Moose Summer
Moose had a busy, gory summer of opposites.
Summer started off with spring– innocently enough, as we shot a documentary about a very talented and young Julliard quartet, Attacca . Directed by Yaron Zilberman(Watermarks), we followed Attacca with cameras as they tackled Beethoven’s Opus 131. (The slow haunting rhythm of the 6th movement has fast become a favorite) The shooting culminated in Attacca’s concert of the famed piece on Florida International’s campus in Miami. Each member of the quartet had a different style of play; Gillian Gallagher’s slow reserved viola an interesting contrast to the vibrant cello of Andrew Yee, his thick black hair splashing across his face as he played. Another fascination, was the degree of collaboration the quartet achieved, all of them able to swallow egos and inevitable frustrations to pursue the best possible performance of the 131.
From the palms of Miami, we headed North to the ghettoes of Detroit. Armed with bullet resistant vests and little sleep, we shot a documentary series for A&E entitled “The First 48″. The premise is simple: In the first 48 hours following a murder, detectives must find a lead or the chances of solving the case drop by half. Our job was to follow homicide detectives during their initial investigations in the rough spots of Detroit. Given local cell phones, we waited unnervingly for the phone to ring. When the phone rang it meant someone had been killed, signifying that our work day had begun. We then drove at high speed through the most dangerous hoods of Detroit to the murder scene. Bodies riddled with bullets and blood stained concrete became the norm, as did filming detectives try to piece together the clues. Once a suspect was named, we would put on our bullet resistant vests and follow the Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (FAST) as they broke into properties where the suspect might be. Adrenaline pupming through the veins, the melodies of Beethoven’s 131 a distant memory, we would routinely see doors pummeled by battering rams, shotguns drawn and weeping mothers and sisters. And of course, the camera was always rolling. When suspects were brought into custody, they were usually quiet and unremorseful.
In the late summer, we returned to New York City. Relieved to be home.