Wednesday August 03, 2011
Booked; shoot
The night before, at an uncharacteristic 10:05pm, my calling service contacted me to notify me that via Rich King, I was booked for the next day on a project called Utopia; on calling the information number it still sounded like Utopia; as a "Congregant" for a bar mitzvah, we had a 7am calltime at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple (along with the admonition to have "already have breakfast," meaning none would be provided).
It was easy enough to arrive by 6:40am, there learning that the film's title, as it were, is being as flexible as was Stealing Harvard for a time. Apparently its working title would either be Jewtopia or O'Connell & Lipschitz (the latter of which being the "title" pre-placed onto our vouchers).
My regular suit jacket was swapped out for a dark navy jacket of theirs, my own dress shirt and burgundy bow-tie retained.
Eventually a few of us were called in by PA Shauna, who had me do some Stand-In work for a Featured Background [!], playing a cantor. I was assured at the end of the day I'd get a bump to match Stand-In work rate, but while it was reminded, as I was being signed out they had a problem with the fact one can use an expired passport as domestic identifaction on an "I-9 form" (regularly inapplicable for private sector workers), the possibility exists the bump might have been "overlooked."

(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.)

Without giving away too much, obviously, during his bar mitzvah, young Adam Lipschitz (played by Austin Abrams), gets a bit... overly concerned regarding the proceedings.
Playing his parents were Rita Wilson and the always funny John Lovitz. The lovely and talented Jennifer Love Hewitt is also in the cast and while she happened to walk by momentarily, she was otherwise not being utilized during this scene. She smiled as she passed, but more in politeness than one of recognition.
Lunch was called precisely at the six hour mark, and we wrapped just before the eight hour mark, signed out at eight hours.
After lunch I was brought up onto the "stage" of the temple and was seated in one of the main "in-laid chairs" along the wall. At "action," another couple came up, greeted the cantor, and came and sat in the other two chairs, next to me (the main action of this distinctively Other Scene, with Wendie Malick, Ivan Sergei and Phil Rosenthal was on the audience floor in front of the "stage"). As there was so much time, the gentleman, Dave Fogel, introduced himself.
It turned out Dave was the film's director/co-writer Bryan Fogel's father, doing a cameo along with his wife. The two of them did quite well, if they're not normally actors; each take they did their same actions, the majority of which (beyond where to stop walking, before coming over to sit down), was not specified.
After a few different coverage angles and takes. As the rabbi, Phil Rosenthal began stumbling over a funny statement numerous times.
Between takes Dave leaned over as I quietly pointed out, "This is how DVDs get gag reels..."
Getting back afterwards was far easier than with recent film work that provided wonderful overtime. Before being booked I had planned to cash my private-sector compensation for labour payment from one of the recent projects' private-sector work, and I had on me those checks from the two day's of work. Ironically I should have shown them as I signed out, to demonstrate further that the same payroll company for both that and this production lawfully complies with law and my using my passport as identification.

Friday March 30, 2012
Some preview publicity
IMDB posted a link to an EW.com online article titled First Look: Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Rita Wilson in 'Jewtopia', relaying such information as it premiering April 26 at the Newport Beach Film Festival.

Thursday April 12, 2012
Newport Beach premier
With the previous day's shoot having me miss the free screening of the student film Drowned (on which I worked),
Our director emailed us with information about the next big event for the short subject: that Drowned had also been selected at the Newport Beach Film Festival in Orange County between April 26th and May 3rd: Drowned would be screened on May 3rd at 4pm at the Triangle Square Cinemas 1 (1870 Harbor Boulevard in Costa Mesa), in the block of shorts called "What She Did for Short," and the twelve dollar tickets could be purchased in advance.
I also noticed that April 26th at the Newport Beach festival they would be premiering Jewtopia, but with a $125 opening-night ticket price, I felt it might be more financially prudent to await its release in theatres.