Monday May 21, 2012
Booked
I got an automated call from Advanced Casting asking after my availability for a commercial shooting the next day. I confirmed, then called my calling service to let them know they'd be hearing from Advanced Casting... Based on results I learned in such a situation I should called them first before confirming such an inquiry, as when I called I was told that via the wonderful Sandi Alessi, I was "already booked" the next day through Friday, on a feature film titled The Trials of Cate McCullough.
Had it been a one-day gig, I'd have told them I was already booked, on the commercial, as they'd not informed me that I was Not Available to accept another booking. As it was... a five-day gig is nothing at which to sneeze, so I had to call back Advanced Casting and apologize for my calling service not telling me about my actually being Unavailable.
I got the information for the shoot up in Sylmar (crew parking, anyway), for my easy-enough 11am calltime. Just in case, I asked on Facebook as to a possible ride back to Hollywood.
In the evening I called back the recording and found calltimes had shifted, my category having moved to 12:30pm.

Tuesday May 22, 2012
Shoot, Day 1
Despite the MTA doing its best to delay me after stopping by my rental box to pick up my All New SAG-AFTRA card. Fortunately I still arrived about 11:50am, but to my surprise, I was "way laid" by wardrobe despite technically my not being On The Clock for another 35 minutes or so. My outfit passed muster, and my two other shirts (we were told to bring "options," as always), but my regular blue striped shirt was selected with my long tie. Set costumer Shelli felt my bow tie would be good for my Second Outfit, and eventually had it with my Third.
Inside the labrynthal Riverfront Stages (with its numerous and various Standing Sets), I finally found background holding and acquired my voucher. Later it was declared as some people actually got something of a "get there asap" rush call, that the time one arrived was now the calltime, so my Clock Started at noon with wardrobe. We wrapped at 10pm with an hour lunch, really lame, bad "crafty," and while it was warned we have a "really long boring day," it wasn't all that boring.
One segment of people had been there earlier for another scene/day, and now after lunch most of the rest of us were brought in. After we got shuffled around in the courtroom, I got placed Dead Center in the front row, which was far better than my original place at far distant side. Interestingly enough, it was a bit of "Old Home Week" as it were: sitting at my right was Gary-7 and two seats to my left was Chris Dorman (Gary-7 and I worked on the USC film The Maiden and the Princess and the feature film Argo, while Chris and I worked on Live-In Fear out in Utah back in February).

(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 most likely I can be seen.)

Wednesday May 23, 2012
Shoot, Day 2
Arrived just past 10am for my 10:30am calltime, and this morning they actually had breakfast, albeit the scrambled eggs a bit cold.
It was not Chris's day, sadly. The audition to which he went dragged its feet so he had to leave without auditioning to get to the shoot on time. Then later in the day 2nd 2nd AD John Nolan was forced to cut 15 people from being recalled the next day, and Chris fell into that category. John stressed he would endevour to get many of them back from Friday, possibly Tuesday, rumours of which hinted some of us may be recalled for that as well.
As the SAG Rep came by today, the Bad Crafty attempts at segregating good crafty for the main cast and crew and lame crafty (and no sodas) for background Cast, that got handled, so now all crafty was accessable to all. Once the SAG Rep was gone, characteristically the Bad Crafty guy hid the soda coolers, but another fellow named Jeff and I scoured the soundstage; he eventually found it predictably near the set, all but daring us to access it.
At one point in the second part of the day, Kate had brought in for the background Pinkberry Yogurt.
Barak Dada, with whom I'd worked on the USC student film Sweet Tooth. Also during the day I fell in with Mike Hennessey (aka Miracle Mike), who was being featured as the lawyer to Hazel, played by Lily Knight, an aspect of which kept him from being cut along with the others not being recalled. He was also preparing to fly out to Ogden Utah for a Red Carpet event regarding a high-end web-series of a friend of his.
Filming wise, the day went by rather briskly, about seven pages being handled, which is rather substantial, considering some projects are lucky to get two or three pages done in a day.
We wrapped out at 10pm again, with (for those returning), an 11am calltime for Thursday. Chris was still able to take me home, and Gary-7 agreed to take me closer to home that Sylmar; he lives somewhat near the Southwest Museum Gold Line Station, which would technically suck, but it'd still be better than being stranged in Sylmar.
Depending on his route, I suspected I could be able to sway him to dropping me off closer, say at the NoHo Red Line Station...

Thursday May 24, 2012
Shoot, Day 3
I arrived at my 11am calltime at 10:30am; same not-so-hot scrambled eggs. I wondered, should they serve breakfast the next day, if one could order directly from the truck as with other projects: that way not only would I have far warmer if not hot eggs, but possibly bacon that was not in the buffet line.
As about half of us were wrapped out first, we had "10:56pm" as an out-time, the rest had 11:12pm. I was in the first batch but as my ride was in the second batch I had to wait a bit, thankfully not too long. Living far closer to me than Gary-7, Mike Hennessey had earlier offered to drive me home, and even offered to pick me up and drive me to the next day's shoot.
I also met aspiring-author Howard Chan (doing background, more as a lark and Paying The Bills, whilst working on his science fiction novel series).
John had clarified during the day that the shoot date on Tuesday would be All New People, and explained why (see my Blue Disclaimer above as to why I'm not pointed out that clarification). He did not specify whether anyone working earlier that'd been cut from today would be returning on Friday. He did have to cut anough fifteen or seventeen people, and again, Gary-7 and I survived. Barak Dada did not. Mike did, as he was selected to be featured as the lawyer to Lily Knight's Hazel character. Surprisingly Mike had not (yet) been upgraded. We did suspect he might be recalled for Tuesday, playing such a specific featured character, and we hoped he could be upgraded At That Time. While this way production could "get away" with paying his background pay for the majority of his work, once upgraded, Mike would still receive not only a substantially higher rate for that day, but receive residuals from the feature.
This or the day before I'd met Matt Bromen, who I felt strongly resembled Once Upon a Time actor Josh Dallas. Matt was featured playing an assistant to the District Attorney Barker (played by Johnny Sneed). Unfortuntely, despite even "more featured" than Mike, Josh too was not upgraded.
The day's shoot itself was again lengthy but ran smoothly, possibly the only negative aspect still being the heat from the lights. James Cromwell got to say a few lines instead of sitting there looking contemplative and stern.

Friday May 25, 2012
Shoot, Day 4
Our final day ran about as long as we suspected: Mike picked up up and we arrived around 11am for our 11:30am calltime (I was correct and able to acquire good hot scrambled eggs from the truck). We signed out at 11:42pm after spending the day on the two scenes.
I noticed that 1st AD Brian Moon was wearing an awesome shirt (a black and white photo of early 20th century filmmakers, with a sign saying "Silence Behind the Camera"), which he told me that 2nd AD John Elmore had created (I'd hoped it'd just been someplace online as it'd make a great directors' gift).
While we were waiting in the court gallery, Brian had pleasantly asked us as to what plans anyone might have for the Memorial Day holiday weekend. I indicated my radio show, and as his curiosity was piqued, I provided him with my card with its information. Sitting next to me at this point was the pleasant fellow Taurus Jane Runnalls, a singer and vocal artist, with whom I shared a spirited [!] conversation about the paranormal as we waited between takes and set-ups.
We had two main scenes, and again I should be quite visible as in each of the court scenes in which I worked. The second scene, to which we'd just gotten as we hit overtime for the day, brought in Nick Nolte, right behind whom I sat, but not in such a way that I was continually blocked. John Nolan mentioned to me directly at one point that I was on camera, suggesting my reacting to one of the aspects of the trial that previously we'd been instructed to Go Bigger (due to the framing, I surmised).
Mike again drove me home. Early in the day he had been informed that sadly his backstory had been removed and he was No Longer Hazel Cole's lawyer as apparently Hazel would be too poor to afford a lawyer, so it would be highly unlikely he'd be back on Tuesday. Meanwhile, he'd made such a profound difference with Lily, that she really really hope he would be recalled for Tuesday.
So now I keep an eye out for an eventual release date, trailer/s, its release, et al.

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