I got a call to work a three month gig with a veteran female rapper who was releasing her next album. The label was putting a lot of money and effort behind the project as she was the top selling female rapper to date. The project would consist of capturing the behind the scenes adventures of the artist and present "a day in the life" video with the album. I put a team together that consisted of several cameramen and myself as the producer. We started the project by capturing video of her writing and recording in studios in LA and Atlanta, shopping with friends and the finale' would be capturing the making of her first music video from the album. The project ran smoothly and the label seemed to be happy.
The last month of the project I was called to personally accompany her to Miami where she would be shooting the video. It was a much needed get away and when you can get away and make money you go! I got in contact with the video production crew and found out where they were staying and made the hotel and flight arrangements. About a week later I was in Miami. I had spoken to the production coordinator on the video and she informed me that she could send the production van to pick me up from the airport so I gave her my flight info and moved along. The day that my flight arrived, I went outside looking for my ride only to find there was NO ride. I called the production office and was told something had happened to the van and that I would have to get there on my own, so I called a cab. When I arrived at the hotel, it was busy with the production crew, talent and extras all preparing for shooting over the next day. I settled in my room and went to check in with the production crew. When I entered the room I introduced myself. The crew, professional and very accommodating, asked that I wait and they would get me a copy of the shoot schedule, so I did. As I sat the producer asked how I had gotten to the hotel, I told her that I had taken a cab. Then quiet feel over the room so of course I asked what was going on? To my surprise I was told the reason I had to take a cab was because the production van was MISSING! (WTF)
Seems the production crew had arrived in town a few days earlier to hire local crew for the shoot. They had hired a man to work as a PA (Production Assistant) and driver. They had completed all the necessary paperwork, given him unlimited access to the van and his per diem and that was the last time he had been seen. At this point that was 3 days ago. As we worked over the next few days, the inside joke on the set became, Dude, where is the van? We still didn't know.
On the last day of shooting we were tired but the joke was only gaining steam. We still had not heard from the driver and the shoot was done. Since it was the last day and no one knew where this guy or the van was, they filed a police report and we all went back to our respective cities. A few weeks later I ran into the production coordinator back in Atlanta. We talked for a bit and I asked if the van was ever recovered?To my surprise she said, "yes". Apparently the van was found several days after we left (via cabs and another rental van), in a notorious drug area but the driver was never seen again.
Goes to show you just never know whose been hired to work with you!
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