Cold Case (2)

It was ‘Nobody Likes Lisa Night’. I have those kinds of calls now and then where I continually feel like a sixth grader raising my hand, waving it like mad while saying, “Pick me! Oh, pick me! Please!” and no one’s interested.

I got to the Warner Brothers lot more than an hour early because I’d expected to hit Friday traffic on the way in. But there was absolutely zero traffic. I drove between 55 and 60 the entire way there, intentionally getting behind semis just so I’d drive slower, but it was all to no avail. I was waaaaaaay early, but at least I could still get on the lot.

…That is if my stupid trunk would open. It took five whole minutes of jiggling the key in order to get the darn thing to open. (Yes, a new lock and key has now been ordered and should be arriving momentarily so I won’t have that stupid problem again.) Luckily, there was no one behind me waiting to get in. I was on a car call, so without my car, I could’ve been sent home, docked pay and probably banned from getting booked ever again. But all ended up just fine. The guards had a great sense of humor considering I was driving a ’68 convertible Mustang and wearing plaid burlap bell-bottoms.

But once on the lot, I got totally lost. The casting director had said to park in one certain spot, the guard at the gate had drawn me a map to another section and every time I stopped to talk to another guard, they either didn’t know where to send me or just pointed to keep me moving. I ended up on a side street in the backlot. Had I driven another block, I would have found a real parking lot and wouldn’t’ve had to worry about whether or not my car would be towed. But once again, all turned out well.

I grabbed all my junk and went to the wardrobe trailer to check-in. SAG background isn’t required to bring more than the clothes on our back, but I always bring more. I’ve got a huge wardrobe, so I might as well use it. And since I was supposedly only going to be driving through frame, I figured my stuff would be fine. Some of it was a tad fashion forward for 1968, but it wasn’t really that far off.

But wardrobe hated everything I’d brought. In turn, they gave me essentially a tent of a dress with a sash to try and make it look a little better. Oh well. I figured I’d be in a car. No one would see me in the ill-fitting dress anyway.

I shoved on to the hair trailer and the fellow was in absolute shock that us extras were in need of hairdos. He was a hoot while doing my hair, though. I was just thinking that everyone was putting in an awful lot of effort for someone who was only supposed to be driving through frame once.

While my masterpiece of a hairdo was being completed, Chad Lindberg [he played Jesse in Fast and the Furious] came in and started chatting up and running lines with the girl sitting next to me. He’s pretty cute in person and downright hilarious, joking around with the hairdressers and such. It was fun to be there and be invisible at the same time.

It wasn’t long after having my hair done that we were all shuttled to the set. I had to hike back and get my car, but there was enough time, so at least I didn’t have to run. And no one was mad at me for parking in the wrong spot. Luckily I wasn’t the only one. I was, however, the furthest one from the correct parking lot.

The A.D. asked for some cars. Mine, of course, was hated for one reason or another.

Then, he asked for extras. I, of course again, was hated. I sulked back to holding with my lower lip extended so far I nearly tripped over it. I looked the most 1968 out of everyone and yet I wasn’t wanted. Sigh. Pout.

After an hour in holding, I was called closer to set ‘just in case’. I remained there and was accosted by the wardrobe crew. Apparently, the reason I wasn’t chosen earlier was because I hadn’t been given a thick enough coat. The scene was supposed to be late autumn in Philadelphia but wardrobe had neglected coats on everyone. After trying on four coats, they finally found one that fit me. It was so great, I wanted to take it home with me. Red, white and blue plaid doubled up on itself. It’s too hard to describe, but it was really, really great and fit me like a glove.

But, I ended up sitting there in my makeshift holding close to set ‘just in case’ for another hour or so and never got used throughout all of the 1968 shots. Sigh.

Then, the AD looked at all the extras, pointed to me and had me sent back to wardrobe to change again. Sigh.

I rushed back to the set after my pants had been pinned up, no longer threatening to trip me. And I finally got used! Yaaaaay! I walked down the sidewalk with another fellow who had been wondering all night if he’d ever get used, too.

By two in the morning, I really didn’t care if I was ever gonna work, but was glad I finally did. Even if it was only walking two car lengths five times in a row.

But then, as if completing the cycle, after my scene was done, no one told me that I was wrapped. I wandered aimlessly for awhile before discovering that I could go home. It was pretty funny, actually. Once the last take was done, the whole crew just disappeared down a dark alley. The few of us extras that hadn’t heard the plan were apprehensive about following, but we had no idea what else to do. Thankfully, we didn’t get too far when an AD informed us we were allowed to drive back to base, get changed and check out.

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