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Wednesday August 07, 2013
A characteristic Short Day
Sometime the previous week my calling service called for the always awesome
Carla
(who was a big propenent for
Strictly Background,
and had had it screened when she worked at HollywoodOS),
clarifying that I was available on the 7th for the feature
Wish I Was Here,
the background for which Carla was booking.
I was available and awaiting the information that was received Tuesday night.
Shooting in Pasadena, Carla had forwarded the map that crew would have received, pointing out the location and the crew parking
(from which they'd shuttle people to the location).
I checked and found that going to crew parking would take two buses, the second from which would take about a half mile hike.
Going directly to the location would take the Red and Gold Line trains, and be about 200 feet from the South Pasadena/Mission Street station.
I asked when I confirmed, and Carla let me know heading straight to location would work fine.
The finalized calltime was 7:30am; I arrived just about 7am, enjoying a nice hot breakfast.
The location was a building generally leased out for filming, and to their credit, craft services was set up in the same room as our Holding area.
Also booked were friends
Carol Woodle
and
Nancy Atalla,
along with
Strictly Background
alumnus
Louis McCarten.
Most of us were already aware that this feature was co-wrote and being directed by
Zach Braff
(who was also starring in it).
I had not been aware it had been funded as a
Kickstarter campaign.
With a $2,000,000 goal, the campaign raised $3,105,473
(while
Jim Parsons
was cast in the feature, he was not working the day I worked).
Wardrobe declared my tweed-jacket/burgundy
bow-tie
outfit as "so cute," even reaffirming this later on set during Last Looks.
We were told early on that as there were only two scenes being filmed, and we'd been needed briefly in each, that most likely it would "be a short day" for us.
Technically, this was implying we could be done by noon, though those of us seasoned in such announcements joked that it probably meant a nine hour day as opposed to thirteen
(most were wrapped at around 4:30pm;
I was with the final four, wrapped just over ten hours "at" 5:54pm).
(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.)
I was selected first for the office.
For what seems like an establishing shot, I sit in a cubicle closest to the camera in the large room's corner, taking in the whole office as it rises or lowers
(as I'm focused on my work at my desk and my computer monitor I don't yet officially know if the shot is going up or down, though I'd presume rising up).
Whilst they were just about ready, right next to the camera and my cublical, co-star
Kate Hudson
was given her DWP work badge, as had everyone else from props
(not like it could ever read on screen, but my own badge-name was Dave Wood).
Then the normal Waiting in holding.
The hour lunch was called at 2pm, with some fabulous tri-tip steak.
Carol took note of the
Metaboliq
shakes I take with meals, and promised to
look at the information
towards regaining her own youth's health.
Crafty had three large cooler bins, one with regular soda, one with water bottles, and one with the well-known
dangerously unhealthy versions
of soda included, which people still insist on ingesting.
The room itself had nearly zero circulation, which probably was due to the twenty or so backgrounders there, so drinking water and soda was close to an all-day affair.
Along with three other backgrounders, I was selected for the last bit, the rest of the background being wrapped, still with some nice overtime.
It was just our doing some crosses to give some movement in the back beyond the opening door or an office.
I had already found the film's
Facebook page,
with which Zach Braff is using to promote the film big-time whilst it is being made, creating a grassroots following.
As of this entry, there is no official release date, though apparently the target area goal was set for
September 2014.
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