|
Sunday August 15, 2010
Spotting a flat cat
Several days earlier whilst going through various "projects for which" I fitted, one was a student film seeking museum patrons, the role being listed as "cameo," meaning "smaller" supporting role.
Late Saturday afternoon I got a call from one of the project's producers
Chris Caraballo,
asking if I was interested in participating in the project.
I responded in the affirmative, and Chris proceeded to convey what I thought to be audition information for the next day, at Woodbury University, the audition time window being "between 8:40am and noon."
I remembered the casting post listing, but not a huge amount of detail as I'd submitted to several projects.
Back at my computer I noted it was for Museum Patron; I figured slightly upscale casual.
I also decided, as I had my friends' son's 9th birthday party to attend in the afternoon, I would arrive by 8:40 to get done the audition and head to Pasadena from there.
This was not the case.
At the time of Chris's call I was walking a
(former)
friend's dog,
so I didn't really catch that the call really was indicating that I was cast if I so chose, and that it was not a Woodbury University student film: that was the scene's shooting location.
Through mta.net I found I could get nearby relatively easily but when the time came, the 222 bus driver blew the correct stop, forcing me to hike back a ways to head up Hollywood Way to the side street to the University entrance on Glenoaks Boulevard.
In the wee hours, Chris had emailed me the callsheet as he said he would
(which I thought was odd, as, for an audition, I would have expected him to say script or sides).
Receiving the callsheet and directions, I then realized that it was the actual shoot, not an audition for it, and that literally I was background.
Anyone who's read these
student films reports
know that I rarely do "background work" for student films unless there is something about the project I find really compelling, such as with
Chicxulub
(filmed on Warner Bros. back-lot),
or
Trails
(a fake
airport terminal set).
Even with Trails what worked out was my being called in, requested to help on the film a second day, and with my interaction with them, when the director made his next film
Santa Croce,
I got a call just to show up to play the supporting role of Deputy Sheriff.
However, as I'd agreed to work on the Lepidoctor project, I dutifully arrived shortly after 8am.
The production was pretty easy to find via the provided directions, and it was here I learned it was a USC film.
As I didn't realize at the time that the project's callsheet neglected to list almost anyone of the crew, I do not know the name of the very pleasant girl doing wardrobe, who sort of doubled as background handler, along with
Alex Jacobs.
I relaxed, and eventually was brought to set, which was a large room done up with a few peculiar "exhibits," such as a stuffed and very not-clean standing polar bear, the arranged wall-pinned "butterflies," and a spotted-leopard pelt simply thumbtacked to a blank wall.
Along with a girl who was friends with one of the principals, I was set to ponder over the flat feline.
With our back mostly to the camera, I was one with the thought that at least my same aforemention friend would recognize me in the scene, as she can spot the back of my head in a massive throng, but with a single straight-on shot of me she doesn't seem to be able to recognize me.
After a few takes, the scene was complete.
Director
Jonathon Barenboim
thanked us, promising a copy of the script would be forwarded
[as of Sunday the 19th, it had not arrived in my email box].
I gave Alex Jacobs my contact information and headed back to Hollywood Way at which to catch the 94 bus down to the Pasadena bus to my friends' house for the rest of the afternoon.
|