A moment in time
By Vicki Koch
26 June 2008
Not sure how to begin or how to end - so while I think about it - I will add the photos first. Maybe the photos will speak for themselves.
Okay, I have thought about it and honestly the photos do speak for themselves. It was an exciting time for the fans of Johnny Depp and Michael Mann that live in or near Oshkosh, WI. For me it was an opportunity to take some photos of interesting things and meet some pretty awesome people. Even the guy that yelled at me was interesting, though he may just be a nice guy doing his job.
It was nice to meet people that the whole world hears about, see on TV or on the Big Screen and wonder what they are like. I did not get to speak to Micheal Mann personally, but I was at a party he attended. My coworker walked by him and he stopped her to say hello and shake her hand. He did not have to do that but he did. Then there was Johnny. I did not get to speak to him either, although I could have I guess if I would have asked the right person. I did not go there to speak to Johnny or get his photo. I went there to take photos of the art work that people did to our downtown. I did speak to some of the back stage people asking them if Johnny was nice, because I like to hear that even though a person makes a name for themselves they can still remain human and kind. Everyone I spoke to spoke highly of him. They could be open with me because I am just a girl of low degree and nothing I say will ever change the world in a huge way. NBC will not call me up and ask what the people told about.
There was one person in the movie that will remain nameless. After a night of trying to unwind, I found him being a jerk to one of my very good friends (a JPG member.) You know you can not put the Movie Stars up on a Golden Pedestal; they are just people with failures like the rest of us. They will hurt you, unintentionally, just like your best friend will at times. There was one darling man who I did meet, and if he lived around here I would make sure he would become my life long friend. He was Gusmano Cesaretti, the co-producer. I had no idea who he was at first. I was playing around on the pool table and he asked me how to play (I play so rarely anything I told him could be wrong) but I tried my best to kind of lay down some rules and then he said "Okay, I will just watch you". "Oh no you should play a game with me", and he did and it was fun, and he was very sweet and kind. When I went back and sat with my friends that I had made - they laughed at me and said "You have no idea who you just played pool with, do you?" Nope, not a clue; I just knew him as a kind stranger. Then they told me, and I thought how very kind of him to take time to play a game with me!
It was amazing getting to know lot of people on the set. When I have time I will add some of their photos. What I can tell you is, that life is not easy on their families. I met lots of people I grew to care for in a very short time, and they all found it hard being on the road away from their loved ones. (I can kind of relate-being a Navy Brat and not really having my daddy around until I turned 10 years old.) They can call and speak to their families on the phone, but there is so much you miss out on giving your life to the job, either because you love it or it pays well and they can buy a big fancy house on the cliff over looking the ocean, but they are not there to share the sunsets with their loved ones. There is so much that all of us take for granted. Great shows, not only cost a bundle to make, but they also cost people their time- family time, quality time...If you are thinking of becoming a star think long and hard what you are giving up for money and fame.
These photos really belong to the people I shot in them, so for me to make money on them would be wrong, but I do not think they wouldn't mind at all if I shared them with you... so you are able to come along on the movie set with me. I have been able to do many interesting things because of my job, and I am truly thankful for the wonderful people I have met along the way.
So, enjoy the photos if you can, and next time you sit down to watch a great movie - say a little prayer for the people behind the curtains - it is not all glamour...
Thank you to the people at PE Productions for allowing me the occasion to be on the set and watch your work. A special thank you to Kris and Ron. You know who you are and what you have done. To Paul, Bill, Frabob(Rob), Jeff, Stan, Matt, Mark and Dear Steven and Catherine - I miss you already. And all the rest of you countless behind the scene workers who no one ever sees off camera- you made my life richer just from meeting you.
Mr. Cesaretti, thank you for your friendship that night, I shall never forget it, if I live to be 100.
(Extra special thank you to Claudia - http://www.jpgmag.com/people/cloudee )
