Location Scouting With A Partner-In-Crime

         Hello again! I've had a pretty busy week today, and after a long week full of homework and studying, I got together with my buddy Wade to watch the new Batman movie to decompress and have fun for the weekend. After watching the movie and discussing the film's setting, villain, and portrayal of characters (phenomenal movie by the way, you absolutely must watch it), Wade and I had some time to kill while we waited for a reasonable time to get dinner.

        I decided to take advantage of this free time (and because of my friend reminding me of my blog posts) to go out and scout locations for where I can shoot the opening! Unfortunately it was getting dark soon and would therefore be inconducive to look at parks and parking lots for the very start of the film, as they'd be too dark and empty to gain an idea of how the setting would look in the context of my opening.

This left us with two more locations to find: the gas station and the bathroom (where there will be a murder).

Location 1: Gas Station #1

This gas station is where I'd shoot scene 2, where Danny and Martin have a conversation over a gas pump.

Location Pros:

-Close to location of where I'll shoot the bathroom.

-The gas station structure is similar to what I had envisioned as the gas station looking like.

 Location Cons:

 - Very crowded, kind of in the way of a lot of people.

-If I were to shoot here, I'd be under pressure and inconveniencing other people, which I don't want to do.

Location 2: Gas Station #2

This gas station is another candidate for the setting of Scene 2.

Location Pros:

-It's a quiet area, with much fewer cars passing by and therefore my presence would be less of an intrusion.

-It's very picturesque, which I never thought I'd say to describe a gas station..

-There's a lot of empty space in the lot around the station, meaning more space to play with during the shooting process, so it doesn't feel cramped. 

Location Cons:

-It's slightly further away from the bathroom I'm shooting in.

-There is a car wash adjacent to the station, which may disrupt shooting temporarily (as it is very loud).

Location #3: A Murder Bathroom

    I didn't want to shoot the murder scene in an actual gas station bathroom, because I've had some pretty nasty experiences at gas stations before and didn't want my setting to get too real...

    So instead I visited Dunkin Donuts, my former place of employment, to inquire whether it would be alright if I were to shoot a scene of a student film in their bathroom.

    Thankfully, I was attended by the working shift manager, a kind man named Sam. His only question was whether I'd be filming something a bit raunchier, and once I answered his concern with a hurried negative, he was completely fine with me moving in some cameras to shoot in it.

The stall is pretty garden-variety, it's exactly what you'd expect from a restroom, though much cleaner and nicer, which I was grateful for, considering the fact that I'd have someone lay down on the floor during the scene. It's a little cramped, but it'll work just fine!

        Between the two gas station options, I think I'm going to end up shooting at location 2, mostly because of its low traffic and general spaciousness,  it'll be perfect to film in without bothering anyone, as long as I scare off anyone who dares wash their car....