Previously in Tony Isabella’s Bloggy Thing:
I flew to Atlanta/Freeland to attend the Black Lightning season two wrap party. That was Saturday, January 5. Sunday was a day or rest. previous installments of this series. Sunday was a day of rest for On Monday, I went to the studio where Black Lightning is filmed for an exciting, educational and very long day on the set. You know all about that because you’ve been faithfully reading my bloggy thing reports on this trip. We continue...
Tuesday morning did not get off to the greatest of starts. I passed on the hotel’s breakfast buffet, figuring I could grab juice and a doughnut on the set. That was a good choice. I wanted to get to the set as early as possible.
Atlanta weather didn’t cooperate. Maybe it was the rain, but I was unable to get a connection to Lyft. I asked the hotel clerk to call a taxi for me. Though the cab companies were having communication problems as well, she did manage to get me one. The cost was twice what the Lyft would have cost me.
There were three scenes scheduled to be filmed, but I had time to kill before that would happen. I wandered towards the back lot to see the faux storefronts. I was recognized by the set designer - as I mentioned yesterday, the crew were told I would be visiting the set - and he asked if I would mind visiting the construction area. Some of his crew members were comics fans and they had brought some comics I’d written hoping to get them signed.
It’s hard for me to describe how I felt as all these hard-working craftsmen thanked me for creating Black Lightning and thus giving them jobs. Whether they read comic books or not, everyone who works on the series gives it their all.
I got a tour of the construction area, which is enormous, and the back lot. The Vampire Diaries had also been filmed there. One crew chief asked me if I wanted a job as a painter. They were rushing to meet a deadline.
You want to talk deadlines? The crew was building a set that would be filmed on that very evening. The set is extremely cool, but if I told you about it, I would be ruining a key part of the finale. Indeed, I’m not going to be able to tell you much about any of the scenes that were being filmed that day.
Sidebar. This was the last week of shooting for the second season. Several crew members were wondering about their next gig. But not all of them. Some would be moving to a studio across town for the filming of the Stargirl series, featuring the character created by Geoff Johns. I assume Geoff will be involved in the new show even beyond his role as an executive producer. I told the crew that he’s a swell guy and they should say “hi” to him from me. If you’ve been following this blog over the past few years, you know it was Geoff who reached out to me and made possible my mostly happy reconciliation with DC Comics. End of sidebar.
It’s hard to pick just one “greatest moment” from my visit to the Black Lightning set, but getting to wear the Black Lightning vest is way up there. This vest was originally worn by Cress Williams in the earliest episodes, but was soon replaced with one that fit his heroic frame much better.
This vest is now used by the stand-in for lightning purposes. There are two switches that allow the vest to light up. However, the show does digitally enhance the vest’s lighting before the episodes are aired. You get more zap for your buck with this show.
The pod is one of two (soon to be three) in Gambi’s Lightning Lair beneath his tailor shop. When my friend Neil Ottenstein saw me in this photo, he described it as the “Tony Isabella action figure in its original packaging.” When I joked that I was joining the cast in the third season, another pal dubbed me “Short Circuit”...which would be cruel if it weren’t also hilarious.
There were three scenes filmed. The one that took the longest was a fight involving Black Lightning, Lightning and Tobias Whale. I’m not going to tell you about it - no spoilers here - but it’s going to be awesome when it airs.
During one of the resets, China Anne McClain saw me, squealed with delighted, came over and hugged me. That’s right. I got hugged by a super-hero.
This was the first time I’d seen her in her suit. She looked great. She liked my “Pop’s Barber Shop” shirt - from Luke Cage - and was surprised to learn I had also created Misty Knight. She told me I was even cooler than she knew.
This is the kind of love and respect I got from everyone working on Black Lightning. Cress came over to say hi. I spent a lot of time with Marvin Jones. I was introduced to Bill Duke. Christine Adams came over to say hi and tell me she would be rehearsing a special scene with Jennifer Riker that day; she was disappointed I wouldn’t be there when they filmed the scene on Wednesday. Today was going to be my last day on the set.
I flew to Atlanta/Freeland to attend the Black Lightning season two wrap party. That was Saturday, January 5. Sunday was a day or rest. previous installments of this series. Sunday was a day of rest for On Monday, I went to the studio where Black Lightning is filmed for an exciting, educational and very long day on the set. You know all about that because you’ve been faithfully reading my bloggy thing reports on this trip. We continue...
Tuesday morning did not get off to the greatest of starts. I passed on the hotel’s breakfast buffet, figuring I could grab juice and a doughnut on the set. That was a good choice. I wanted to get to the set as early as possible.
Atlanta weather didn’t cooperate. Maybe it was the rain, but I was unable to get a connection to Lyft. I asked the hotel clerk to call a taxi for me. Though the cab companies were having communication problems as well, she did manage to get me one. The cost was twice what the Lyft would have cost me.
There were three scenes scheduled to be filmed, but I had time to kill before that would happen. I wandered towards the back lot to see the faux storefronts. I was recognized by the set designer - as I mentioned yesterday, the crew were told I would be visiting the set - and he asked if I would mind visiting the construction area. Some of his crew members were comics fans and they had brought some comics I’d written hoping to get them signed.
It’s hard for me to describe how I felt as all these hard-working craftsmen thanked me for creating Black Lightning and thus giving them jobs. Whether they read comic books or not, everyone who works on the series gives it their all.
I got a tour of the construction area, which is enormous, and the back lot. The Vampire Diaries had also been filmed there. One crew chief asked me if I wanted a job as a painter. They were rushing to meet a deadline.
You want to talk deadlines? The crew was building a set that would be filmed on that very evening. The set is extremely cool, but if I told you about it, I would be ruining a key part of the finale. Indeed, I’m not going to be able to tell you much about any of the scenes that were being filmed that day.
Sidebar. This was the last week of shooting for the second season. Several crew members were wondering about their next gig. But not all of them. Some would be moving to a studio across town for the filming of the Stargirl series, featuring the character created by Geoff Johns. I assume Geoff will be involved in the new show even beyond his role as an executive producer. I told the crew that he’s a swell guy and they should say “hi” to him from me. If you’ve been following this blog over the past few years, you know it was Geoff who reached out to me and made possible my mostly happy reconciliation with DC Comics. End of sidebar.
It’s hard to pick just one “greatest moment” from my visit to the Black Lightning set, but getting to wear the Black Lightning vest is way up there. This vest was originally worn by Cress Williams in the earliest episodes, but was soon replaced with one that fit his heroic frame much better.
This vest is now used by the stand-in for lightning purposes. There are two switches that allow the vest to light up. However, the show does digitally enhance the vest’s lighting before the episodes are aired. You get more zap for your buck with this show.
The pod is one of two (soon to be three) in Gambi’s Lightning Lair beneath his tailor shop. When my friend Neil Ottenstein saw me in this photo, he described it as the “Tony Isabella action figure in its original packaging.” When I joked that I was joining the cast in the third season, another pal dubbed me “Short Circuit”...which would be cruel if it weren’t also hilarious.
There were three scenes filmed. The one that took the longest was a fight involving Black Lightning, Lightning and Tobias Whale. I’m not going to tell you about it - no spoilers here - but it’s going to be awesome when it airs.
During one of the resets, China Anne McClain saw me, squealed with delighted, came over and hugged me. That’s right. I got hugged by a super-hero.
This was the first time I’d seen her in her suit. She looked great. She liked my “Pop’s Barber Shop” shirt - from Luke Cage - and was surprised to learn I had also created Misty Knight. She told me I was even cooler than she knew.
This is the kind of love and respect I got from everyone working on Black Lightning. Cress came over to say hi. I spent a lot of time with Marvin Jones. I was introduced to Bill Duke. Christine Adams came over to say hi and tell me she would be rehearsing a special scene with Jennifer Riker that day; she was disappointed I wouldn’t be there when they filmed the scene on Wednesday. Today was going to be my last day on the set.
I talked comics with Jordan Calloway. I talked with writer/director Oz Scott about one of the characters they hadn’t quite figured out completely and let him know anyone on the show could always contact me if they had any comics-related questions. I met and spoke to a couple dozen members of the crew. I have seldom seen such a large group of people who were so committed to the work and each other. They had each other’s backs and that was a beautiful thing for me to experience.
I had lunch that day with Jordan, Marvin and the amazing Bill Duke. We talked basketball. We talked about Agent Odell, the character played by Duke on the series. We talked about the comics industry. We talked about lynchings and other atrocities committed against even after the Civil War, with Bill recommending a book - Without Sanctuary - that I bought and read. I could only read a few pages of it a day. It’s horrific, but also part of our history we dare not forget.
Mara Brock Akil joined us on the set as the afore-mentioned fight scene was being finished. She had an idea for a development for the next season of the series. Though there had been no announcement of the third season at that time, everyone on the set seemed confident that there would be another season.
When Salim seemed less than enthused by Mara’s idea, she turned to me and Jamon Brown, saying “let’s ask some writers.” Much to Mara’s (and my) delight, I fleshed out the idea in a matter of minutes. I don’t know what Salim thought about this, but I will be writing it up and sending it to Mara.
Mara also asked me if watching everyone work had stripped the magic from the show for me. I told it had only increased my admiration. I don’t know how they manage to do such great work day in and day out. My sense of wonder remains intact.
The final two scenes would be filmed in another building across the way from the building we’d been shooting it. It took maybe fifteen minutes for them to move all the equipment and craft services over to the second building. I was mightily impressed.
The first of the two remaining scenes was a silent scene with Agent Odell. But who needs words when you have the marvelous command of Bill Duke? His expressions were downright unnerving and that’s all I can tell you about the scene without giving away some cool stuff in the finale.
The final scene for the day’s shooting featured Tobias Whale. It’s another scene I can’t tell you anything about it, save that it was shot on the just-build set I mentioned earlier.
There had been talk about my doing a cameo, but that final scene of the day was the only one with extras and I was about as wrong for one of those parts as a human being could be. If I get to the set as often as I would like next season, I’ll almost certainly get a cameo. Heck, some of the folks think I should get a speaking part. Hmm...where does Grace (Chantal Thuy) buy her comic books?
I had a conversation with Mara before we finished for the day. I told Mara I would write up her idea and send to her. Along with another take on it that wouldn’t be part of Black Lightning. She told me she loved my creativity and spirit and asked to take a selfie with me. I was flying.
I had a conversation with someone else that was more serious. I’ll talk about that conversation in the concluding chapter of the report on my visit to Atlanta and the Black Lightning set.
I’ll be back soon with that finale.
© 2019 Tony Isabella
Well deserved. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteHoly Moley! What a terrific time you must have had. We're so very proud of you, and we're so happy that Black Lightning and all the DC/CW's have been picked up for another season!
ReplyDelete