Local author Paul Caven of rural Jameson has a new book available. “Tales from Behind the Lights: A glimpse at 40 years behind the scenes during the ‘Second Age of Movies’” is available in paperback or Kindle on Amazon.
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For about 40 years, Paul worked as a lighting technician in film and television, doing everything from hauling cable and operating a dimmer board to hiring and firing crew members.
He’s been part of memorable movies that won academy awards, like “As Good As It Gets, and a few klunkers he’d just as soon forget, “I don’t write them, I just light them,” he says with a smile.
He’s worked on so many films and TV shows that he had trouble remembering them all and he finally made up a list.
As time went on, Paul kept adding to the list and writing down his memories which naturally evolved into writing a memoir of his years behind the lights.
Here is one Amazon review of the book, and he received five out of five stars:
“ An Inside Look” Behind the lights, indeed! Paul Caven shines his light on a side of Hollywood seldom noticed, providing a crew’s-eye-view of the stars and the movies we’ve seen them in. But it’s not all about the well-known names and faces. “Behind the Lights” provides us with a rare insight into the professionalism, hard work, and dedication of the heroes of the film industry, the ones whose names quickly roll by on the silver screen as we exit the theater – the gaffers, the grips, and the best boys – those who work in a world of blondies, scrims, fivers, and limbo lighting, often spending days or weeks on location.
So much more than just a dive into the technical aspects of lighting, “Behind the Lights” is a compendium of stories about the people who have given the world so much joy and entertainment. Caven’s book provides us the grand tour, the journey of a Hollywood professional, spanning more than 40 years of movie and TV, from the blockbuster hits to the duds. Each chapter includes personal anecdotes and thoughts about the actors, directors, and crew for dozens of well-known films and television episodes. Anyone who ever enjoyed the matinees at the local theater or who is a fan of twentieth century filmdom will definitely enjoy this engrossing book.” ~ Dennis J. Tonsing
Editor’s Note: Some information for this article was taken from a story in the North Missourian which featured Caven in 2009.