Saving money and wasting time

Director: What do I do? I have to manage actors. That is not easy. There should be judicious music sometimes. You have to manage objects, like cups or dogs or locusts, to have these ready when the hat drops.

Apprentice: When the hat drops?

Director: A metaphor. At the drop of a hat. Something is urgently needed. You know I once had to organize Mastroianni drinking tea in an 18th century palace room. He is to drink tea and drop the cup. So I order 12 cups.


Apprentice: For 12 takes?


Director: So. But my producer, he thinks he can save money. He buys one unbreakable cup. He thinks he can save money by not buying 11 other expensive porcelain cups. He buys one plastic replica. But we need to film the cup breaking on the floor. We begin filming and find there is only this one plastic cup. It doesn't break. We stop filming for a day while someone goes to buy 12 porcelain cups. Stopping filming costs more than 12 porcelain cups.
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