What We Do Is Secret (2007)

Director:

Rodger Grossman

Writers:

Rodger Grossman (co-story writer)
Rodger Grossman (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

8 August 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music

Plot:

A biopic of punk legend Darby Crash and his band, the Germs. |

Plot Keywords:

Punk | Suicide | 1970s | Punk Rocker | Punk Rock

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Shane West	...	Darby Crash
Bijou Phillips	...	Lorna Doom
Rick Gonzalez	...	Pat Smear
Noah Segan	...	Don Bolles
Ashton Holmes	...	Rob Henley
Tina Majorino	...	Michelle
Lauren German	...	Belinda
Keir O'Donnell	...	Chris Ashford
Sebastian Roché	...	Claude Kickboy Bessy
Azura Skye	...	Casey Cola
Katharine Leonard	...	Jena
Rachael Santhon	...	Malissa
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Noah Abrams	...	Audience Member #1
Daniel Alvarado	...	Bar Patron
David Alvarado	...	Bar Patron
Ozzy Benn	...	Captain Sensible
Thom Bishops	...	Tony the Hustler
Christopher Boyd	...	Dave Vanian
Missy Doty	...	Amber
Brian Gleason	...	Regi Mental
Leslie Grossman
Amy Halloran	...	Becky
Michele Hicks	...	Penelope Spheeris
Kylan James	...	Rat Scabies
Chad Liffmann	...	Audience Member
J.P. Manoux	...	Rodney Bingenheimer
Chandra McWhorter	...	Farrah-Fawcett Minor
Greg McWhorter	...	Eddie Subtitle
Lachlan McWhorter	...	John Morris
Howard S. Miller	...	Starwood Manager
Jonathan Milliken	...	Young Darby Crash
Bru Muller	...	Teacher
Randi Newton	...	Gerber
Paul Nygro	...	Bob Biggs
Brian Oerly	...	Bouncer
Ray Park	...	Brendan Mullen
Trevor Parsons	...	Billy Zoom
Chris Pontius	...	Black Randy
Sara Rivas	...	Shannon
Scott L. Schwartz	...	Biker
Anna Waronker	...	Joan Jett
John Westernoff	...	Auditioning Drummer
Richard Wharton	...	Whiskey Manager
Graham Hart	...	Whiskey Douglas (uncredited)
Giddle Partridge	...	Dinah Cancer (uncredited)
Justin Sandler	...	Hippie Drummer (uncredited)
Christian Schmook	...	Bartender (uncredited)

Directed by
Rodger Grossman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Michelle Baer Ghaffari		co-story writer
Rodger Grossman		co-story writer
Rodger Grossman		screenplay

Produced by
John W. Davidson	....	associate producer
Michelle Baer Ghaffari	....	co-producer
Bruce Wayne Gillies	....	line producer
Rodger Grossman	....	producer
Michael LaFetra	....	executive producer
David G. Mack	....	executive producer
Kevin Mann	....	producer
Damon Martin	....	executive producer
Stephen Nemeth	....	producer
Matthew Perniciaro	....	producer
Andre Relis	....	co-executive producer
Lise Romanoff	....	co-executive producer
Todd Traina	....	producer
Andy Wombwell	....	co-producer

Cinematography by
Andrew Huebscher

Film Editing by
Ross Albert
Joel Plotch		(co-editor)

Casting by
Jay Scully

Production Design by
John Mott

Set Decoration by
Julieann Getman

Costume Design by
Julia Caston

Makeup Department
Matthew Kasten	....	assistant hair stylist
Heather Mages	....	makeup department head
Isabelle Murray	....	assistant makeup artist
Deborah Patino Rutherford	....	makeup designer (as Deborah Patino)
Elissa Prager	....	hair stylist
Yoi	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Christian Bevington	....	unit production manager
Brian Buckland	....	additional production manager
Minor Childers	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Clair	....	second unit director
Morgan Elam	....	additional first assistant director
David Mendoza	....	first assistant director
Joe Moore	....	additional second assistant director
Sam Nainoa	....	second second assistant director: additional photography
Blake Perkinson	....	second assistant director
Kyle Sherman	....	assistant director: additional photography
Kyle Sherman	....	second second assistant director
Austin Sipes	....	second second assistant director
Matt Tulve	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Frederick Agnew	....	lead scenic artist
Kalvar Antzon	....	carpenter
Jen Fiedler	....	on-set dresser
McJoel Hamilton	....	assistant property master
Derrick Hinman	....	property master
Lori Lee Korth	....	set dresser
Frank Meroney	....	construction coordinator
Mungai Nguku	....	swing gang
Blake Sherman	....	art department production assistant
Terrance Zdunich	....	storyboard artist

Sound Department
Michael Brown	....	foley artist
John Fairlamb	....	foley mixer
Seann Flynn	....	playback
Bill Jenkins	....	location sound mixer
Yagmur Kaplan	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sylvain Loiseau	....	post-production audio manager
Sean O'Malley	....	sound
Sergio Reyes	....	sound re-recording mixer
Stacey A. Washer	....	boom operator

Visual Effects by
Christopher Dusendschon	....	digital imaging supervisor: iO FILM

Stunts
Ron Althoff	....	stunt performer
Shawn Crowder	....	stunts
Christopher Doyle	....	stunt coordinator
Zack Duhame	....	stunts
T. Ryan Mooney	....	stunts
Sam Situmorang	....	stunts
Bryan Thompson	....	stunts
Mickey Cassidy	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Darrick Akey	....	assistant camera
Alexander Brown	....	electrician
Brannon D. Brown	....	second assistant camera (as Brannon Brown)
Jonathon Carmichael	....	grip
Eddie San Chan	....	additional gaffer
Michael Chateauneuf	....	best boy electric: additional photography
Jason Cochard	....	camera loader
Christian Grosselfinger	....	gaffer
Michael Gulbin	....	key grip
Matthew Heckerling	....	director of photography: second unit
Bryan Hong	....	grip: additional photography
Erwin Landau	....	Steadicam operator
Mareo-Ahmir Lawson	....	grip
Kevin Mucha	....	lighting console programmer
Michael O'Connor	....	still photographer
John Orphan	....	first assistant camera
Cass Rasmussen	....	electrician
Nickolas Dylan Rossi	....	assistant camera
Sonoko Shimoyama	....	additional best boy electric
Andy Steinman	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Sam Stewart	....	electrician
Sam Stewart	....	grip
Dwight Elliott Stone	....	key grip: additional photgraphy
Reza Tabrizi	....	additional second assistant camera
Raul Vasquez	....	grip
Somsy Vejsiri	....	best boy electric
Chris Vinopal	....	rigging best boy electric
Erin Williams	....	still photographer
Michael Witczak	....	electrician
Bobby Woo	....	lighting network technician

Casting Department
Carol Grant	....	extras casting
Jennifer Rudolph	....	casting: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Monica Brazelton	....	costumer
Jamie Bresnan	....	key costumer
Amelia Buhrman	....	assistant costume designer
Rebecca Fenton Brezovec	....	set costumer (as Rebecca Fenton)
Moksha McPherrin	....	additional costume designer

Editorial Department
Gary Friedman	....	first assistant editor
Robb Porter	....	post-production Coordinator: Modern VideoFilm
Eric Putz	....	telecine dailies colorist
Zara Roberts	....	digital intermediate post supervisor
Kathy Thomson	....	digital intermediate colorist

Music Department
Dean Menta	....	music editor
Howard Paar	....	music supervisor
Micki Stern	....	music clearance

Transportation Department
Matthew Ballard	....	transportation coordinator
Shay Morgan Brook	....	driver

Other crew
Noor Ahmed	....	production legal
Jill Becker	....	pre-production coordinator
N. Charlie Brown	....	stand-in
Cameron Carlson	....	production assistant
Jen Dougherty	....	assistant to director: pre-production
Michael Goss	....	assistant production coordinator
Rena Hanover	....	production assistant
Kimberley A. Helms	....	assistant production coordinator
Klara Jolesz	....	assistant to director
Megan Kristen Lane	....	production assistant (as Megan Lane)
Jenny Lens	....	photography: original source
Sheila Louie	....	set medic
Ian Menzies	....	unit location manager
Lizz Morhaim	....	production assistant
Mark Schaefer	....	misc crew
Tracy Scott	....	script supervisor
Mary Shellogg	....	additional script supervisor
Rob Spence	....	additional production coordinator
Sam Vlahovich	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Brandon Zinn	....	location assistant
Jessica Hong	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Tamara Garfield	....	special thanks
Lukas Haas	....	special thanks
Joan Jett	....	special thanks
Michael Le Blanc	....	special thanks
Wendy Marmo	....	thanks: Music Clearance
Penelope Spheeris	....	special thanks
Mike Watt	....	special thanks
Jeremy Weinstein	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Coalition Film
• Foundation Films
• Picture Machine
• Red Rover Films
• Rhino Films

Distributors

• King Record Co. (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Vitagraph Films (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Peace Arch Entertainment Group

Other Companies

• Valerie Ann Nemeth  legal services
• Central Casting  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Departure Studios  post-production
• Murphy PR  publicity
• NovaStar Digital  sound post-production
• NovaStar Digital  sound re-recording
• Reder & Feig  production counsel

MPAA:

Rated R for drug use, language and brief sexuality

Runtime:

USA:92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Coalition Film

Trivia:

David Arquette was attached to play Darby Crash when the project was in development.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After being kicked out of the Orpium for messing up stage equipment, The Germs introduce themselves as Darby Crash and Pat Smear even though at the time The Germs hadn't come up with their stage names yet.

Quotes:

Darby Crash:I love those who do not know how to live, except in perishing, for they are those that go beyond. I love the great despiser's, because they are the great adorers. They are arrows longing for the other shore. I love those who do not seek beyond the stars for a reason to parish and be sacrifice; but who sacrifice themselves to earth in order that earth may some day become...

Soundtrack:

Rock N' Roll Suicide

Jan Paul Beahm (September 26, 1958 – December 6, 1980)

Who? Well quite, and that may well be the problem for any casual movie fan who happens to like musical bio-pictures. Jan Paul Beahm during his short run for fame was better known as Darby Crash, lead singer and founding member of Los Angeles punk band The Germs. Firmly picking up on the punk ethic for doing it yourself, Crash and his band made waves across L.A. for a short period of time. Much like The Sex Pistols back in the UK, The Germs were blighted by being unable to play venues as their reputation preceded them. With Crash growing ever more erratic as he tried to execute the various strands of his so called 5 year plan, those around him invariably suffered. Here director Rodger Grossman attempts to tell the "true" story of the life and death of an enigmatic young man on a "crash" course to oblivion.

With low production values and a choppy attempt at being a semi rockumentary, What We Do Is secret is really only of interest to fans of the band or those wishing to bone up on American punk rock circa 1976-1980. Even tho myself, an ageing old British punker, quite liked The Germs, this film only exists because of two major factors. For the facts are that outside of L.A. they were hardly known at the time. It's only because of Crash's subsequent suicide at a young age {on the day John Lennon was shot and killed} and guitarist Pat Smear's future involvement with Nirvana and the Foo Fighters, that the band have had a reappraisal. With minimal input cut onto disc, one has to wonder if someone is trying to build up a legend that doesn't actually exist? What can be said with confidence is that the film at least brings the L.A. punk scene to notice. With all the historical talk about the New York punk scene that was born out of CBGB'S and Max's Kansas City, it often gets forgotten that L.A. had its moments too.

The cast here are pretty much the run of the mill performers one expects from such a production. Ranging from adequate (Shane West as Crash) to very decent (Rick Gonzalez of Coach Carter fame as Smear), Grossman's film will not be remembered for any great thesping. And since Crash is not very likable, or engaging on an intellectual level, the finale is unlikely to strike you with a sadness born out of the waste of a young life. However, the soundtrack crackles with punk vibrancy and emotive potency, and definitely some of the concert sequences have the look and feel of the original punk rock era. But ultimately the piece remains only worth an interest to an undemanding and small selection of music fans. Oh and 70s fashion guru's as well one thinks. 5.5/10