This is just a crazy little story of miscommunication as the Guardian Unlimited is reporting that as director Mike Figgis flew into Los Angeles he ended up staying at LAX a little longer than he had actually intended.
Figgis was in town to shoot a new television pilot episode and when the UK-born director was asked by airport immigration what the purpose of his visit was he replied honestly, “I’m here to shoot a pilot.”
Now, those of you reading this probably already know that a “pilot” in TV terms means the first episode of a potential television series, a test episode if you will to see how it all works out and how viewers respond. However, to airport immigration it means one of those folks that flies the planes. So, after five hours in an interrogation cell (yes, really), he finally made it into town.
Figgis, for those of you that might not know, is the director of the Oscar-winner Leaving Las Vegas and the non-Oscar-winner Cold Creek Manor.
