WHAT’S THE SUN DOING OVER THERE?
by Lance Hoffman
It was a splendid autumn sunset, truly breathtaking. We were overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge from Battery Spencer; this was the postcard view with the bridge in the foreground. San Francisco with the whole bay, and the east bay hills were gleaming in the background. We were doing the final scout before we filmed a television commercial for “Trane Air-conditioning” the next morning at dawn. The shot was to be of a convoy of large tractor-trailers with the name “Trane” painted on their sides traveling across the bridge. After we got this great establishing shot. The plan was to photograph the trucks, at various bay area locations, for the commercial.
The next morning, we returned to the location at Battery Spencer in the dark before dawn to set up for the filming. We have the CHP and a Park Ranger to help us get a clean shot of the trucks as they traveled across the bridge in formation. Finally, the moment arrives: the trucks are in formation, the CHP is holding traffic and the order is given over the radio, “Action on the Trucks”. The moment is perfect, not a cloud in the sky, the sun is just rising over the east bay hills. We watch as the truck cross the bridge and get within range. Suddenly the director yells, “Cut, what’s the sun doing over there? The trucks are backlit- we cannot read the Logo on the side”. None of us locals know what to say. The sun rises in the east- we are looking east towards the hills. Finally, the director adds, “ In New York the sun comes up over the water”.
While this is true- it doesn’t help the current situation. We’ll have to come back at sunset and try it again. Of course, the traffic will be terrible because that’s rush hour. Thankfully, I did not ask him what I was really thinking at the time.
‘You were here yesterday, did you expect the sun to rise in the same place that it set?’ Fortunately, for once, I kept my mouth shut. We did return at sunset and got some useable footage. But, somehow I still feel that the morning attempt was more noteworthy and offered some insight into “the creative process”. Which is the reason I can remember it years later.