Smokin’ Aces

Let me just say that this was one of my most surreal gigs…not in what happened or what didn’t happen, just in the way it felt to be there.

I had a 7 AM call time in a place that even without traffic takes about an hour and change to get to. I left at 5 and got lost in the fog, discovered I was given the wrong address and then finally found my way to crew parking.

…Where I pulled my ’68 Mustang into a space, got out and started unloading my baggage. (I dunno why I felt the need to bring that much crap this time, but oh well.) As I pulled my stuff out of my trunk, the fellow who’d parked his truck next to mine complimented my car. That was a very nice way to start a day. I was quite happy and looking forward to working.

I had the usual sign in, go to wardrobe rigamarole–nothing new there–except maybe that wardrobe liked my clothes. That was fun. I thought I’d end up changing because my sweater was kind of bright, but the costumer just had me put on one of my jackets over it. Cool deal. I sat in holding and waited to be brought to the set.

When the magic moment happened and we all filed into the diner and met the A.D., Steve, who’d be placing us, I was glad to discover that he was the fellow who’d complimented my car earlier. This was gonna be a great day.

Except that this was also one of those calls where I couldn’t figure out why I was there. My look wasn’t quite the same as everyone else’s and it became painfully magnified as Steve put together groups of people to sit in the diner booths. I ended up odd and following him around anxiously because usually whenever I get left out, I get just that–left out and forgotten. I get paid either way, but if I’m gonna get my ass up at 4AM to be somewhere, I better get used at least once!

At one point, he looked directly at me and out of the blue said something like, “Don’t worry. I’ll place you. Probably not until after the first rehearsal, though, so just sit tight.”

The thought that went through my head was, “HOLY SHIT! He read my mind! I LIKE THIS GUY!!!!!” And honestly, it’s rare to work for an A.D. who’s that attentive, doesn’t roll his or her eyes when the extras file in, and is above all at least trying to have fun despite the fact that making movies is serious business and very hard work. Oh hell yes, I was gonna have a great day.

I eventually got placed in a booth by myself and all was well. The scene involved Alicia Keyes and a couple other actors I didn’t recognize.

My remaining dilemma was business…what kind of business did I have by myself? The prop guy gave me a menu. Steve directed a woman acting as a waitress to come take my order. Another waitress came by with a coffee cup. But the scene kept on going and I needed something to keep myself occupied.

I pulled open my purse and started rummaging through. Unfortunately, I hadn’t put much in it and this wasn’t the kind of diner where I could whip out my palm pilot. I settled for my little notebook and pen.

That was what I did for the rest of that scene. After lunch (which oddly featured a bizarre extra singing songs I’d heard a billion times while playing his guitar and I think my ears might be permanently scarred, but oh the joys of being a background actor and being exposed to the surreal) I stayed in holding for about four hours and rewrote a scene of Otherness: Rift.

Right when the end of the day started looming, I got called back in to the set. This time, Steve put me at a different booth, but I did the same business. I was in super-ultra-deep background and the camera probably only saw me for a split second anyway. My tablemate read the paper and I doodled more in my notebook.

And here–in near entirety–is what I wrote during my entire time on set: [I left it stream of consciouness like in the notebook and I also need to warn you that there are several very boring passages, but they accurately show my state of mind, lack of sleep and some of the boredom that frequently goes through an extra’s head if he or she isn’t involved very deeply in a scene or near the camera.]

Smokin’ Aces today. November 15, I think. The A.D.–Steve is hot and likes my car. I parked next to him in the crew parking lot. It’s such a shame that I can’t really work much on Otherness: Rift today. This just isn’t the kind of place I can pull out my palm pilot. Ah well. Hopefully this scene won’t take forever. It’s pretty wide right now and I dunno how much I’ll be used in the rest of it. Still the most important item of the day is that the A.D. is hot. So is the boom operator. He stands next to me at the top of each take. We’re on 6. Now they slightly moved the camera and are still going. Oh boy. It’s roughly 10:30 AM. I wish I were done. Something just went wrong. A waitress missed her cue and now I still have a menu. Oh well. It’s certainly not the end of the world. I’m still writing and having a good time. It’s like these gigs just suck a day of my life into oblivion. I don’t know why it feels that way, but it does. Another take. I keep writing. I’m finally getting bored through lack of sleep. I had tea on the way over here but it’s wearing off. So totally wearing off. Let me ponder [my book] for another moment.

Same day. Later time. Got roped into coming back in here. I guess I wasn’t meant to leave in time to get another scene of Otherness: Rift done. I dunno. I feel like I’m where I need to be. I suppose I could’ve hunted through my purse a little longer on this take so I wouldn’t be writing as much. I can’t believe how bored I am now. I suppose I need caffeine, but still. I’m dyin’ here. I could write another section about how hot Steve is. It’s his blue eyes, hard-working attitude, and his choice in glasses–stylishly wide and I dunno–he’s hot. Simply hot. Steve just told me that one of the waitresses is actually Alicia Keyes’s mom. Little bit of trivia there, huh? I dig it. I still find that stuff fun, but I don’t usually hear it on the set. I ususally hear it later, or I’m the one who’d gotten the little bit of trivia. I could be wrong, but she either got a line, too, or she just had a line delivered to her. I don’t recognize the actors in this scene. They do look familiar, but I don’t know who they are. Side note: Last time I came here to Downey, I was auditioning for Lemony Snickett. That was a while ago. I still think Steve is hot. That’s–he’s–my theme for today. I could write about other stuff, but my brain is mush and he happens to be working nearby. Yeah, there’s tons of people and other things to look at, but the ancient, wilted salad in front of me honestly can’t hold my attention like Steve can. Alicia Keyes’s mom has pretty eyes. They sparkle. The number one reason why Steve is hot is because he read my mind earlier. He knew I was following him because I was waiting for him to set me. He knew. And that was incredibly hot. He didn’t forget about me, either. That was hot, too. Damn, his hotness is easy to quantify. I like his happy personality, too. That’s nice. Otherwise this would feel more like work. Way too much like work. My tablemate is coloring a placemat. Obviously, the camera can’t see us. A grip (I think, but can’t remember which equipment I’ve seen him carrying) originally brought the crayons to me.

And there you have it…my time on Smokin’ Aces!!!!

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