What We Do Is Secret (2007)

Director:

Rodger Grossman

Writers:

Michelle Baer Ghaffari (co-story writer)
Rodger Grossman (co-story writer)
(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 crowd member (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	....	makeup designer
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
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

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
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
Reza Tabrizi	....	additional second assistant camera
Raul Vasquez	....	grip
Somsy Vejsiri	....	best boy electric
Chris Vinopal	....	rigging best boy electric
Michael Witczak	....	electrician
Bobby Woo	....	lighting network technician

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

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Amelia Buhrman	....	assistant costume designer
Rebecca Fenton	....	set costumer
Moksha McPherrin	....	additional costume designer

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

Music Department
Dean Menta	....	music editor
Howard Paar	....	music supervisor

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

Other crew
Noor Ahmed	....	production legal
Jill Becker	....	pre-production coordinator
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
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:

Because he was so good as Darby Crash, Shane West was hired as the new vocalist and The Germs reunited for a tour.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During scene set at LA hot dog stand in late Seventies, huge wall menu in background reflects 2000 era fast food prices and even lists at least one soft drink not introduced till years later.

Quotes:

Darby Crash: I just made Robby the drummer for The Germs.
Pat Smear: We can't play with Rob.
Darby Crash: I know.
Pat Smear: Oh, so you're not just killing yourself, you're killing our band. Darby, The Germs are the only thing any of us have really cared about...
Darby Crash: The Germs are dead, Pat. And you know that.

i heard the book was at least good.

It's really hard for me to rate this film. i didn't like it at all. Yet i still kept wanted to watch it.

Even though it's a true story, all of the characters were like stereotypes. The British guy, the french guy, etc. So the acting was terrible, especially by the girl who played Amber. Shane West was really annoying. If that's how Darby really was, then i am not missing out on not listening to their music. He seemed like a pretentious attention whore who tried standing out just to get attention. And it showed a few of his phases where he changed his way of dressing and being. He never seemed like an original guy so i have no idea why he was so loved. If it was the stage show, Iggy Pop did much more than Darby. But Shane West always had this cocky smirk on his face even when he was trying to look sad. He was great at crying though! The Bronx as Black Flag was cool.

The direction was pretty great. Except a few of the scenes you could tell were staged and didn't feel organic or real. Like when they were shooting up, they were in a conveniently lit spot just for them.

i grew up listening to punk bands but never The Germs. i didn't even know who they were until a friend mentioned them. So i'm not biased when it comes to them and am not a fan. The movie was a 'meh' for me. i definitely didn't like the music. This movie is more for fans than people interested in movies. If you want to see a good indie biopic, see Control about Ian Curtis of Joy Division.