STBD 5-9: Revealed!

The "Car Trouble" episode is a classic example of the STBD cast being able to create a solid episode even everything else goes wrong...

The Making of "Car Trouble" involved:

- 9 scripted pages

- 2 largely improvised scenes

- 48 minutes of raw footage

- 3 shoots over 24 hours

- 12+ hours of editing

Fun Facts, Scene by Scene:

* This episode wasn't even supposed to happen.

The original plan was to film the party itself, which Pryce (Trent Wolfred) is trying to bring everyone to. But a funny thing happened on the way to the party - we ran out of extras.

Suddenly, we had a filming date set, a location, and not enough extras to make it look like the type of party we'd planned for. So, we went with our backup plan: there's no need to show the party if the guests can't actually make it TO the party...

* Both Trent Wolfred and Rick Hertzig (Glenn) had other commitments on the day we filmed, so we couldn't begin filming with them until after 10 PM.

By that time, it was about 32 degrees outside... (That's the freezing point, for you Celsius fans...)

* While the news coverage of Luke Ravenstahl's mayoral victory speech was being recorded off the TV, a steam radiator in the same room began spewing intermittent heat blasts. There was no way to turn it off in time, so you can hear some of the noise during Ravenstahl's speech. [Of course, it's logical to presume Rich (Erik Schark) would have steam heat...]

* When we filmed the flashback of Leo gassing up his car while it was still running, we looked everywhere for a sign that said: "Please turn off car before fueling." Wasn't that a standard warning over the years? The station we were at had no mention of it -- and Will Guffey (Leo) had never heard that bit of wisdom, either. Are we deluded, or is the explosive potential of fuel-meeting-combustion no longer an issue?

* Dierdre and Glenn's final exchange was quasi-improvised. The scene wasn't scripted, so we saved it for last to make sure their energies matched what they were doing in the earlier scenes. When the camera's battery died at 1 AM, we retreated to the Creative Treehouse to recharge it and plan the scene.

* Filming for this episode wrapped around 2 AM - our latest shoot of the year. (And our coldest!)