Pushed or Fallen? - some recent photos

The Downtown Eastside is changing rapidly. Everybody agrees. Many would say for the better. Some might disagree. New shops, bars and restaurants, facelifts for heritage buildings, schools for the contemporary arts, outreach programs, bread-lines, drop-in shelters, needle exchanges, soup kitchens and supportive housing. Side by side and often overlapping. People for, people against, people being displaced and people who don't know where they stand.

Recently, a young woman flew out of a rooming house window to land dead on the ground in the back alley below. Locals claimed her death was due to the brutal payment enforcement tactics of drug selling gangs and called for the police to take action. The police labelled the death as just another tragic drug related suicide and refused to consider local concerns as valid.

Over 15 years ago, neighbourhood residents were similarly dismissed when they began voicing concerns about local women going missing. An inquest has only just been initiated to look into why it took so long for the authorities to seriously address that situation.

Meanwhile, the re-development of the DTES gets pushed along and people continue to stake their claims on both sides of the gentrification issue. For some, the transformation of the neighbourhood is too rapid, for others, the change is long overdue. But some of the attitudes about the neighbourhood, feel like they will never change, and some people in the neighbourhhood, continue to fall between the cracks of opinion and ideology and disappear, forever.

Shoot Me! - A Synopsis

The last few posts are texts from a project called Shoot Me! They’re based on extracts from filming notices I’ve been collecting over the last few years, from productions shot in my neighborhood, Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. I think of them as “picture in picture” narratives, but they can be read as screenplays for unseen performances or closed captioned storyboards or maybe even stage directions, for walking the increasingly fine line that separates the real from the unreal on the streets of the DTES.

I’ve lifted location details and scene descriptions directly from the notices, cut and pasted fragments of dialogue and film lingo from the shooting scripts, call sheets and screenplays that I’ve found discarded on the streets and then re-mixed the whole thing to try and reveal the sometimes uncanny, occasionally inconsiderate and often uncomfortable narrative overlaps between life as lived in one of Canada’s poorest postal codes and life as filtered through the lens of Hollywood North.

The DTES has always been a kind of ground zero for Hollywood North productions, being malleable enough to be dressed up for mid-town Manhattan, stripped down for small town, depression era Mid-west, or more often than not, filmed almost as is, to mimic the urban ghetto of Anytown, USA . Alleys get cleaned up, hosed down and then re-filled with “prop” garbage, neighbourhood residents get hustled out of the way and replaced with extras dressed to look like the very people they’ve displaced. TV shows are filmed about serial killers while local women are disappearing on the same streets that “fake” police cars are cruising. As a long time resident of the area, at some point, you can no longer tell if the “Crime Scene” tape is real or a prop. Like it or not you find yourself cast as an extra and scripted into storylines and scenarios that are not always of your own choosing.

The film production notices themselves are usually a bland mixture of damage control and boosterism; filled with thumbnail sketches of the action, mundane parking restriction info, apologies for noise, pleas for late night filming extensions, tantalizing hints about the “Stars” involved and thanks in advance for “your support of B.C.’s film industry”. Reading between the lines, there’s a wealth of other information about money, agency, gentrification and identity.

In the texts I’ve composed, I’ve maintained and/or recreated the original formatting of the source document text – i.e. aspects of spacing/layout, Italics to signify either the title of the film being produced or to note quoted dialogue and the use of Caps or Bold type to denote specific times/ location info. Fracture, Revolution and The Butterfly effect 1&2 are built entirely out of text excerpted from production notices, call sheets, and screenplays. The other piece, Re-Write, is a screenplay-esque treatment of two actual incidents that occurred in conjunction with filming in the DTES ( the placement of a cryptic billboard for a Canadian TV series new season, in the middle of “The Stroll” and another production company's hanging of a prop female corpse, right behind the Women’s Drop-in Shelter, both events occuring during the height of the search for the neighbourhood’s missing women).

The images in between the texts include scans of discarded film ephemera, as well as pictures I’ve taken, documenting actual film shoots in the neighbourhood. There are also a few images from an earlier project of mine called Hollywood, Not, where I hand painted a number of fictitious film signs and hung them in anticipation of upcoming film shoots.

Collectively, the texts function as a sort of mise en scène of the area’s supposed meta-narrative. Individual pieces can be read as Cinéma Vérité call sheets, cutaway shots of the cutting room floor, or perhaps, a montage of real-time rushes or dailies, from the filmed on location pilot, based on a true story, about life in a make believe place called – 'The Downtown Eastside'.

Or maybe Shoot Me! is just my attempt to script myself into the mix, so I can figure out which side of the camera I’m really on.

The Butterfly Effect ( 1&2)

The Butterfly Effect (1&2)

Based on the generally positive results of a poll we conducted in your neighbourhood, we film the aftermath of a police incident with many police cars and extras in the street.

• We are planning to film on this day between 9:00 AM and 3:30 AM .

• In the show 235 Alexander is a nightclub, and in the first episode there is a grand re-opening party scene, which is why we require a longer extension.

• Our day begins at 12:30 am on the 00 block of Alexander.

• Two actors discuss the discovery of a dead man in the lane.

• A scene with several police cars with emergency lights on pulling up to the property from all directions (lights will be flashing, but there won’t be any sirens).

• Some of these scenes have choreographed stunts of actors having an altercation.

• The location will be dressed as a night club with partygoers gathered in front. We will have a number of people milling about the entrance to 1 Alexander and out into the street as well.

• We will be preparing some of the surrounding buildings in the weeks leading up to filming.

• Exterior scenes of an actor walking down 90 Alexander and another stunt scene with 3 actors fighting. Vancouver Police will be on hand to perform a temporary road closure when necessary during the filming of this scene.

• There will also be a camera in the intersection to film the club-goers.

• We will be parking “fake police cars” on the street. The sidewalk will be blocked for approx. one hour.

• Actors will be wearing holstered weapons in all scenes.

• The activity will include a number of “extras” waiting to get into the club, as well as, several cars driving up to drop off club-goers.

• We realize that your neighbourhood entertains it’s fair share of filming.

• BG X 66
• Waiters x 8
• Patrons x 50
• Drivebys w/vehicles x 4
• Passerbys x 20

• Our filming will be very low impact.

• Lights on stands, and also perhaps on scaffolding eight to twelve feet high, will be focused on the exterior, although other lights may shine along 200 block Alexander and up to the sky to create mood for night-time filming.

• We will make the area brighter than usual.

• Pedestrian foot traffic will be closed and re-directed between Gaolers Mews and Blood Alley.

• Please identify yourself to an officer for access.

• There will be minor special effects of fog and a wet down of the streets for these scenes.

• We are sensitive to concerns about filming in the neighbourhood.

• The usual curfew is 11 PM.

• The noise from simulated gunfire is comparable to the sound of firecrackers.

• An SUV drives westbound on Alexander from Main and crashes into a fake wall that will extend into the north sidewalk from the south sidewalk.

• Police will be on hand to assist us.

• Actors will run around the corner and others will get into a car on Hastings and speed away.

• The City of Vancouver has granted us an extension.

• A crowd of people and emergency vehicles gathering in front of 41 Alexander Street.

• Our final shot of the night will be from a scissor lift on the north sidewalk.

• An actor lies on the ground as another approaches him.

• 3:30 AM. Our crew will then pack up and move to film at another location.

Re-Write

Re-Write

ACT 01

INT. LIVING ROOM – 03’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS – NIGHT

WE PULL BACK FURTHER

CLOSE ON CONDOM

CLOSE ON KLEENEX

CLOSE ON NEEDLE

CLOSE ON STYROFOME SOUP BOWL

03

( continuing)

Come on let’s get outta here.

02

(continuing)

Where? I got nowhere else to go.

Cut to:

03 smirks.

01 thinks a second.

02 laughs –( to herself)

03 cuts her off…

She pauses. She buzzes. She waits.

A beat of awkward silence.

FADE UP ON A BRIGHT RED SUN

ACT 02

INT. LOCKED ROOM SHED – NIGHT

He’s wearing street clothes. A tight tee shirt, ragged acid wash jeans, a bulky, oversize wool jacket, scuffed black runners, no socks and a faded Planet Hollywood baseball cap.

02 enters an INDUSTRIAL SECTION of town. She sees the OCEAN in the distance. – and the GIANT CRANES that unload ships.

03 roars around a corner – fishtails – sideswipes a parked van and keeps going.

A Police Car pulls out of an alley and tries to block the road.

CLOSE ON – TELEVISION NEWS ANNOUNCER

REVEAL…

DESERTED INDUSTRIAL AREA (AKA –THE STROLL)

PAN TO…

BILLBOARD – grim faced City Coroner looks down at shrouded body lying on ground, tag line reads: 13 Fresh Ones.

WE PUSH IN CLOSE – ON DUMPSTER

A POLICE CRUISER pulls into the vacant lot – slowly glides around the perimeter – stops beside what looks like a pile of garbage.

COP – calls in to dispatch

We’ve got a problem

ACT 03

INT. CARGO VAN

03 looks backwards INTO THE REAR VIEW MIRROR

– only to see …

OVERHEAD VIEW – of run down street filled with cheap hotels

SECURITY GUARD

THE SECURITY GUARD’s P.O.V. of – caged off area behind boarded up building.

EXTREME CLOSE UP of an old TELEVISION with a smashed in screen.

MEDIUM CLOSE ON – FEET RUNNING – FAST.

REVEAL…

The light changes, car horns blow raucously as the girl runs out into traffic flow, dodging cars, just missing being hit by a bus and then slipping away down a dark alley.

A new angle REVEALS :

EXT. ALLEY – DAY – RAIN

CLOSE ON :

A young woman, looking old and chewed up in ratty clothes,

TITLES: ANGELA DAWN. DISAPPEARED NOVEMBER 11, 1988.

ACT 04

EXT. CITY STREET – DAY

Candace : How did she get there?

Candace’s POV of Angela ducking into dingy doorway.

CHARACTER 01

Dialogue…….

CHARACTER 01 ( CONT’D)

Dialogue…

(and then)

Dialogue…

CHARACTER 02

Dialogue……

(a moment and then)

Dialogue

EXT. CITY – SKY VIEW

Cut to:

SEDAN cruising city streets - NIGHT

ACT 5

FADE UP ON ALLEY – DUMPSTERS – PUDDLES FILLED WITH TRASH

NEW ANGLE REVEALS: Caged back porch of building backing on to alley.

Door opens, tired looking, middle aged woman steps out to light a cigarette, stops, looks down and fiddles with lighter, looks up and gasps.

EXTREME CLOSEUP of her face as she shouts the word – HELP!

WOMAN’S POV: Looking through WIRE CAGE to TALL, OLD TREE on edge of vacant lot behind building. Hanging from a branch in the tree is what appears to be a woman’s corpse.

PULL BACK as woman runs back inside building, doors slams shut. Signage on door reads: WOMEN’S SHELTER.

CUT TO: OVERHEAD VIEW Set Dressers on LADDER awkwardly removing prop of strangled corpse down out of tree. PULL BACK to reveal FILM TRUCKS, CAMERA further along alley. CREW milling around, Director throwing up hands, Principles shaking heads.

FADE IN : Busy Film Production Office, Location Manager - on phone looking rueful, Assistant - filing, listening to conversation and shrugging, Secretary - typing, rolls eyes…

EXTREME CLOSEUP of page coming out of printer –TEXT READS: … We realize your neighbourhood entertains it's fair share of filming and we are sensitive to concerns about filming in the area…

FADE OUT

ROLL CREDITS

Revolution

Revolution

The following is an outline of our proposed filming times, locations and significant action:

10:00 AM – 11:00 PM : STARTING TODAY WE WILL BE CLOSING DOWN SOME OF THE LOCAL STREETS IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD the locations are being kept a closely guarded secret until filming due to the stars that will be featured and for security related concerns CURFEW HOURS BEGIN AT 11 PM

12:30 PM –1:30 PM : we are obligated by the City of Vancouver to inform you when filming will take place in your neighbourhood SOME GUNFIRE WILL BE HEARD DURING THESE HOURS OF FILMING ALONG WITH SOME STREET SCENES THAT WILL INCLUDE CARS CRASHING

2:00- 3:45 PM: lights will be flashing, but there won’t be any sirens all roads will remain open DURING FILMING we will drive the route in one continuous loop travelling through the intersections whether the traffic lights are red or green

4:00 –5:00 PM: a bus pulling up to the curb a number of times a simulated traffic accident in the crosswalk actors will be wearing holstered weapons in all scenes Full road closure & traffic diversions

5:30 PM – 7:00 PM : an exterior scene at “The Police Station” We will have a number of people milling about the entrance and out into the street as well Some of these scenes have choreographed stunts of actors having an altercation

7:30 – 9:00 PM : “Police Officers” in uniform with holstered weapons and “Police Cruisers” will be visible in the laneway bounded by Powell, Gore, Alexander and Main Streets

9:30 –10:00 PM : There will be actors running down the alley and being apprehended by actors dressed as the Police note: The noise from simulated gunfire is comparable to the sound of firecrackers

10:00 PM – 11:00 PM : while all our work will take place within the described properties, to ensure continuity of background, some scenes will be placed under supervision of the Vancouver Police Department

11:30 PM :the city has granted us an extension

12:00 AM : The rest of our crew arrives We will have members of the Vancouver Police Department on hand to escort our driving vehicle

1:00 am : Actors in dialogue and a limousine parked near the crest of the Overpass on the Westbound side of Main Street once we have shot it we will move away immediately

1:30 – 3:00 AM : work trux open closed set hold extras on location no visitors North side of 200 block E. Cordova from Gore to the Police zone

3:30 – 4:00 AM : sometime during the early morning there will be a small pyrotechnic explosion which might be heard in the neighbourhood

4:30 – 5:00 AM : we will film scenes of actors running out onto the street Extras holding ready and hot

5:30 AM : barricades in place

6:00 – 6:30 AM : our trucks will move into place

6:45 AM : curfew over

7:00 AM : Hastings and Abbot is ours!