On Tuesday, merely three days into filming, [STUCK] enjoyed its first legal threats. Not just [STUCK], but everyone involved with [STUCK]. Not just everyone involved in [STUCK], but also the parents of everyone involved with [STUCK]. Good times.

It began with a text message to Max Neuman from the real estate agent. The agent wanted to show off the house that day, a clear impossibility with a full film set and upwards of 25 people packed in there. This resulted in a call from the landlady during which it was agreed that we would all clear out while the Realtor did what Realtors do.

The whole crew and cast went to play at a nearby playground. No one can really be sure what the real estate agent was expecting the house to look like, but it probably wasn’t a film set full of lights, wiring, and equipment. The landlady called again quite irate, this time threatening law suits against the entire crew and cast (all 70 of us) and our parents. You can tell we’re in big trouble when they’re threatening to call our parents.

Quickly, some of the crew threw themselves into legal research to see whether or not the landlady had a claim. Dan Schneider, in particular, should take a bow for finding that we were not in violation of state or city zoning laws (as she claimed), nor were we violating the lease (as she also claimed). Hats off to the Zandrak Productions impromptu legal team!

The landlord paid a visit to parlay. He explained that he wants to be “your friendly neighborhood landlord,” but that he can’t make money if he can’t sell the house. Andrew Hutcheson provided a great case that no laws are being broken, but we understand it inconveniences him. He argued the lights and tarps on the balcony were a hazard, explaining with thespian flair how “the glorious winds could sweep up the tarps and carry [the lights] off like sails.” We’ll just have to hope we don’t have any class 4 hurricanes.  Sane discourse won the day and compromise was made—sort of. We were left with an ultimatum: finish by Sunday. “I’ll see you on Sunday,” explained the landlord. “I’ll see ya, or I’ll sue ya.”

The following day’s visit from the police and fire department for a false carbon monoxide alarm punctuated the absurdity. It’s a good sign that the filming of this dramatic comedy has been both comical and dramatic.

Today is the second day of filming for the second episode of [STUCK], and everyone is already frantic to keep on schedule.

It figures that on the night before filming, with the crew busy building the set, a fire would start among the wiring beneath the street. While the neighbors’ power was seemingly unaffected by this, we enjoyed a power outage that left us working through the night by candle and flashlight. Hot glue sticks were melted by candles to assemble the crucial living room beeramid—new-fangled depravity crafted in old-fashioned ways. Perseverance won the night, and we began yesterday with a great set full of carefully assembled disorder.

We filmed some exciting shots today. While Rick and Jake play the F-Box game Slave Escape, the screen will split vertically in a style reminiscent of poorly designed cooperative gameplay. The screen will shift to include Desiree when she bursts onto the scene. The whole process took three cameras and more takes than we’d care to admit, but the results will be worth the effort.

Next update will feature behind the scenes photos of the crew, cast, and set.