Some hate it hot

So the first day of shooting stills for the BBC production "In the Loop" was uneventful. We were inside the old terminal at National Airport ("Why do you call it 'National' instead of 'Reagan,'" asked one of the Brits. "Tradition. Same reason I call JFK 'Ildewild.'"). I love the old terminal. It's one for the few ones remaining that really hearken back to the old days of aviation, when flying was something special, and not just an exercise in humiliation by TSA agents. And of course the fact I once lived in a house that was designed by the same architect, Charles Goodman, will always leave a soft spot.

But most importantly, it was nice and cool inside the airport. I got fussed at by an actor for messing up his eyeline, and he was right to chastise me. I apologized and we had some nice conversations after that; the fact that I thought he was fantastic as King George III in HBO's "John Adams" -- which he had not yet seen -- probably helped.

Saturday, not so much. Once the fog burned off of NW DC, the Brits started melting. None of the had experience, I'm guessing, that charming combination of 99 degrees and 85% humidity, or whatever the hell it was that day. We went inside for a while, then banged out some shots outside The Black Cat. Then inside the club, which was deliciously cool.

Monday was mostly interiors, at the Hyatt. We ventured outside only briefly.

Then came Tuesday. Base camp was outside DAR, and at my 7:30AM call time it was already approaching 85. This was not going to be fun.

I just can't describe that heat. Fortunately for me, I was only lugging around a couple Nikon bodies and a dozen or so lenses. The poor grips, electrics, props and set people were carrying around their normal boxcars of stuff. And the actors -- they were dressed in dark, conservative, State Department type suits, and they were running. And not complaining. Some real pros on this shoot -- and some wickedly funny comedic actors to boot. I almost blew the first take in my professional career, trying to stifle a laugh at one bit of improv. I am really looking forward to this one coming out. Maybe they'll come back and shoot again.

In October. Yeah. Or March.