Rolling Rolling

My brother asked me to chronicle my various times on a set of a film or television show. As you know, you usually have to signed a non-disclosure agreement stating you can't tweet/blog/write/take pics/semaphore/smoke signals/ Morse Code....etc anything about the scenes....so I will try my best to give an overview of a day in the life of a Background Actor (I was told not to use "Extra").   My last call was for a movie in Atlanta.  The call time was in the late afternoon, we are told to expect at least a 12 hour shoot...putting cut time at around 4-5 A.M.  I actually prefer late shoots...I would rather get home at 4 A.M. then leave at 2 A.M. .....


So you arrive a little before call time....sign in and fill out paper work  (I-9, Tax info, citizenship/residency,  sometimes age requirements, non-disclosure agreements, waiver of use of image and likeness).
The location was a very pretty rented church, so we parked there and dinner was in their fellowship hall.  So next was dinner...by far the best craft services EVER!!!!  I mean full service food tables, sushi table, carving station (as one who doesn't eat a lot of meat and no red meat, it was welcome sight to see fish!)  Full table of desserts (ever strong willed resisted) and even a band. It was great.

Usually it is a hurry up and wait! So this time was no different...it was 4 hours until we were taken by bus to set. (can't say where or who was there but it was neat)...the shoot was actually a re-shoot from a previous scene....
The Assistant Production Director was our handler...he broke us up into groups (as a Star Wars fan we were named different Star Wars Characters, the jaba's, the ewok's...etc etc)...we served as background patrons at a park....back and forth....back and forth...it truly is so much fun....there is a pause to switch camera angles and shots....you learn a lot of movie magic just being on set.  The positive thing was it was just two scene shot....we called it a little before midnight....it was a quick and fun shoot. You get an opportunity to meet some neat people and at the very least, it's nice to say you did it!

up next....two day shoot next week!