Clerks Kept Kevin Smith Sleepless

Filmmaker Kevin Smith shot Clerks at Quick Stop in Leonardo, New Jersey, the convenience store where he worked. Since he could use the store only from 10:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., he worked there during the day and filmed at night for 21 days, while the screenplay explained the closed shutters as having padlocks jammed with gum. Smith frequently slept no more than one hour per day and became so exhausted that he could not stay awake while the final fight was filmed. He raised the initial $27,575 filming budget by selling much of his comic book collection, maxing out eight to ten credit cards, borrowing $3,000 from his parents, and using his wages, college refund, and insurance money.

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