by Katharine Schroeder

To say that Rush Hour 3’s video assist artist David “Goldy” Goldsmith is remarkable would be an understatement. This guy is a whirling dervish, simultaneously cracking jokes, singing, playing with his Game Boy, and providing an invaluable service to the film production team. His talent is staggering, his personality in constant hyper-drive. It’s no wonder Jackie adores Goldy.

On the Pasadena set of Rush Hour 3, Goldy’s workstation was set up right near where I had settled myself and my laptop. I was in a great position to observe the interaction between Jackie and Goldy and even had a chance to interview Goldy during a break. Here’s what I found out:

David “Goldy” Goldsmith began his career in film as a child actor performing in shows like the popular ‘80s television series Morningstar/Eveningstar. From there he moved behind the camera and learned the craft of video assist. A video assist artist is in charge of the video system which allows instant review of a scene that has just been filmed. Each scene that is shot is sent directly to the video assist artist’s equipment. The director and the actors can then see a shot immediately after it has been filmed and check for composition, performance, and focus. According to Goldy, the video assist bridges the gap between the camera and the director and helps the script supervisor to review specific shots in close detail.

The invaluable service that Goldy provides for Jackie is to present the footage right onto the video platform and allow for immediate manipulation and editing on set. For the action scenes, this provides Jackie with instant feedback and allows him to be, according to Goldy, “One hundred times more creative.” It allows Jackie not only to view what has just been filmed, but to see what possibilities are available in terms of editing that footage.

During the filming of the action scenes, Jackie runs back and forth from his place in front of the camera to Goldy’s station, often shouting instructions as he darts around the set. Goldy gets the shot right up onto the screens and edits it with lightning speed according to Jackie’s rapid-fire commands, often bellowing out things like “YOU’RE KILLING ME JACKIE!! KILLING ME!!” But make no mistake; Goldy adores Jackie. He's been a fan for as long as he can remember and it isn't unusual to hear Goldy shout out "JACKIE CHAN!! I LOVE YOU JACKIE CHAN!!"

David Goldsmith has worked on many big budget Hollywood films including Ladder 49, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (to name just a few). You can read Jackie’s diary entry about Goldy here.

Text and photos ©2007 The JC Group. All Rights Reserved.

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