Paul Isakson: Heartthrob in Residence

This last week we’ve been shooting in Kovac’s Bar off of W. Jefferson in Detroit.

It’s in one of the more bombed-out looking parts of the city (which is saying quite a bit), right across from the truck ferry to Windsor. Cement trucks were passing by all day every day.

Adjacent from Kovac’s is an enormous, terrifying industrial complex which, when we were downwind, alternatively emitted the smells of dog feces and dog urine. A giant orange and blue flame endlessly burst from the place. At night it looked especially sinister. Like Mordor or some shit.

The most interesting location, however, was the abandoned building by crew parking. I hadn’t noticed it until today.

Two fellow PAs and I decided to explore it after wrap.

It was 7pm so it was dark already. We walked through the building. They call this urban exploring or urban spelunking, but instead of SLR cameras we brandished LED flashlights and utility knives (you know, PA stuff).

It was exciting. Not sure where I was going with that, but you had to read it anyway.

Yesterday I invented a game called “Person Lying Down or Pile of Garbage?” where you try to figure out whether a dark shape on the ground (in alleys or the middle of the street) were hapless homeless people or, in fact, old Faygo cans and Coney Dog wrappers (oh Detroit). The results are sometimes surprising and always depressing.

What I’m really trying to say is LA is for pussies.

My flight back will be in about 20 days.

eyeonspringfield:

Hey, I don’t remember saying that!