By Danielle Campbell
MERRY CHRISTMAS!! HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!
Boy does the time go fast!
I wanted to write a blog on Doug and my adventures shooting our Christmas Special "T'is The Season"!
We spent three days criss-crossing Long Island--shooting what we call "wraps" or scenes--at different holiday locations!
Our Crew consisted of our ProducerDeb Gade, Brian Endres, our Cameraman. Ron Vilca and Ray Egluezebal, also News 12 cameramen, drove and helped set up lighting and other equipment along with Jeff "the intern."
That shot with the camera on top of the car is how Brian shot the scenes we used with the trolley--crazy right!
Here is the gang in Patchogue ~


This is Deb and Doug checking to see if Brian will be safe while we shoot this Trolley scene!


We started our shoot at a Christmas tree farm out on the east end and Doug told us as we drove out--"Dan and Deb--they have the largest shop for Christmas ornaments!"--and then muttered under his breath something like "God help me!"
Does Doug look like he is having fun or what!!! ~
It was there Doug wrenched his back because I made him---errrrrr---I asked him to get the bigger tree for our News 12 Holiday show---he dragged it over to the trolley for the scene--where I say--"oh wow Doug that is a perfect tree"--while I stand in trolley doorway--but meanwhile we had to do several takes because I was laughing at how big it was--I couldn't even see Doug behind it!
Doug doing a moose impression I think ~
Well, we got those scenes done--we kind of make it up what we are going to say as we go along.
Deb, our producer, tells us where we are going, what segments we are introducing, and Doug and I figure out what we are doing at each location. We are really good at improvising!
Brian our cameraman telling us his ideas ~
NEXT we decide to take the trolley over to Love Lane in Mattituck for the next scene. That was quite a challenge because we had to park this gigantic trolley on tiny little Love Lane without upsetting too many of the patrons.

Here we go to Love Lane ~ !
Here is Tony, the driver for North Fork Trolley ~
http://www.northforktrolley.com/
He was so patient and kept us safe and sound ~
Tony let me use his mirror to fix my hair!! ~
HELLO LOVE LANE! ~
Doesn't Look like there is a lot of LOVE on Love Lane! :) ~
Actually we are trying to work out this scene and as usual I want it my way!
Doug is always so smooth! ~
Look at the size of the Trolley we had to park! ~
On camera everyone's HAPPY! ~
That was the end of Day 1.
We shot an open and a close--two at the tree farm, one at Love Lane and another scene in downtown Patchogue in front of their Christmas Tree and Creche!
Deb kept track of everything with her big clip board! ~

Happy Birthday Doug!~
Day 2 of our Christmas Shoot was Doug's birthday!
First stop--The Bide A Wee in Wantagh!
http://www.bideawee.org/
Debi wanted "LOTS OF PUPPIES WITH RED BOWS!"
As I said, Deb has the vision---
And so Doug and I struggled to say our lines, laughing, while holding 8 puppies who just wanted to do anything but sit still!
An arm full of puppy love! ~
We want to take all of them home! ~
I came this close to adopting, but my three cats would freak! ~
NEXT STOP--Krisch's in Massapequa!
If you have never been there--you MUST GO!
http://www.krischs.com/


I got Ice Cream in his eye! ~
At Krisch's we made Candy Cane Ice Cream on Camera! ~
The patron's at the restaurant were so patient!
Doug thought it was pretty good! ~ We were so full when we left Krisch's!
While we were in Krisch's--however ---it started to snow!
And Deb came up with the great idea that we should go sleigh riding!
AND she happened to have a sleigh in her car!
You want us to go down---there!!!! ~
And so if our producer wants us to Sleigh Ride--WE RIDE!
{Despite the sign that said you shouldn't!}
What a birthday Doug had that day! :):)
Day 3
We were all a bit tired of being creative and festive, but somehow we found the strength!
Today was the carousel at Hempstead Lake State Park---
That's Brian setting up at the Carousel ~
There's Ray working hard with our producer Debi ~
Deb and I--horsing around!! ~
The carousel is a must see!
The full-sized carousel was made between 1912 and 1916 by the Herschell-Spillman Company of North Tonawanda, New York, one of the leading manufacturers of carousels in America.
After the carousel we traveled across the island to quaint Cold Spring Harbor where we visited the Gourmet Goddess Shop!
It was beautifully decorated and the owner, Barbara Esatto fed us delicious cookies and yummy soup!
After that we stopped at the largest menorah on Long Island, a fire truck was needed to bring the rabbis up to the top to light it! It was quite impressive--but unfortunately I have no pictures of that--my camera batteries died!
All of us had a wonderful time--it really was a ball!
Doug, Deb, Brian, myself and the rest of the crew feel very grateful that we are given the opportunity to bring a little bit of Christmas here on Long Island, and lots of holiday spirit to our viewers!
To us, the Christmas show is ~ a gift!
I saved the best picture for last!!!! ~

Every once in awhile during the shoot we would get on each other's nerves!! ~
Doug and I should get a movie contract!! HAHAHA!