Alumni Spotlight Series: The Crone Family

DAVID & LINDA CRONE Mulgrave School Alumni Family Interviewed by Michelle Noble | November 2015

ABOVE: David filming Will Smith on the set of I, Robot.

L

ABOVE: Linda working on Sir Ben Kingsley’s makeup.

inda and David Crone have been huge Mulgrave supporters since their daughter Alexandra first came to

the school in 2001. With David spearheading film projects for Mulgrave, Linda backstage bringing characters to life with her makeup expertise, and both having a big hand in our new film studio in the Senior School, the Crones have been overwhelmingly supportive as parents, and now as alumni parents. Being in the film industry over 40 years, (David as a camera operator, assistant director and cinematographer, and Linda as a makeup artist) their advice, expertise and generosity has been truly invaluable to our Arts Department.

It is such a pleasure to sit down with you both! Let’s start from the

the perfect way to spend the day - being glued to Elizabeth Taylor!

beginning - How did you break into the film industry, so many

That’s not a bad way to spend the day! David, you are known in

years ago? What were some of the first projects you worked on?

the industry as being a pioneer for the use of the Steadicam in

DAVID: My mother and father were both heavily involved in

Canada, is that right?

the Canadian film industry, so I grew up in it. After graduating,

DAVID: While I was working with my father, we bought a

I joined my father for four years working on documentaries

Steadicam, which is a camera stabilization system. We bought the

(mainly working with camera and sound), and we traveled all

third one ever built and used it in documentaries because it was a

over the world together doing this. We took Sugar Ray Leonard

great way to move the camera, instead of hand held.

over to England to find the roots of boxing; Wayne Gretzky and his family to visit Tretiak in Moscow; Gary Carter to Japan for

Have you two ever worked on a film together?

baseball; and Julius Erving, basketball star, around the NBA. This

LINDA: Yes, we worked on Johnny Mnemonic, Adventures in

was all in the early 70’s – so that was kind of my start! After that

Babysitting, This is My Life, Alive (filmed mostly on Panorama in

I went back into production managing and assistant directing

Invermere), and a few others.

TV commercials for four years until I had finally had enough of it, and I got a call from John Alonzo about doing a show here in Vancouver. (I was living in Toronto at the time.) He said, “I hear you’re a pretty good Steadicam operator, would you come and operate a movie for me?” So that was my first movie in 1984 with Tom Selleck and Michael Crichton directing it. That’s what I’ve been doing ever since ’84 - operating in feature films (and some TV).

LINDA: My father was in the entertainment industry, as well.

He was a professional musician and he worked a lot at CBC so, when I was younger, I would go and watch him have his makeup put on, and I always thought that was an intriguing job. When I graduated high school, I took many different makeup courses and started working in the film industry where I did commercials, taught makeup at a modeling agency, did a lot of stills, and then got into film. I worked on a couple of films as an assistant and then was called to do a film by Steven Stern in Toronto, Mazes of Monsters, with Tom Hanks. It was one of Tom’s first movies, too!

Linda, when you look back on your career, what were some of your favourite moments?

What was the most difficult shot you’ve ever attempted, David?

DAVID: Well, I’ve been hanging out of helicopters and sliding down mountains to get the perfect shot, but the most challenging one was probably a stunt that went wrong when I was in Paris.

In my gut I knew I didn’t feel good about that shot. I was in a tunnel with the Steadicam ready to film a taxi coming through the tunnel, but as the stuntman flipped the car, it clipped the wall and spun it so came sliding toward me. I was right under the trunk at one point, but it spun and just narrowly cleared us.

How often are you on the road in your business?

DAVID: There was one point that in a four-year period I was home 10 weeks. It really is a love, not a job. When Alexandra was born, we decided that Linda would leave the film industry to be with her. We started at Mulgrave originally because it was an IB programme, so if I got a job internationally, I could take her with me and put her in another IB school if I had to.

Your daughter, Alexandra, is now pursuing costume design at the University of Arts in London. Being so involved in the film

LINDA: I’ve been very fortunate to work with a lot of interesting

industry yourselves, did you have a hand in helping her discover

people. I worked with Marlon Brando, which was definitely a

this path, or did she discover it on her own?

high point. I did his makeup on one of his last films, I think. I also worked on a film with Elizabeth Taylor and Carol Burnett, alongside the man who taught me how to do makeup, which was a fun experience. He did their makeup and I had the misfortune (or fortune?) of gluing my fingers to Elizabeth Taylor’s with crazy glue when I was quickly trying to put false nails on her for a scene. It was

LINDA: Well, we just happened to be in the film industry so she got to see what is was like being on set at an early age, and she really got involved with the theatre and loved it, so it kind of all came together – us being in film and her love of theatre. She thought she wanted to be a fashion designer and went to New York for summer school, but after being involved so deeply

ABOVE: David and his father, Bob Crone, showing Sugar Ray Leonard how to use the Steadicam while filming a documenatry.

ABOVE: Linda on the set of Johnny Mnemonic with Dina Meyer and Keanu Reeves.

with the theatre here at Mulgrave, it sparked her enthusiasm and

DAVID: It’s been such a great school and such a pleasure giving

interest in creativity, and she decided that costume design was a

back to the community – it’s really all we can do. In the long

better fit for her. Glen Pope was also an amazing theatre teacher

run, that’s what life is all about – passing the torch. So if you can

and a great inspiration to a lot of the kids, as I’m sure Lydia Race

spread little torches to the kids coming through, that’s the reward

will be as well. So for Alexandra, she just found her niche and felt

of life! Lian [Anson] has done a great job within this community,

really comfortable in that, but that was her own doing.

as well. Her students have done very well. When we started at

David, what has been a highlight of your career?

Mulgrave in 2001, it was the first year that this Cypress building opened up, and it’s been a boon for both us as a family, as well as

A highlight to me was when Claire [Lynch] came to me in 2012

our involvement in this community. Linda, even more so than I,

with proposals from three companies to make a film for the

has given up a lot of time, and time is a very good giving tool. So

school’s Imagine Mulgrave Campaign. I told her it would be a

our way of giving back has been very time-driven.

huge mistake to source outside of this school and that the film should be made internally by the students. It was a big leap of faith for the school to trust the kids to do this, and it took a fair

What is one thing you hope Mulgrave students take away from their film and/or performing arts classes?

amount of persuasion and scheduling around exams, but finally,

LINDA: I hope they take the passion. You have to have a passion

we got everyone on board. In the long run, they made a far better

for this industry because it’s not an easy business to be in – there

film than anyone else because they had the passion for the school,

are long hours, the weather conditions are very difficult at times,

and you can’t bring that in from outside. Of those six boys who

and you’re traveling away from home and family. So hopefully we

helped out with the film, three of them went on to take film

can just instill that love and that passion for the craft because it’s

classes at university. There was just no question in my mind that

very difficult if you don’t have the drive. Although, I think that’s

the students could do a far better job than anyone else outside the

pretty much for anything that you do in life; you need that passion

community could have done. And again, it’s giving back, trusting

to really succeed.

people, and going to bat for the kids to say that they are 100% capable – let them matter. That, to me, was a highlight of my career.

Wow, of all the things you’ve done in your career, it’s pretty special that this was a highlight. Why is it so important to you to stay involved in the community?

Linda, what do you enjoy most about helping out at the Mulgrave productions?

I enjoy teaching because I like to share what I know. I love to see students that start off not knowing anything and you watch them grow over the years and blossom into this person that loves what they do. When I come and help out with the plays at Mulgrave,

I like the students to really be involved, and I like to show them

The Black Robe was pretty challenging. The conditions were really

how to do the makeup so it’s not just me doing it. It’s their play so

difficult - cold, snow, rain, long hours. There was a large cast of

they need to be involved and participate in it just as much as the

extras who needed native makeup for all the different tribes that

actors and stage directors. This year, Peter Pan is coming up and

we filmed - lots of beards and hair! Just having the stamina to

I look forward to getting involved in that again. It’s a wonderful

stand out there all day for 14 to 18 hours was challenging.

experience being here and watching the kids from when they

Film or digital?

first start to when they graduate. It’s a great atmosphere here at Mulgrave for learning – they are very fortunate.

DAVID: There’s something magical about film. There is certain decorum on set when it’s film, and the quality of film is softer; it’s

What advice would you give to someone who is looking to

just a different look. The last time I worked in film was on True

become a makeup artist?

Detective, and everything since has been digital. I have to embrace

It helps if you want to be a makeup artist to learn how to paint.

it because it is the way of the future. As far as I know, there are

I teach oil painting and colour theory, and when people ask why

only two labs left that process film.

they have to paint, I say, “What part of being a makeup artist don’t

LINDA: For makeup it’s been an adjustment as well because

you understand?” You have to be an artist and understand colour,

digital is not very forgiving. We’ve had to make modifications

highlight, and shadow because that’s what you’re going to be

because of digital being so high def.

working with. So that’s the best advice I can give to anybody who’s interested in being a makeup artist: Become an artist first. Also,

We need to know... What is your all-time favourite film?

find as many places as you can to learn makeup. It’s a difficult

LINDA: A movie with Jimmy Stewart called, Harvey. It’s an

business now because there are so many people in the business.

adorable older movie in black and white but I’ve always loved

There are lots of indie films, but because there are so many people

Jimmy Stewart… or anything with Katharine Hepburn.

looking for work, it makes it that much more difficult. Work hard

DAVID: That’s a tough one! How can you go wrong with

because it is very competitive. Find a good school that is thorough

Lawrence of Arabia? This question puts you back into the classics.

and covers all aspects of makeup training.

Barry Lyndon is another stunning film.

What was the most challenging set you’ve ever worked on, Linda?

David & Linda, November 2015

ABOVE: David working his angles on the set of HBO’s John Adams.

ABOVE: David & Linda on the set of Alive.

ABOVE: David filiming (Linda did the makeup) on the set of Johnny Mnemonic.