and Mrs Driscoll repeats her story to him.

Trent Stover, Richard Madrid, and Scotty Schultz question Nesly LaTorre

Then we follow Stephens into the house where he bumps into Corman (Scotty Schultz) and Michaelson (Raven Gabbard), then we follow him into the living room where Hooper stands surveying the crime scene. A lot of ground and quite a bit of dialogue to cover in one take. Any number of things could have gone wrong. The main problem, however, ended up being the roar of automobiles as they passed by. We got it done, though, and moved on to scenes 1- 4, the opening sequence of the film and our first look at The Bunnyman.

The Bunnyman (James Koncyk) hands out candy to trick-or-treaters.

Since our schedule doesn't allow for a lot of rehearsals, we like to give our actors a few rehearsal takes (which we film). It helps to get them loosened up and get in character. It also helps us see if the shots are going to work or not. Which came in handy today since we had so many people on set and had the two long tracking shots. The rehearsal takes allowed us to work out placement for the extras and how to maneuver around with the steady cam and portable sound equipment. That way, by the time we're ready to film for real, we've worked out any technical kinks and the actors are comfortable with their line and the camera.

We got through nine scenes today in about seven hours. That includes setting up, rehearsals, filming and packing up.

Originally we weren't going to have The Bunnyman say anything other than one line at the beginning of the movie, "I just love Halloween, don't you?" But we decided on location to have James ad lib some stuff with the trick-or-treaters. Trent, who had been sitting upstairs with everyone else in our improvised holding room during The Bunnyman scenes, came up to me later and said that it's going to be hilarious if we have James continue delivering his lines the way he did today. Trent will be pleased, because we agree with him and plan to let The Bunnyman have many more lines.