The NITTY GRITTY of ITTY BITTY TITTY COMMITTEE Behind the Scenes on POWER UP’s First Feature Film Part 2 of 3 ON THE SET

From producers, writers, director, assistant directors, director of photography, production designer, casting director, to the traditional role of costume designer this is the first POWER UP film than can boast all female keys. The cast and crew came from around the globe to Los Angeles to participate in the 26 day shoot. Director of photography Christine Maier and 1st assistant director Clarissa Thieme came from Berlin for the shoot, and there were several Canadians, and New Yorkers on the crew as well.

Bing found that this attitude existed outside of the film world as well when she hit the web using sites like Myspace.com, Craigslist, Afterellen.com, and Bitch Magazine to ask people to volunteer. Extras from all over Los Angeles enthusiastically joined cast and crew members for a scene of revelry. Crew members also pitched in to help fill the scene with party goers. This meant they worked most of the day in bathing suits and spent whatever time they weren't behind the camera in front of it. The scene of screaming bikini clad women not only initiated shooting the film, it also took place at the new home of director Jamie Babbit and producer Andrea Sperling who had only closed escrow that very week.

The crew was comprised of seasoned industry professionals along with a few budding filmmakers with very little set experience. “Stacy welcomed us and advised us of the hard work to come. Working on a feature length production is like what I would imagine running a marathon is like. Only, a marathon's over in a day and a movie takes a month to shoot.” Stated mentee Adriana Torres, who shot all the on set stills and behind the scenes coverage for the film. One thing that stood out to many crew, about working in this kind of environment was the high level of communication. “The energy was really different with women in charge; there was a lot of discussion and thoughtfulness of creative decisions” Stated location manager Mel Robertson. Colette Divine said "It was great to know that all these women were here for the same purpose, to get something but also to give something" Divine's partner, J. Karen Thomas, said that one of the things that stood out on this particular film was the "feeling of warmth, camaraderie and sisterhood" on this mostly female set as opposed to the "pissing matches and screaming" that can so often happen. Colette Divine saved the day a few times as both an actress and a mentee, in addition to her role in the pool party scene; Divine also literally wore different hats by playing 18 different extra roles, donning wigs and costume changes. She did many different jobs as well, including an emergency run to the store to buy the perfect "padded" bra for a pivotal scene between Anna and her sister.

When shooting at City Hall in downtown Los Angeles it began to rain, which can complicate any shoot day, but on this particular day the scene that was being shot was a moment where members of the feminist group, the CIA, place a statue of famed feminist, Angela Davis on the lawn of City Hall. In order to make the statue, and several "real women" mannequins for another scene of CIA activism, production designer Nina Alexander and Ellen Rocamora, had worked for days with plaster wrap. "We set up shop in Nina's living room and convinced several of our friends to be our mannequins.

They came over, had some drinks and stood perfectly still in awkward positions for several hours, all while Nina and I covered them in Vaseline (to prevent the plaster from sticking to the skin), wrapped them in plaster and then carefully cut them out of the hardened casts" said Rocamora, describing their days of work. “My favorite body cast went through several reincarnations, first being transformed into a pregnant woman and then Angela Davis." Unfortunately, plaster does not take well to rain and the mannequins very quickly began to decompose. The Art department tried duct taping the parts back together but the damp weather made it difficult for anything to stick. Eventually, "Angela Davis" was taken into the extras tent and placed in front of a massive heater which, thankfully, dried her off.

“Complications and obstacles always arise on indie productions, it is really a testament to all the cast and crew to find artistic solutions”, said producer Thrasher, “after all that’s what makes the day interesting.”

Another unique aspect of the film was the fact that there were six couples working in various capacities on set. Besides Babbit and Sperling there was executive producer Stacy Codikow and her partner producer Lisa Thrasher, director of photography Christina Maier and first assistant director Clarissa Thieme, actress Lauren Mollica and grip Larissa James, actresses J. Karen Thomas and Colette Divine, and production designer Nina Alexander and Ellen Rocamora who worked in art department. “Jamie and I have worked together several times…stated producer Sperling, “we find it really easy and think the others enjoyed it to.”

PART 2 – On the Set was written by Amanda Deibert.