|
Monday July 18, 2011
Shoot, Day 1
I got ready, showered, and walked a mile to the nearest That Early bus to take me down to catch the 180/181, or the Rapid 780 which is faster and has less stops.
I neglected to check to make sure the bus did not pull a fast one as it did
(and still does),
when I lived in Hollywood: pass by Very Important intersections
(like Hollywood Boulevard at La Brea, right by where I used to live),
in this case, Vermont and Los Feliz.
Instead, the 780 continues on all the way down to Hollywood Boulevard.
As it arrived the same time as the 181, I took the Rapid, and it was too early in the morning for me to think to ask the driver if the 780 makes the stop I wanted that the local definitely would.
It turned out that once the 780 passes Los Feliz at Riverside, it continues on all the way to Hollywood Boulevard, giving me an extra half mile to hike to Los Feliz, then the full mile north to the Greek Theatre.
On Friday I had been in Hollywood and deliberately did the hike up to the Greek Theatre to clarify the amount of time it would take.
So Monday morning, even with the 780 completely screwing up the distance I had to hike, I still arrived at the Greek Theatre at 6:40am for my 7am calltime
(the 181 I had not taken arrived at the Vermont/Los Feliz stop as I passed it as it reached the Los Feliz/Vermont stop, as though to drive home the point I could have easily taken that one).
We were shuttled down to the back parking lot to the Masonic Lodge... at Vermont and Franklin.
While walking towards Griffith Park, had I glanced to my right as I passed the lodge I'd have seen the production trucks; I would have gone in to ask if they were the production for which I was looking, instead of continuing hiking north on an incline for another 30 minutes.
I waited with a few other backgrounders, which increased in numbers as subsequent shuttles arrived.
We were allowed inside, where soon we were met by
Patrick Gorman,
who'd be our primary Background Wrangler.
Patrick gave us our vouchers, clarified the project was the feature film, and with all but minutes to spare, I managed to acquire some breakfast from catering.
(Understandably, I was a bit disappointed to learn two performers cast in the film whose work I admire,
Deborah Ann Woll
and
Antonio Banderas
would not be utilized those days.)
We went over the wardrobe: the outfit I was wearing was fine, even my jacket/vest.
After a bit, Patrick led us down Vermont at Melbourne, to the restaurant
(the same location at which I worked on the rom-com
Made of Honor
as a taxi driver).
As the Los Feliz Theatre lies between the masonic lodge and the restaurant, I was amused the semi-art house happened to be playing the quirky comedy feature
Beginners,
on which I'd worked and in which I was just visible.
(Remember that I do not believe in providing storyline spoilers myself [such generally currently and/or eventually being readily available Elsewhere notwithstanding], in my report/s I only convey indications of where I can be seen.)
The scene involves the film's lead Calvin
(Paul Dano)
having a slight altercation with girlfriend Ruby
(played by
Zoe Kazan,
who also wrote the screenplay).
She departs hastily, and he rushes after her around the corner; end of "scene"
(though the scene itself does continue, beyond around the corner).
As my disclaimer above declares, I will not provide specifics as to what takes place storyline-wise in that scene beyond that.
As it was it was not until well into the many set-ups and takes that I noticed in the lines an aspect that makes this film sound very compelling
(for me to want)
to see
(as though I wouldn't be seeing it anyway).
I was given the task to come around the corner walking north past their table.
Initially it was to be me along with actress and model
Emma Zerner,
which somehow evolved into my walking and Emma walking on her own shortly behind me.
Assistant Director
Jeb Barrows
had set it that Emma and I were to start walking a twenty-count from action, and Patrick's PA Terrance was to let us know when Action was called so we could start counting.
Unfortunately this was never consistent.
Sometimes we would only be told cameras were rolling, not that Action had been called, so our start points were sometimes off.
As once past the primary focus of the scene, I came to a monitor and noted the framing of the shot strongly implied Emma's and my oncoming approach should be quite visible.
As the day progressed, Emma and I chatted and became friendly, even discussing respective
paranormal experiences.
We exchanged our information, my also providing her information on
The Paranormal View,
the
weekly radio show
I co-host online at
Para-X.
Eventually they got all the angles and coverage they wanted, and it was set up to go around the corner to where the two character have gone from the restaurant just before lunch.
After lunch, background "holding" had been set up in the small workers' parking lot behind the restaurant, just off Melbourne.
Along with about three or four others, Patrick brought me to the Melbourne/Vermont newsstand as candidates to portray the newsstand vendor.
Before coming along, knowing it was a Different Aspect of the scene, I left my jacket/vest at my chair.
My having been in the previous aspect of the scene notwithstanding, I was selected to be the newsstant vendor.
Co-director
Jonathan Dayton
noted I'd been in the previous shot, but
Valerie Faris
didn't seem to think that made much of a difference, even to clarifying I could retain my glasses, when I suggested I could put on my other shirt and not wear my glasses.
We rehearsed and it was filmed; the two come around the corner, a passing driver briefly addresses them, and they Continue On, after a fashion.
(As previously stated, I won't get into storyline specifics; as I should be so very visible, this amount of description more than should suffice for this report's readers' to spot me.)
At one point,
(Paul Dano as)
Calvin notices I'm Right There, and did a brilliant reactive Take each time.
By 6:30pm we were wrapped for the day.
As the newsstand scene had not been completed, I was recalled for the second day.
Initially
all
of the day's background had been told it was a two-day shoot, but far too late in the day the implication was given that only about a third would be recalled.
At the end of the day, only I was recalled; the second day would have all new faces.
Jeb clarified to me I'd be back, and even suggested I ask Patrick for a next-day callsheet.
Generally only one reason meant that: "Am I... being upgraded...?" I asked carefully.
Jeb hedged a bit as logistically he really couldn't clarify that.
Back at base camp we were officially signed-out at 7pm; ironically I neglected to ask for the callsheet which is uncharacteristic, particular that even Jeb had suggested it.
I walked up to Los Feliz to learn the 180 and 181 buses had been diverted for the day due to the shoot, and there was no End Time for it.
I had to re-hike south to Hollywood Boulevard where I caught a 780 back, noting the probability that the next morning, even if the detour was set up again, I could still be dropped close to base camp.
Back near where I'd been staying, I was able to connect to the last bus of the evening.
|
