The Common One: On Set! Diabolical Season 1 Episode 2!

Last week I was on set for a new Discovery ID reenactment TV show "Diabolical."

Diabolical is a new show that takes each hour to study a case that has been "ripped from the headlines."

In this episode, I play all around horrible person, Adam Frasch. A quick Google search will reveal that Adam Frasch was recently convicted of murdering his third wife, Samira, in Tallahassee, Florida. A deeper study, shows that Adam Frasch, originally from Nebraska, ended up in Florida as a Podiatrist with a thriving practice (that was based off of bilking the government for millions). Frasch had a jet-set lifestyle that included fast cars, gambling, strippers and multiple mistresses.

An article about Frasch's trial in the Tallahassee Democrat can be linked here:
http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2017/01/26/defense-medical-expert-says-samira-frach-died-after-husband-left/97079960/

I'm hoping that I was cast for the part of Frasch for my acting abilities and not because of any physical resemblance.

The entire episode was shot in a packed three days. The production rented a house in New City, New York, a small village in Rockland County above Nyack.

The large cavernous McMansion in New City had enough nooks and space that the production crew was able to not only create the impression that the house was in Florida, but also to redo rooms to look like hotel rooms, police stations, high end restaurants and doctors offices.

I've been apart of several of these reenactment shows, and I'm consistently amazed by how creative the production teams are getting the look of necessary shots. The circumstances and lack of budget would be enough to drive any producer crazy, yet these teams always find a way.

On the ride up to New City on the first day, I sat next to the show runner. He and I easily fell into a conversation about sports, politics and regions. Since he was originally from Buffalo, and had shot multiple shows and documentaries around Western New York and Western Pennsylvania, we found common ground and a similar perspective. Our quick bond, put any concerns or nervousness about being the star of the show to the side. I knew that sometimes these shows can be scattershot and chaotic, but at least I had an ally.

Since I played the lead character, I was in about 90% of the scenes.

The first day started off early, slow and relaxed. The crew needed time to establish themselves and unpack the different departments. As per my own on set routine, I found a quiet space where I could relax and be easily found, but also out of everyone's way.

The large house had an equally large basement, that served as holding (for the cast), craft services (food), production table, makeup, wardrobe and set design. In holding, my quiet out of the way spot ended up being a corner on a large couch. The comfort of the couch and the working air conditioning lended this set to be the most comfortable I've been.

My first shot entailed me swimming up to one of my wives to show off a recent and new tattoo. Makeup placed a $3 temporary tattoo of a half naked woman on my recently shaved down chest. Early morning in a bathing suit with a fake tattoo on my chest was quite an introduction to the crew. Within minutes, I had jumped in the pool and was swimming laps waiting for my direction. Amazingly, the temporary tattoo never peeled during the day, despite the constant changing of clothes and the hot and humid weather. Realizing, that the tattoo wasn't leaving my body anytime soon, I affectionately named her 'Jolene' from the Dolly Parton song. By the second day, I had other actors, makeup, wardrobe and crew members also referring to the cheap transitory lady on my chest by her given name. Alas, by the end of day two, Jolene had to be removed for other topless scenes that were shot out of continuity.

The days ended up being a carousel of running from set, to wardrobe, to make up back to set and then back to wardrobe. I was escorted by a PA at all times, including waiting outside of the restroom. I'm someone who likes a little bit of and occasional break in life and in work, and to be followed was a bit disconcerting.

At the end of the first day, I noticed that makeup kept ensuring that my appearance looked horrible. I looked into a mirror and saw a lame uncool shlub with bad hair, wearing the male version of athleisure wear. The clothes had garish designs and never seemed to quite fit. I asked the head of makeup what was going on, and he said that this was a conscious design the team agreed on during the production meetings to give the character unlikeable qualities. The unattractive look was reminiscent of James Franco playing Tommy Wiseau in Franco's new movie The Disaster Artist. I was having a hard time getting pictures of me on set, but after seeing myself in the mirror, my desire to get more pics of me quickly faded.

Some of the intimacy of the scenes created fast friends with a couple of my co-stars. In fact, I was able to quickly bond with the woman who played my first wife. Turns out we each had a parent involved with the airlines and her real life husband was from the same part of Pennsylvania as my family.

On the second day I was allowed to drive the rented convertible 4 series for shots of my character 'enjoying his life.' The rigs set up to capture my images were amazingly simple. The tripod was small and the base had magnets that were able to stick to the hood and to the trunk.

By the last day, Friday, we were on such a tight schedule and I was running from set to set with both the PA and a wardrobe assistant. In between scenes, as the crew ran to set up the next shot, I would be in some corner changing into the next outfit or even one that I had worn just two shots earlier.

Because of the pace of shooting the reenactments, most shows don't have the chance to explore characters and leave very little room for any acting beyond a silent movie style of exaggerated expressions and improvised lines that no one will ever hear. By Friday, I was in a groove with most of the crew and other actors that I was able to try to give my character a little bit of depth.

Before breaking for lunch on Friday, we filmed all the scenes that took place in my character's office. Since these scenes were supposed to be several different days, the crew was creative with repositioning lights and cameras as I went through multiple costume changes.

One of the scenes was meant to show that my character was using his office computer to enable his addictions to online gambling, pornography, and for searching strip clubs for women. The coverage shots including the camera looking at me and another shot from my perspective to see the computer screen.

When the crew finalized the angles, the PA brought me to set and the director sat me. The set designer briefly showed me how the prop of the internet pages were going to work. He said very quickly, press here and there for the gambling pages and there and here for the strip club listings.

The first shot was of my close up, the director said action and I started filtering through the preset webpages. As the camera moved in I could see the set designer just behind the camera grinning. I looked closer at the webpage of strippers and realized that he loaded up the screen with drag queens. Being a serious professional, I didn't want to blow my scene but I couldn't but help feel the corners of my lips start to curl into a smile. I'm hoping in post production my smile will appear creepy and not that I broke character. After the director said cut, I started to laugh. Eventually I talked to the Mark, the set designer and he said that he loaded up the page with friends of his that do a drag show in Atlantic City. Laughingly, Mark said he was just trying to see if I was paying attention.

The last day of shooting ended with the woman playing my second wife (or third I guess would be accurate) and me performing a couple of scenes that were done up to look like a bar in France and a couple of violent scenes in the driveway.

I believe that the first season of Diabolical is supposed to have ten episodes. The production was just beginning and the other episodes will be shot over the next couple of months. The line producer said that the show should begin airing in January of the New Year.

I'll post all the necessary information of when my episode of Diabolical airs as soon as I'm told.

Another shot from a fellow actor of me getting out of the pool on the very first shot. 'Jolene' can barely be seen on my chest.

A look at the video assist preparing for a shot of my first wife coming down the stairs.

PA's setting up the main camera.

A set up of an outside shot of me climbing into the convertible BMW.

A break in between setting up shots. The director and the 1st AD are going over the shot list while the woman who plays my second wife waits in the living room.