So here's the story.

Droptree was producing a spot for Common Sense Media on a very crazy (sorry) ambitious schedule, which involved shooting sports scenes at three locations in one day.

Here at Cine Rent West they needed to get a shot of a gymnast performing on the rings while trying to talk on his cell phone. The point being--it's not a good idea.

Between its three principals, Ben Hayden, Chandler Vinar, and Jeff Johnson, DOA boasts a substantial resume of big name clients. 

From national brands like Nike and Jose Cuervo to major motion pictures like Catch Me If You Can, Twilight, and Seabiscuit, to series work for The Librarians, Leverage, and Grimm. 

While that's all pretty impressive, the reason we wanted to talk to them was to find out how they've been able to grow their business in an environment where budgets are being cut and the option of just shooting on a green screen with a digital set has become much more feasible.

We originally wanted to title this piece "Contractor vs. Employee: Dawn of Justice." But friends advised that it would confuse the readers, making them think we were reviewing the Batman/Superman film. 

Advice appreciated. Because the issue of whether to hire production crew as independent contractors or employees is so much bigger than the fate of Metropolis. 

This is about money and liability (which is also money). 

Rap star MC Hammer and the director couldn't agree on what they should be shooting. Chris Crever remembers lots of heated discussion while the cast and crew stood around. 

With most of the day gone and much of the video still not shot, the production was showing all the signs of a disaster. But finally, about the time they should have been wrapping, things started coming together. They continued to work shot by shot past midnight. 

At about 2 AM the director called the cast and crew together and told them that they could finish shooting the video if everyone agreed to work all night. 

The reaction shot is one of the most under-appreciated elements of visual production.

Yet it's the reactions of the supporting cast that create the reality of the scene you're filming.

So when Kroger producer Julie Patterson Holland scheduled a session where we'd be capturing the reactions of 22 actors in three hours, we were ready to go into photo booth mode.

Except for horror films, we can't think of any instance where production people actually want to work under fluorescent tube lighting. 

So when we were changing a burnt out tube in our production office, we thought, "Why don't we just replace the whole fixture?" 

There's a thorny issue that seems to affect everybody--producers, directors, crew, talent, and creative agencies. 

It's the practice of "buying" trophy clients. 

Here at Cine Rent West we're used to working with tight security.

We've had an armed guard stationed at the stage door to make sure nobody got an unauthorized photo of next season's basketball shoe.

We've had agents patrolling the hallways to make sure their celebrity clients were not being "approached."

But we've only had one production that was locked down so tight, there were personnel assigned to keep eyes on the talent every second of the production day.

Just because marijuana is now legal in Oregon doesn't mean you can drive while buzzed.

Any impairment can be deadly.

In a PSA for the Oregon Department of Transportation, we hear the inner thoughts of six characters who have been smoking pot and are just about to start their car.

When they serve a big dinner on Downton Abbey, there seems to be as many servants and cooks downstairs as there are guests upstairs.

Well, that's nothing.

In the holiday food TV spot we recently worked on for Stouffer's entrées, it took a crew of more than 30 to serve dinner for nine actors.

You know that TV news story that seemed to be dominating local airwaves right before Black Friday--the one where the reporter on a live remote encounters gale force winds blowing hundreds of socks?

Yeah, well it wasn't real.

The Gifting Guru, with his plaid jacket and rapid-fire delivery, is one of the most popular characters in the Oregon Lottery's holiday TV spots.

But this year--while he was still very good--he was nearly upstaged by the extras in his TV Show audience.