I have a long mental (and also somewhat written down) list of things I'd like to do at some time in my life. Once upon a time "knit a sweater" was on this list - and I did that a year and a half ago. A couple weeks ago, I checked off another item from my "to do" list: I was in a movie!
I've wanted to be an extra for several years. Not so I can break into Hollywood or anything extravagant like that. I just always wondered what it was like to make a movie. I know it's not all that people dream it will be like - it's not fun all the time (and, according to some, not fun most of the time). Yet, I wondered what exactly it was like. I've considered contacting Someone (I once knew who this was...don't now) in the Pittsburgh area who had Some Connections and helped find extras for motion pictures being shot in the are. I never did.
Then, a movie needing extras landed in my lap! My roommate Ren shot me an email saying a friend of hers was looking for extras for his independent movie. I kept being out of town every weekend when they needed people, but finally one Friday night in February, I was around and they needed people for their evening shoot.
I drove to the set location, which was an apartment building in an area of town called Shadyside, my car filled with various clothes that fit the description the costume manager had requested - business casual in neutral colors. Being the very non-good-dresser I am, that meant I had no idea what to wear, so I basically threw in half of my closet. What I should have done was to put all of those clothes on, because I spent the majority of the bitterly cold evening standing outside waiting for some instruction, and I was C.O.L.D!
The movie is entitled "Grace" (at least for now) and is a murder mystery with what sounds like a lot of twists. I got to see two scenes being worked on in front of the apartment building - one of which I was in! The things that struck me most about the shooting of the scenes were 1) the lighting - how detailed it had to be - how lights in the wrong places made bad glare in the wrong places or ugly shadows in the wrong places. And there were SO many people holding lights and probably other things, too, like microphones or something; 2) the repetition...each scene took about 20 shots. This wasn't so surprising, but the fact that each time the actors acted out the scene in each of these shots, it had to be similar, if not identical. My job was to walk down the stairs inside the apartment building and go out the door, down the steps, and to the sidewalk past the acting couple standing outside. I was praised for doing it the same way every time. ??? I guess I have skill; 3) the discomfort - it's a lot of standing around...waiting...listening to the directors and camera people and other individuals discuss the best way to do something, what they didn't like about this or that, what to do next - my legs got tired, I got tired, and it was really cold. I felt especially bad for the actors who had to look like they were mildly appeased even though they had on no hat and it was 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Despite all the non-glamour, it was fun, and I'd definitely do it again, although preferably inside as opposed to out. The thing I was happiest about was that I managed to get my knitting into the shot - I wore a hat and mittens I had knit, and I actually carried my red bag o' knitting with me as I sauntered out the door and down the steps. Yay, knitting!
I'll let you know if and when the movie ever comes out. Then...look out - I'll be FAMOUS! (not really).
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