John,
Here is one for you,
I had an assignment to photograph a car wreck for an insurance Company from a helicopter at a crossroad. The first thing I did was hire a chopper and fly to NJ to look for a suitable road.
Finding what look like a likely spot I marked the map a flew back to NY. The next day I
drove down to NJ and checked the location up close and personal. Satisfied I called on the
local Police Chief, told him what I wanted to do and offered a contribution to his
favorite charity. He look at me like I was some kind kook ( could have been) and then reluctantly
agreed to cooperate. With the location secured I went to a junk yard and bought two wrecked cars.
That guy also thought I was nuts but the Silver Cloud Rolls I had parked in his yard and the
fact that I told him he could have the cars back after made him think that I was his kind of nut.
The day of shooting I went out to the field and had the pilot take the door of the chopper, loaded up and took off, ( Here is a little tech note. For this kind of a job I always rented a pair gyros from a movie supply house to steady my cameras) arriving on time I found that my partner and assistant had every thing set up. Police cars, wreckers, Cops. Victims. Clip boards, rubber neckers, traffic jam the whole ball of wax. We circled, I shot roll after roll as fast as I could when suddenly the Art Director ran out into the field desperately waving his arms like the world was coming to an end. I could almost hear his yelling over the noise of the chopper. I turned to the pilot and said he wants us to land, he yelled saying that we don't have much fuel. I replied, "We still have to land".
He ran up to the chopper and said "I WANT YOU TO SHOOT SOME GOING THE OTHER WAY"
Duh, Hello!! I turned to the pilot and said do you want to take that door off and let me fly as I shoot from that side.
"I don't think so"
"Then lets go home"
Did I ever tell you about the time ------------------------------------------------
Bob
