April 14, 2011: The search for a Script Coordinator/Exec. Producers' Assistant Begins! The Transporter Summit Concludes!

We've started interviewing for a Script Coordinator/Exec. Producers' Assistant, partly because Ashleigh refuses to upend her life for us by moving to Toronto (Selfish, no?), but mainly because we don't like the attitude of our present temp Script Coordinator, Alexander M. Ruemelin.  Instead of embracing these new and exciting (albeit unpaid and time-consuming) duties as part of a wonderful learning experience, Alex, instead, chooses to complain about them (ie. "I really should be working on my outline instead of proofreading your blog entries.").  And so, we are casting a wide net in our search for the perfect Script Coordinator/Exec. Producers' Assistant, meeting with ALL THREE potential candidates.  We're looking for someone with script coordinating experience (working with Movie Magic Screenwriter in particular), someone who is tech savvy (we're computer unsavvy, with the exception of Alexander who considers our devotion to Mac OUR problem), and someone who is able to fit in.  The latter is of chiefest important.  I evaluate a prospective candidate's relative "fit in-itness" by gauging their responses to a few curveballs I threw their way during the interview:

ME: So, I see you have experience as a script coordinator.

CANDIDATE: Yes.  I've worked with both Final Draft and Movie Magic Screenwriter.

ALEX: Things will get crazy here.  We're a co-production with Canadian, American, French, AND German partners.

ME: So we're going to need you to brush up on your French and German before you start on Monday.

CANDIDATE: Uh, okay.

PAUL: Would you say you're also knowledgeable with computers?

CANDIDATE: Yes.  Both PC and Mac.

ME: What is your greatest weakness?

CANDIDATE: Um, German. ("I care too much" or "I'm a perfectionist" would've been acceptable responses as well).

PAUL: Your position may require you to get lunches for the writers.

CANDIDATE: I'm fine with that.

ME: Your position may also require you to occasionally drain my pet baboon's anal glands.

CANDIDATE: That's fine.  I have experience with that.

ME: Great.  Well, thanks for coming in.

In addition to holding a couple of interviews, we also sat down with our head of transport to discuss European cars – specifically, police cars and trucks (because, apparently, the trucks in Europe look completely different from the trucks here in North America).  I also got the opportunity to rewrite a whopping 1.5 pages of the second script.  At this rate, I should be done by the day we complete production on the episode.

Well, the big Transporter summit concluded yesterday with everyone heading back to their respective home bases to regroup, decompress, and discuss my affinity for animal-theme cufflinks.  Among those who attended…

Julien - who gets bonus marks for also being a Stargate fan.

Alexandra

Julia

Ulrike





Julien – ready to hit the road.





Alexander – Almost all smiles after two days of meetings.

Thanks for coming, all.  Next time, your place?

Tomorrow, I offer those promised thoughts on The Hunt.