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| ...the movie-making experience...
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I was blessed to be signed to do a brief appearance last week (Oct. 2006) in an upcoming major studio movie in New York City. My first trip ever to Le Pomme Grande.
Making a movie seems very much like what I saw at a nuclear power plant back in 1981, when I was product manager for a turbine lube oil conditioner, a product that takes water and dirt out of the lubricating oils used in the steam turbines. 5,000 people standing around and pointing. Then, suddenly, things happen, and it's over. Think North Korea without the frivolity.
It was a lot of fun, and I got to meet the star of the movie and got to see Kevin Kline from across the street at the end of the day while waiting for my ride to LaGuardia. He was standing with Jana, the production assistant who guided me through my experience, and she waved, he didn't. He did look through me, though. Ha! He was kind enough to stand still long enough for me to snap a photo.
No makeup, no blow-drying of my hair, just a costume. First they wanted a black jogging suit and a baseball cap (U.S.S. John F. Kennedy carrier, I chose, because, hey, HE would have chosen it lol!) and sunglasses. Then, on-set, they decided to go with the gray suit (stands out better against the black suits of the 'secret service'...). The director saw my sunglasses and said, "Great idea! He would wear sunglasses, yeah..." and the star said, "No! Don't you remember the video? It's his eyes! We want to see his eyes!" "Oh, yes, of course."
I wore the sunglasses.
The director walked out from behind the camera and up the hill to me and thanked me and shook my hand and said, "great job, and thank you for coming on such short notice" when we were done shooting my scene. Does this mean he was satisfied? Have to hope so. This was after about 25 or 30 rehearsals of it while we ran (jogged down a hill, turned right around a curve at the junction, ran up the hill and out of sight) through the scene and set up the blocking for the camera and all, and about a dozen live takes from a few different angles as well. My whole bit was: the star is walking up one path in Central Park, and around the corner ahead of him comes 7 Secret Service agents in jogging suits surrounding Bill Clinton, also in a jogging suit, enjoying his morning run. The star calls out to him, but I am rounding a curve and heading away from him at this point, and cast a glance toward him and then wave as we continue to run up the hill and away.
On the third run-through, apparently the action director told the 3 guys in front of me to stop on a mark and hold. Didn't tell me. Now imagine 6,000 pounds of muscle-bound Secret Service actor-types...very dense mass, if you know what I mean. I bounced off them like a cue ball. Ain't physics great? Force, moment.
"We don't want to see your face...make sure you have someone between you and the camera as you're running through this...just little glimpses of you as you run by..." Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...okay.
"What's that gesture he makes? (the thumbs up sign) Yeah, that's it! Do that!"
"Other hand."
"No, wave instead."
"Other hand."
"Now, glance over and then wave as you continue jogging away."
"Perfect!"
"Run a little faster, all of you."
I had to strip out of the black suit into the grey suit out in the middle of everything and everyone. No big deal, although I grossed out a bum sleeping on one of the benches...
"Try it with the sunglasses..."
Cut. Print. Next scene, please.
What a hoot. Odd way to make a living, but fun, in an "I'm totally expendable and possibly a cutting-room floor candidate" kinda way. Works for me.
The movie is called "Definitely/Maybe" and will be released sometime either in 2007 or early 2008. It's a romantic comedy type thing. The star was the lead in "National Lampoon's Van Wilder," a movie I've not seen, but I recognized his face instantly, if not his name. I was taking the first photo of him and he said, "Are you waiting for a picture?" just as I snapped it. I said, thank you, got it. He said, "Oh, you're the Bill Clinton guy!" Why, yes, I am. He said, "I saw your video. You do a great Bill Clinton." Very nice to meet you, Mr. Reynolds.
I had my own cubicle in the "Honey Wagon" with almost my name on the door... lol! Not enough room to swing a dead cat in, frankly.
Almost everyone was really nice to me, although all the extras wanted to know if I was in SAG, how I should fill out my paperwork, and hey, you should be in the union..the first words out of one the 'Secret Service' guy's mouth to me were..."You're a lot fatter than he is." The next thing he said was, "Yeah, I guess you look like him...maybe...a little...maybe...I don't know...maybe..." So nice to meet him, too. Overall, though, delightful people, every one.
In any case, it was a whirlwind trip. I got to my hotel room about 2:30 am, had a sandwich delivered, crashed until 7 am, was on set by about 8:30 for a 9 am call. Got to my scene about 2:30 in the afternoon. Got to the airport after driving through upper Manhattan, then through Harlem (saw the Apollo Theater!), then to LaGuardia. Home in bed at 2 am. LaGuardia and United do not a good mix make. Several flights cancelled into Chicago before mine, then a half-empty plane for us that sat on the tarmac for an hour and a half before taking off, then a holding pattern of over an hour. A little rain and some fog in Chicago...ahhh, New York. Wish I could have seen more of it. Did drive through Times Square on the way to the hotel, so I can die now.
And so it begins...here's hoping it's more than just a freak flash in the pan, but even so, what an experience.
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Posted by Clintondouble on 2007-12-06 09:47:41 | Rating: | Views: 72
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