The One Thing You Don't Do

By No Reservations Crew on April 7, 2008 12:14 PM | Permalink | 34 Comments

By Paul Cabana, producer

When filming a prison interview, the one thing you don't do is keep a shot tape in the camera, in case they ask you to hand it over. When you're producing a home makeover show, the one thing you don't do is become the middleman between a homeowner and a contractor, because you effectively become the contractor. When directing No Reservations, the one thing you don't do is tell Tony what to say because, well, you just don't.

I've worked with a few different hosts and a lot of times, you just feed 'em lines. It's not disingenuous or manipulative. When you do, you have no choice.
Here's the math: say you have a shoot day with two locations. Once you include travel, lighting, set up and breaks, a 10-hour crew day is more like 4, so two hours filming per location. A scene is broken up into different beats. In No Reservations, a scene might include establishers, walk & talk, meal prep, meal and conversation, say 20 minutes per beat. In a travelogue show like No Reservations, where Tony's voiced-over thoughts thread the whole show, 90% of what you need to film is process or non-sync -- basically, people not talking. That said, on a hosted show, you absolutely need the host talking a little bit to camera, directly to the viewer. So tallying it up, sometimes you have a couple minutes or less to get that done. In those stressful moments, sometimes you just have to tell someone exactly what to say.

Although the same math applies to Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, the same rule does not apply to Anthony Bourdain. There could be some hostage strapped to a bomb that can only be diffused by Tony looking at a camera and saying what town he's in and why he's there, you still don't tell him what to say.

So what do you do?

Laos Day 4, Scene 3, Strategy 1: You ask really, really nicely. Tony and guest are riding on elephants through the forest. In the one moment the elephants are next to each other, still and all cameras are perfectly lined up, I tell Tony 'hey, this would be a great time to ask a question.' I think the only conversation that will make the final cut is Tony telling me that there is a reason in those old Westerns, they don't film people talking while on horses.

Laos Day 4, Scene 1, Strategy 2: You kindly suggest. I'm filming Tony looking at a ricefield where 13 live bombs from the Vietnam War have been found and wired to explode. Before they detonate, I suggest to Tony that after the bombs go off, it would be a great moment to open the show. What followed was 13 bombs going off and then a deafening silence.

Laos Day 3, Scene 2, Strategy 3: You find a workaround. Tony is sitting around a huge spread with a group of villagers. After 10 minutes of silent eating, there is absolutely no conversation. I make eye contact with the camera guys and raise one finger which tells them to go in for tight singles. Then I tell the translator to call over to one of the guests and ask him to ask Tony a specific question (in Laoso so Tony won't be annoyed.) After a minute, the guest looks up and asks with total sincerity, "Tony, why did you want to come to Laos?" What follows is an amazingly heartfelt and surprising response that made the scene one of my favorites.

Laos Last Day, Scene 1, Strategy 4: You just let him talk when he wants to talk. By the last morning, I had absolutely no footage of Tony talking to camera and I was resigned to just make it work when I got back. We all break off to each film the countryside as dawn lifts. Although he's on a break, Tony decides to follow Zach, one of the camera guys, to some bridge.

Of course, I don't know this is happening until later that morning when Zach hands me a tape and insists I watch right there as he looks on. He never does this, so it must be good. In some cafe by the river, mopeds whirring behind me, I cue it up. I watch Tony crossing a narrow bamboo bridge through the morning fog, monks in bright orange robes passing by, lush, green rice fields in the distance. He sits down, looks right at the camera, and describes why this country is so hauntingly beautiful, so unforgettable -- putting in perfectly unscripted terms what the whole crew had been feeling all week.

Tags: anthony bourdain , tony , bourdain , no reservations , travel channel , tv , show , laos , filming in laos , asia , destination , vacation ideas , blog

34 Comments

1

john - April 07 2008 @ 4:28 pm I was watching reruns of the show (Viet Nam and China)yesterday and Tony went on about being a boy scout. Awesome, totally threw me for a loop. I am an active adult leader and was blown away when he goes and recites the scout laws... It was freaky cool.
2

love2travel - April 07 2008 @ 8:09 pm Paul, I thought this was hysterical, not just because it's about YOUR boss, but because its kind of Dilbert-esque in being so true of so many bosses! I'm guessing that your opportunities to take advantage of strategy #3 may be somewhat limited now that you've let the cat out of the bag on that one... thanks for sharing it though!
3

june-baby - April 08 2008 @ 3:09 am Hey Paul, thanks for sharing the tiny tid-bits about the up coming episode of Laos. I myself can't wait to see this one I know this episode of NR will be a good one. You've got your job cut out for you, just follow what your BOSS tells you to do, and everything will be fine.
4

Kate Ferguson - April 09 2008 @ 12:45 am I love hearing what the crew does on this show. You guys do a great job of being invisible, but it's fascinating to know what goes on behind the scenes. Sounds like your humble host can be a handful, as one would imagine. While I certainly enjoy the "nudge-nudge-wink-wink" aspect of Tony's face-on comments to the camera (i.e., US watching), the aspect of the show I find most informative and thought-provoking is the contemplative voice-over stuff anyway. An episode with nothing but amazing locations, good food, great company and beautiful cinematography with some spontaneous conversation (not to the camera) and AB's literate post-production comments would be just as good. Like an animated New Yorker article. (Plus cursing - don't forget the colorful language. Ever.) So don't sweat it - we're not formulaic people out here in fan-land - if we were, we wouldn't watch this show in the first place! Thanks....
5

FRU - April 09 2008 @ 2:27 am Hello guys, man i really love the crews blog, its amazing to hear about the whole experience from another point of view, and i allways find myself amused by how many stuff us as viewers dont even think about. well for that congratulations, and take a time to watch my video!!!!.
6

Claudia - April 09 2008 @ 5:06 pm Ahhh, Paul, you've just learned Rule #1 about taping NR with Tony, a/k/a the SpiderPig rule: "Spider Pig . . . Spider Pig . . . does whatever a Spider Pig does . . . " it's the Simpson Law, and it's in Tony's contract (!) But congrats on being a member of the NR team, and for getting exactly the shot you wanted - even if Tony arrived at organically, rather than prompted.
7

Melissa - April 10 2008 @ 3:49 pm That was beautiful. The best in life can never be orchestrated directly. I enjoy this blog. I do have to say more than Tony's.
8

Carmen - April 14 2008 @ 8:39 pm Great insight... I'm beginning to believe you don't ask him for favors either. I tried to plea bargain just to get a visual of an anticipated trip to Tyre to see the vineyards ( my deceased husband's birthland too)... until I heard him mention that he and the crew went to Beirut... why?.... I like the guy. Don't nuke him, please. Maybe I should just stare aimlessly and eait for his destinations to arise. (smile)
9

dcohen - April 17 2008 @ 12:08 pm a note for Diane Diane ..just face it. Your are just in love with the Host. You Know it , he knows it, and millions of us know it. So cut the bull and go for it. Dont fight with him and dont fight this feeling..live it up with no reservations... PS: besides that sexual tension bet you and Tony is good for the show..trust me.
10

Messy - April 22 2008 @ 9:11 pm See, I think that's the difference between working with a TV host and working with a writer. The TV host has an answer to everything. The writer only answers when he has a GOOD answer to something. Call it a hunch.
11

Nicole - April 23 2008 @ 12:45 am I cannot wait for this episode to air. Ive always been in love with SouthEast Asia and have never learned much on this country. This one sounds like it could be one of the best!
12

Gourmet Dude - April 27 2008 @ 7:51 pm thought you guys might like to see the latest Gourmet Dude video... it got a mention in New York magazine along with Mr. Bourdain! http://nymag.com/daily/food/2008/04/gourmet_dude_hits_the_greenmar_1.html - also in the url above.
13

John - April 28 2008 @ 2:21 am Could you please let mr. bourdain know that the president of his alma mater has been vote incompetent by the faculty.
14

sandy - May 09 2008 @ 12:59 pm I don't know if Anthony B reads stuff from his "fans" but I really think that if he is the person he portrays in TV this would be of interest. This is from my husband's blog his is a cultural researcher in Iraq. Please let me know if it was read.. The blog is www.walkabitwithme.blogspot.com for anyone with interest. .......... After one such meeting, myself and the two team members were then driven and given an opportunity to walk through an Iraqi town market. This is and was important to our research, the number of social and ecoonomic indicators one can get from walking through a market such as this is huge. As Anthony Bourdain as pointed out on his TV show, were people buy and eat food is where you meet the real people and how they live. He is correct. The problem is when I go visit this market, I am guarded by a rather large group of soldiers walking around me and also in their vehicles with rather powerful machineguns overwatching us. The Iraq police and our military have blocked off the road while we walk and observe, yes sir that really endears us with the average person going to the market or trying to drive through. The people who are walking by or around us are all dressed in traditional or modern western style clothes. While I am wearing helemt, body armor and I had forgotten to mention protective eyewear. I would have loved to have stayed at that market at least 30 mins , more like an hour if they would have allowed. The three of us from HTT observing the effect of our visit and its disruption on daily life cut the visit off as quickly as we could and still valid data. Once again that awful feeling of disconnect from the average Iraqi citizen. I know we would not be assimilated into the culture, but we would certainly go alot farther if we were simply walking along and perhaps buying a small item or two. Imagine the economic impact if soldiers instead of walking on strict patrol could also go get stuff from the market. One step at a time I guess.
15

Protea - May 27 2008 @ 10:34 pm DEAR SIR.... (clears throat) I suggested TONY preoccupy himself and you guys so he can stay out of the ugly litle jail cell he was in. I havn't looked lately but... I suggest trying this outlet as his "reprieve" when not traveling.
16

Ann-Marie Jordan - June 04 2008 @ 9:00 pm Dear Paul Cabana, Idea...have you and/or Anthony Bourdain ever thought about having a particular women "side-kick", so to speak, to be on the show with Anthony? If so, I would be a great candidate for the show. Yea, I really would be. Just a thought. With you, I remain, Ann-Marie
17

Ann-Marie Jordan - June 04 2008 @ 9:10 pm Dear Paul Cabana, My last comment that I had sent to you, was sent with an incorrect email address. The above email is my correct address. There is a bad storm coming in my area, and I was trying to hurry with the last comment that I had sent to you. So...I have to go now. With you, I remain, Ann-Marie
18

David - June 08 2008 @ 4:34 pm From the show, which I'll admit probably isn't a picture perfect representation of Tony, it seems like Tony has the possibility of being a real prick. I'd like to know, in all honesty if that is possible, how easy is it to get along with the man? Don't be offended by that comment Tony. I'm a prick on occasion as are my favorite people. Thanks for any reply.
19

tamara - June 10 2008 @ 1:56 am I want to travel with Tony...
20

Renee - June 10 2008 @ 2:56 am This might be my favorite blog yet I love this behind the scenes stuff that is insightful interesting and not mean or petty.
21

abes - June 12 2008 @ 2:05 am hello from mexico city great program on mexico you should do part two i can by your guidance my speciality is the tacos i dont cook but i know a lot of the best taquerias in town and sorroundings best regards the taco sensei
22

Ashley - June 16 2008 @ 10:51 pm Ah, yes. And that is why I love Tony! Priceless moments! Need a co-host ;)
23

emmy - June 17 2008 @ 9:17 pm a great place to eat..Smokey Pig in Bowling Green ,Kentucky..best barbecue in the world..
24

Sheila Wilson - June 23 2008 @ 10:56 pm I'm writing a fan fiction piece starring Anthony Bourdain. Is that another thing you don't do? LOL -Sheila [Don't you fret. I'm not including the channel or show names.)
25

Regine - July 01 2008 @ 8:23 pm Not intended at insulting the rest of the crew, but "fearless leader" tends to mention CHRIS frequently in most shows. Because of this, I'm asking him to PLEEEASE get Our good buddy taken care of. Chris can get him to see the people at the NUT HOUSE (there's a real good one in Arizona) SEE: http://www.aznuthouse.com/ I (and I'm sure a world of other viewers) are truly fond of him... and the cast... that brings us those exciting nuggets of info about tasty tidbits from around the world. I know I CAN'T TELL HIM WHERE TO GO... but you can! I'd like to know what the "prognosis" turns out to be... and, Chris, give him a hug for me!
26

Regine - July 01 2008 @ 8:36 pm Not intended at insulting the rest of the crew, but "fearless leader" tends to mention CHRIS really... I know I CAN'T TELL HIM WHERE TO GO... but you can! I'd like to know what the "prognosis" turns out to be... and, Chris, give him a hug for me! http://atlanta.citysearch.com/profile/map/1681134/picacho_az/1681134 PS.. you might want a map ( I was living down the road from the NUT HOUSE... in Oro Valley)
27

Connie - July 07 2008 @ 8:41 am I just found this blog. I like it. I love your show and I love reading about it. I do have a question. When Tony goes into a restaurant and orders everything on the menu and they bring tons of different foods...do you guys get to eat it or does he just take a few bites and makes the show and gets up and leaves?
28

kasey - July 07 2008 @ 8:43 pm This may be one of the few times when the out-takes are as good as the show. This is a great blog, and a great show. Having lived in laos, I'm excited about this evenings premiere.
29

Kasey - July 07 2008 @ 9:05 pm Dear Mr Cabana, Ann-Marie Jordan suggested that Tony have a side-kick. However, she did not come to mind when this idea popped into my head. I was thinking Samantha Brown. But anyway, the show, whoever you choose, would be a male/female, or husband and wife. The hook would be that they get up have breakfast together, chat quickly, then separate until days end when they have dinner or an evening drink together to end the show. Most of the show will deal with what a man and woman does on vacation when they are by themselves. Women like to shop, look at pretty things, experience ways of relaxing and enjoying the culture. How nice. Men, as you know, like to drink, eat, check out the local women folk, maybe a massage, relax, eat and relax some more. I really think it could be very entertaining, and educational, learning about the best places at each location, from two very different points of view. Feel free to use this.
30

Howard - July 07 2008 @ 10:09 pm Oh how I wish I could become a member of your crew and travel with you all. I understand its hard work but be able to experience so many cultures and people unique and exciting to say the least!
31

See - July 08 2008 @ 12:19 pm I have a questions for the crew. How tough was it to film in Laos? How many cameras you guys use? Last question, I've notices on that episode in Laos.. you guys are getting shot after shot for laow kaow "lao moonshine". Were most of you guys drunk after shooting that sceen??
32

David - January 28 2009 @ 6:57 pm
Like watching Da Vinci paint or invent.
33

Kelly Yates - May 01 2009 @ 7:52 pm
I was wondering if there is any way that I may have a chance to email Mr.Bourdain or atleast have someone forward him my email because I have been an undying Bourdain fan for many years now. I am in the ARMY and have lost out on so much time to enjoy what he brings to the public with all of his forums. I am facing another deployment soon and nothing would set the mood better than being able to speak with him via any means before I get shipped out again. Thank you for any assistance you can offer and I'm sorry for taking up your time.

Sincerely,
SGT Kelly Yates
U.S. ARMY
34

scott - September 29 2009 @ 11:51 am
hey what's up ?????? no bourdain last night????????

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