CSI Miami: Behind the Scenes

In November 2008, a CSI: Miami location scout contacted me about shooting an episode in my Brewery studio. They chose my studio and the rest is history!

After visits by location scouts, directors, and finally the entire production team, my space was selected for filming. The production crew started dressing the set on a Tuesday morning and on Wednesday morning at 6:00 AM the crew arrived and got started.

Although the producers were cool and let me take photos, I spent most of my time worrying about the crew destroying studio furniture or equipment, so my photographic coverage was limited since I spent most of my time managing the site. Even though I was distracted, these photos tell the day’s story

This filming was for Episode #714 titled “Smoke Gets in Your CSIs” written by Krystal Houghton and directed by Joe Chappelle.

All these photographs were captured using natural light and without a camera blimp (silencer). Because I didn’t have a blimp, I only took photos between takes when camera sounds wouldn’t distract actors, crew, or show up on the audio track. Back in those days mirrorless, silent cameras didn’t exist.

Before anything happened, a security guard arrived and didn’t leave until the last truck loaded out at the end of filming. I felt safe. They felt safe. We all felt safe.

The set dressers started by testing and working with a chandelier that they planned to hang from one of my lighting platforms. However, when the director arrived the next day, he had them remove the chandeliers and living room furniture. The chandelier was nice. I wish they had “forgotten it” when they took it down on Wednesday morning.

The set dressers hung wire around the bottom of the mezzanine so that they could hang plastic curtains. On the day of shooting, they decided at the last minute to paint the plastic to make it look dirty. The prop guys mentioned that the plastic was $1,200 and the person charged them $500 more for the rush to get them made for the next day.

For the initial load-in, they only brought in large props. Smaller props and vehicles arrived on Wednesday.

The “CSI Hummer” was parked along South Avenue 21 with with two police cars. In one of the Hummer views, you can see “video village” trailers lining the street in the background.

The cart monitors show the scene they set up at the rear door of our studio. In this scene, David Caruso (Lieutenant Horatio Caine) and Jonathan Togo (Ryan Wolfe) enter the studio via the roll-up back door.

In another photo, the sound engineer John Bauman watches his video and sound monitors. Note the Caruso bobblehead on top of his workstation.

As a photographer, I was super interested in the crew’s cameras and lenses.

Jonathan Togo seemed like a neat guy. He frequently joked with the crew and was super nice to everyone.

In some photos, stand-ins can almost be seen in the far background.

I grabbed a quick photo of David Caruso between takes. I was worried about photographing him as he had a reputation for not being genuinely nice. And I didn’t want to cause a problem on the set. But it turns out he was very approachable. Just a few minutes after my photo, he walked over, introduced himself, and asked if the set was my space. He then made some generous comments about the studio. We started talking about the building’s history which led to discussions about Los Angeles architecture. In my short conversation with him, I found him a warm and genuine guy.

In another photo, the script supervisor Will Alovis and one of the co-producers view the monitors as Caruso delivers his lines.

I captured a few images of David Caruso and director Joe Chappelle chatting outside the rear studio door. They’re standing in front of the CSI Hummer while the crew sets up for another scene. The flare on the right side of the door is from one of the huge lights the crew staged outside.

The director of photography (DP) Charles Mills stands high on a ladder outside the studio to set the framing for a shot where Jonathan Togo’s character arrives on the scene.

In another photo, the script supervisor Will Alovis is in the foreground while in the background director Joe Chappelle talks on his cell phone. If you look carefully at the video monitor, you’ll see the cool angles they used when photographing the back of our studio. It was super interesting to see how they lit scenes and set up cameras to achieve maximum impact.

The second camera operator and his assistant perched on the high ladder in preparation for shooting a scene. My neighbor’s raised steel Jacuzzi is in the near right foreground.

In one of the outdoor photos, Jonathan Togo stands next to the physician’s Mercedes in preparation for the scene.

In another photo, the director of photography Charles Mills (foreground) watches the camera monitors while the script supervisor Will Alovis and a member of the crew look on in the background.

In another photo, the script supervisor Will Alovis watches a monitor showing Jonathan Togo reaching for the remote control used to open the rear roll-up door

In another image, Joe Chappelle (director) watches Jonathan Togo through the monitor with Charles Mills and Will Alovis at his side.

During filming, they used a huge crane-mounted light outside the studio windows. They mentioned that the light’s rental fee was $15,000 per day.

In another photo, you’ll see a cameraman with “Season 7” stitched on his cap while my “smoked up” studio is seen in the background.

Using fans, they filled my space with smoke so high-power lights streaming through the front windows would show up visible beams of light.

Somebody opened the floodgates and the rain arrived. We were fortunate that the downpour only lasted for a few minutes. One of the crew decided this would be a good time to test his rain suit.

Jonathan Togo’s hair stylist is seen in one of the photos and another shows some of the surgical instruments used as props. I regret I couldn’t get a photo of the motorized circular bone saw.

In another photo, Jonathan Togo and David Caruso’s body double wait before they begin a scene.

The lead cameraman perches high atop a ladder for much of the filming. Did I mention I hate ladders?

Eva La Rue (Natalia Boa Vista) was super sweet and joked with the crew as she rehearsed her scene. It was chilly in the studio, so she and Togo wore parkas when they weren’t performing scenes.

When Eva La Rue departed, she flashed me a winning smile and wished me a Happy Thanksgiving as she left for the day.

After seeing these photos, I wish I had remembered to ask for a director’s chair souvenir.

Peter Lavin’s character (Dr. Donald Phelps) shows his syringe to the camera during rehearsal. The nurse (extra) in the background watches me.

Peter Lavin talks to the director (out of frame) as the “blood guy” and Josh Stewart (from the TV series Dirt) look on in the background. Then things start to get bloody.

In one photo, you’ll see two camera crews working in tandem under my studio’s mezzanine.

After Peter Lavin finishes delivering his lines, they decided a little less blood is in order.

Peter Lavin’s character shoots “heroin” between his toes in one photo. The lead cameraman is shooting the close-up while a crew member watches in the background.

Before they wrapped, I snapped a quick portrait of Josh Stewart and Peter Lavin. Both were cool guys.

Having them film a CSI episode in my studio was a super cool experience. And even better, their fees covered my lease payments for several months. I love the TV business!