Two area residents work behind scenes of 'Palo Alto'

Anyone who watches NBC's "Today Show" may recall seeing a recent clip about a movie titled "Palo Alto," based on a book of short stories written by James Franco and directed by Gia Coppola, granddaughter of filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola.

The movie has seen a limited release and boasts a cast of well-known actors -- including Franco and Emma Roberts. What wasn't mentioned on the clip is two of the behind-the-scenes personnel are from Bollinger County, Missouri.

Kevin Otte is the second second assistant director -- that's not a typo. It's the position Otte calls "wrangling talent." He makes sure the actors are in the right spot under the right light with the right scenery in the right position.

Shooting a film is a long, laborious process, Otte says, and it takes attention to detail to make a shoot look as if it took a few minutes when, in fact, hours may have passed. The shadows have to be just right, and the light has to hit in just the right spot.

"It's quite a process," Otte said from his home in California. "There was a lot I didn't realize until I started in film school."

Otte graduated from Woodland High School in 1996 and spent a few years as a Bollinger County sheriff's deputy. He moved to Los Angeles in 2009 at the invitation of his friend Stephanie Rose, also of Bollinger County, who worked behind the scenes in "Palo Alto."

Otte found Rose's work was so interesting, he enrolled in the Los Angeles Film School in Hollywood and stayed. He earned an associate degree in film production and received an all-around view of the art and science of filmmaking.

Rose's job in the film was script supervisor, a position she said is like being a director's "right-hand man, making sure the movie flows and keeping track of little details."

Peter Travers, a critic for Rolling Stone magazine, said of the film: "A hypnotic movie. Coppola makes us care, capturing the fever and fleetingness of first love in a way that marks a born filmmaker. Roberts and [Jack] Kilmer are heartbreakers."

Rose since has returned home, but says she remains in the business, taking jobs that come along if they appeal to her.

Being an actress may have appealed to her at one time, she said, but "I fell in love with the other side of the industry. I'd rather be behind the camera than in front of it."

Rose said she liked the story of "Palo Alto" and especially liked working with Coppola. "That's some name to have on your resume," she said.

Otte and Rose have experience working with other projects, and said working on a major film takes more time and focus than other projects. Their work is not 9-to-5, and it leaves them plenty of time to pursue their interests and keep in touch with family and friends.

"If anyone had told me in 2008 that I would be living out here doing this, I would have laughed at them," Otte said.

Otte said he hopes to be able to "stick around in the industry" and further his education.

"Every project is different," he said. "It's a lot of fun."