Hello I’m Stan Talmadge

The title of this feature film changed a few times during the booking-through-shooting process. I believe the word “Stan” was the only word that did not change, but I didn’t want to title this entry that simply. It would’ve felt weird, I guess. I dunno.

What I do know is that Los Alamitos is a long way from where I live. Even without traffic (thank goodness for an 11:30AM call time!!!), it took almost an hour and a half to get to the location. I always give myself about 2 hours to get where I’m going unless I know I’ll be an hour and forty-five early. In those instances, I give myself a full hour just in case. Sometimes, the simplest shoots turn out to be an adventure just finding the set.

Needless to say, I got there a little early so I sat in my ’68 Mustang fastback (the car they’d booked for the show) and read further into _Theatre Lighting in the Age of Gas_. Limelight and caron-arc fascinate me.

After getting a little lost in the motel complex, I found the catering area and had myself some breakfast while awaiting the usual doling out of vouchers followed by the inevitable escort to wardrobe. It was a small call. Only seven extras, most of us with old cars. The scene we were to work on took place in 1979.

And I wish I’d known it was supposed to be 1979 before I got there. The recorded information just said, “Bring 70s clothes. Do the best you can.” Well, when they say that, they don’t assume that I’ve got essentially the contents of a wardrobe trailer in my closets and can usually pinpoint the exact year back to 1968 or so. Most of the “70s” shoots I’ve been on want the ’70-’75 look, not the late ’70s look. Ugh. I had all sorts of great stuff I could’ve brought, but figured they wouldn’t use it.

Oh well. The costumer was okay with my light blue T-shirt and wraparound denim skirt. It wasn’t the best outfit, but it certainly wasn’t the worst.

It took awhile to get through hair and then make-up because the principal actors were also in the trailer, but I eventually emerged with a wacky hairdo and pink lips. All was well except that it was a little cold due to the sea breeze. The ocean was essentially across the street.

I worked the very top of the day. Me and another guy walked through frame maybe six or seven times. Just enough to make my feet tired of standing in my heels. (A favorite pair of mine, no less, that I usually have trouble matching to outfits because they are multi-colored in red, yellowish, blue and green while most of my ’70s clothes are brown and beige. They probably didn’t really match the outfit of the day, but since I was wearing a denim skirt and they were cute shoes, all was well.)

Okay, now we get into the rest of my day…

I read my book while sitting in holding. Occasionally, they had me pull my car into frame and park it, but out of the five times they had me do that, I had to pull it back out four times. They did finally use it in the last setup, though. I was beginning to wonder.

Regular day. Not much action. Not too bad overall except I was a little cold.

The Great Buck Howard

Why is it that 5:30AM call times feel eons earlier than even 6AM call times? Is it because for some reason getting up at 4AM is that much later than 3:30AM? I just don’t get it.

Anyway, I was a college student on The Great Buck Howard…except that I don’t think I’ll make it in the movie during the two scenes I was there for.

This was part of an opening montage-type group of fast scenes. I never made it into the first scene. I was always standing in line, waiting to go next, but they always cut just before I’d step into frame. Oh well. I don’t get irritated over that kind of thing. I’m there to do a job whether or not I make it on camera.

In the next scene, I was ultra-deep background. Why does that keep happening? I have no idea. Once again, I don’t care, but it does get a little annoying or maybe I’m taking it personally like I think they think I’m ugly or something… Just kidding. I mean, really, who wants to be waaaaaay in the back when all the action is happening a hundred feet away?

But I did my little cross anyway. If they use the tail end of the takes, I’m right there in the middle of the frame almost. Me and all the real UCLA students who were going to class.

Yeah, they didn’t shut down the place. They put up signs that said essentially, “We’re filming a movie. If you walk here, you might be filmed. If that bothers you, don’t walk here.” Honestly, having the real students there did fill out the scene quite well. It’d just be weird to go see the movie and learn I was in it while heading to my Underwater Basket-weaving class.

After those two scenes were done, they had more to do, but I was free to go…and glad for it. That was two short gigs in a row. I’m guessing the next one will be 16 hours… My luck has to change soon.