Good Morning Miami

The following is an excerpt from an email I’d sent the day after this shoot:

I helped out with Good Morning Miami on Wednesday. I was off-screen sound effects so to speak. No big deal. Got to see Fran Drescher in person, though. She was really great.

Actually, I was paid to watch the show and laugh along with whatever was funny. Pretty silly when you think about it, but it was an easy day and I have yet to do another one like it. The warm-up comedian was great and was cracking some downright hilarious jokes. I recall bringing my notebook, but never getting it open because I was having so much fun.

Motorola

The following is an excerpt of an email I sent shortly after the shoot:

On Saturday, I was in a Motorola industrial commercial. I dunno where they’re gonna use it–trade shows or something perhaps. It was shot on digicams. They had something like 6 going nearly every take. And the director was rollerblading around with the camera as well. All in all, it was a pretty cool shoot.

I’d gotten out late from the Division [11:45PM] and had to be at Motorola early [6AM] so I only got about three and a half hours of sleep. So, because of that, I remained eager to do whatever they wanted. I was so sleepy just sittin’ around, that it was better to run around and make a fool of myself just so I’d manage to stay awake.

Anyhow, the commercial had a couple stunts. They did a 360 with a Mercedes and using a ramp, tipped over a stake bed truck- which dumped about 400 brightly colored bouncing balls [ranging in size from 6 to 16 inches in diameter] down the street.

As an extra, I was one of the people trying to escape the balls. So, I spent about 8 hours being pelted by rubber balls all the while trying to keep as many balls in the frame as possible and not get hurt.

I talked with the stunt guy in between takes as well. I went up to him afterward and asked if I could come back the following day and he said sure.

So, I hung out the following day and there was a stunt woman there who has been in the business forever, essentially. She was the stunt double for Will Robinson on Lost In Space. Yeah, she’s been around awhile.

Anyway, I spoke with her and she gave me the honest truth about women in the stunt world–not very encouraging, I might add–and we just talked in general about what to do in the Industry. I’m just gonna take it all as it comes. Mostly, she said not to give up my day job… 🙂

And believe me, I have zero plans for that!!!!!!

Surviving Christmas

We were all wearing winter coats and despite California weather, didn’t completely fry in the sun. For once, it was cool enough to wear gloves, ear muffs, and super-heavy coats.

It stars Ben Affleck and Christina Applegate. And James Gandolfini and I can’t remember the lady’s name, but she played Winona Ryder’s mom in Beetlejuice.

Anyhow, that shoot was mainly what I now affectionately call Background Pinball. The scene is outside between Ben and Christina and us extras are Christmas shopping/bustling in Chicago. So, there are stores we can walk into and stuff, well, what happens at these kinds of shoots is that you walk over to one side, they send you over to another and then from there, you go to a store perhaps and then back out to where you came from and keep trying to not get in the way or look like the same person bouncing from one side of the screen to the other.

In the scene with Ben, Christina, James, and the lady whose name escapes me, I walked so close to Ben and James that they nearly ran me over–talk about a heart attack for a background player. Getting in the way of principle actors is very, very bad, but the director didn’t get all pissed off and myself and the guy I walked with did the same move exactly the same each time so I guess it looked okay.

We were just following orders from the 2nd AD (assistant director) and we managed to get ourselves right there in front. I’m wearing a tacky patchwork leather coat that they gave me. It must have cost a fortune because the tag said Saks Fifth Avenue. I just thought it looked kinda silly, but oh well… I’ll probably go see this movie when it comes out. Or at least rent it.

I rented it and good golly, the movie is awful… But the screen captures I got of myself aren’t half bad.

Notice how my scarf is normal in the first one, then falling off in the second. I was secretly mortified as it was falling off and hoping that the camera hadn’t seen it…and hoping that it wouldn’t be in the finished product, but, well…there I am. Thankfully, it didn’t blow all the way off and wrap around Ben’s head!

This was also the bit where I had to dodge Ben. On the rehearsal, he didn’t gesture and he didn’t go as far up. But on the first take, he swung his arm out to gesture at something and nearly clothes-lined me. Luckily, either he saw me or I ducked or both and there was no collision. Whew!

Also, another silly thing about this shoot. Notice in the pic above my scarf falling off that the guy following me is carrying a red gas can? We had no idea why props gave him a gas can except that perhaps it was red and shaped like a shopping bag. However, it inspired us. Notice the keys in my hand? We pretended that I’d gone shopping and ran out of gas and he was a good samaritan helping me out. I was showing him where I’d parked and we joked that once my car was gassed up, I was just gonna leave him standing there.

Ah well. We had to keep ourselves entertained somehow between takes!

After the movie released, I heard that it bombed pretty hard. I suppose it doesn’t help that it was released in time for Halloween rather than Christmas, but hey, what do I know about this stuff?

The Guardian

This was my first official gig as an extra. I had no idea what to expect.

I reported to Sony Studios in Culver City almost an hour early in order to pass security and then find the correct soundstage. From there, I met a guy who must have somehow known I was a newbie. He was working as a stand-in as well as an extra. I was one of maybe 3 non-union extras. Everyone else was in SAG and I felt a little intimidated.

It was on this set that I learned that it’s very necessary to bring a book as the hours can be quite long and boring. Luckily, I did have a small notebook and pen with me and I scribbled until I could no longer see straight. For a first gig, it actually wasn’t half bad–a fair smattering of the best and worst scenarios. I was there for fifteen hours.

The following is an excerpt from an email I’d written the day after the gig: [Note: I watched the episode and didn’t see myself at all.]

I play a bum-like client of the legal firm on the show. You’ll recognize me in the background in that big beige jacket that my dad tried to discourage me from getting and my favorite ratty teal/navy blue/green plaid flannel shirt. Yeah, the costumer loved me–I didn’t quite look homeless and I had the right wardrobe for Philadelphia winter weather. Most of the extras on that show were union so I pumped them for as much information as possible. Actually, all the union players on that show were regulars on it as well.

There’s a scene in one lawyer’s office where the door is open and I’m standing there for nearly the whole time. I was trying not to laugh because the guy who was working with me kept drawing pictures, writing funny notes and saying some of the most off the wall stuff as well as bringing me this wad of fake hair. It was really a lot of fun and I hope that they were doing a close-up the one time that I actually did smile and nearly crack up. It was a hoot!

Thankfully, I never did completely crack up and during that one shot where even biting my lip couldn’t stop my smile, they were doing a close-up, and I couldn’t be seen at all.

Whew! As far as antics, this was also one of my favorite gigs. Between the tic-tac-toe game, smiley faces and that silly wad of fake hair, I have yet to have another experience that nearly had me laughing out loud.

AUSA and Scott Foley

This is a Tale where both Jen and Lisa were involved. We’ve both written our side of the story–since there really are two sides to this Tale!

Jen’s version:

I’ve been in love with Scott Foley for years. There’s something about his smile, the twinkle in his eyes…he makes me happy. It’s not like a deep lust thing, it’s more of a “I know I’d feel safe and content and happy around him” thing. In December 2002, I was having a really stressful week although I can’t even remember now what was going on. Lisa called me with the news that she’d gotten us tickets to see the filming of AUSA, Scott’s new sitcom. I was so excited, bouncing all over the house. I arranged a babysitter and was all good to go.

The morning of the filming came and I started throwing up, violently. My temperature soared to 103. The stomach flu had hit me with a vengeance. I was, of course, depressed and mad. I called Lisa, told her I couldn’t make it but that she better go and take notes. Then later I dropped her an email, and the last line of the email I jokingly said, “Have Scott call me.”

When my husband came home from work that night I went to bed. I’d been so sick all day I could barely stand up. Now, mind you, when I’m that sick and running a fever, I tend to hallucinate. At around 10:40 that night, my hubby came into the room and woke me up, handing me the phone. “Honey, I think Scott Foley is on the phone for you.” I was wayyyy out of it, had been deeply asleep in weird, hallucination like dreams. But I still got the meaning behind his words, and struggled to remember if I’d told him about what I’d written to Lisa. He handed me the phone and I very tentatively said, “Hello?”

There was a man on the phone, and he told me who he was, but at the time I didn’t understand a word of it. I finally got that he was going to transfer me to Scott Foley.

I recognized Scott’s voice as soon as he picked up the phone. I can’t remember exactly what we talked about although I’m sure Lisa can fill in some of the blanks. I remember he asked why I wasn’t there at the taping and I told him I had the stomach flu. He invited me to come to a taping in January, and said he looked forward to meeting me. I know we talked for about a minute, with my heart beating like crazy in my chest, but I never once said anything that would make me sound like a fool. I don’t know how I managed that.

Of course as soon as I hung up the phone, I had to throw up. LOL! And it wasn’t from nerves, it was my damn flu. Then I went out and told my hubby that I’d talked to Scott Foley and he was incredibly nice, and then I fell back to sleep. It was definitely an interesting experience, I just wish I could remember it better!

Then in January I went to see Scott in person. I spent eight hours watching them tape AUSA…and was excited when Jennifer Garner showed up on set for six of those hours to spend time with her hubby. They were so incredibly cute and loving together, which was why when I heard three months later that they were separating I went into shock. When I met Scott, he remembered me from the phone call, and we spent a few minutes chatting. He is truly one of the two nicest guys I’ve ever met in Hollywood (the other being James Marsters “Spike” from Buffy and Angel).

I went again to the taping a week later, spoke with him again and he signed my first season Felicity DVD for me. He actually signed it twice, the first time he signed it on the outside of the box and because of the glossy exterior it immediately beaded up. He wrote, “Jennifer~You are a woman of your word! Best wishes! Scott Foley” Then because it had beaded up and he was afraid it would come off, heopened it to the inside and signed, “Jennifer, thanks for watching~for everything! Scott Foley”

Unfortunately, life got busy after that and I was unable to attend anymore tapings of AUSA before the show was cancelled. I’m so glad I got to meet him twice and talk to him on the phone. I appreciate him even more now and will always support his career.

Jen (Scott Foley fan!!!!)
(the far from normal but not as weird half of Ashleigh Raine)

Lisa’s Version:

Just for the fun of it, I managed to dig the email out of my archives:

WAH!

I was just watching last night’s rerun of Friends and it showed a commercial for A.U.S.A. Scott is so fucking hot in a suit. I’m going to cry now…but if I cry I’ll probably puke again. This really sucks. Kiss Scott for me. If you become fast friends with him, have him call me and wish me well (j/k)

J

Well, J, you basically said it all, but here’s how it all happened from my point of view…

I’d never been to a sitcom taping before, so I had no idea what to expect. Anyway, when the warm-up commedian guy started calling people’s friends and families and essentially joking with them, I thought it might be a fun thing to call Jen since she’d really wanted to be there. I spent nearly the entire night trying to get the warm-up guy’s attention, but he never looked my way until late. I told him the quick little story that Jen was sick, but she’d wanted to be there. I had no idea it was going to get any bigger than the warm-up guy talking to Jen.

Anyhow, when the guy dialed Jen’s number, it occured to me that Alex would answer the phone and just as I was about to warn the guy, Alex picked up, so I had to think fast…and holler super loud because I wasn’t real close to the warm-up guy.

I said, “That’s Alex. Tell him Scott Foley’s here. Tell him it’s Lisa and that I’m at AUSA and Scott Foley’s here.” The warm-up guy said, “Huh?” in between talking to Alex, and I replied, “TELL HIM SCOTT FOLEY’S HERE!!!!!!”

At my loud little holler, Mr. Foley himself looked up and said, “What?” And my face immediately turned fourteen shades of crimson. Then, he walked toward the audience and said, “You want me to talk to someone on the phone? Okay.”

So, at that point, the warm-up guy had explained what was going on to Alex and I’m sitting there in utter disbelief that the little quip from Jen’s email is coming true.

Then, Scott asked, “What’s her name?” I hollered, “Jen!” and he replied, “Whoa. Good name.” His smile bright…clearly his marriage to Jen Garner was still happy. Then, Jen got on the phone and Scott started talking to her.

All the while, my fingers were crossed, hoping she wouldn’t be so sick that she’d say something completely idiotic. I was really worried. She sounded sick, but decently coherent. I was actually impressed.

After the call, I thanked him and he was incredibly sweet about the whole thing, inviting us back to see another taping and all. I was practically quaking in my boots because I had no idea it would all escalate quite like that. The man is an absolute sweetheart.

Later on, I checked my voicemail. Jen’s message started out, “I don’t know how you did it, but I was only kidding in my email…”

Now, we’ve come to the realization that when I’m involved, absolutely anything is possible. Craziness happens to me on a daily basis and adding Jen into that mix makes for an even wilder time without my even trying. Of course, now the ‘have him call me’ line is our running joke whenever one of us is going to be near a celebrity. Hey, it happened once, there’s no reason it couldn’t happen again! 🙂

Lisa
[the weird Raine half of Ashleigh Raine]