My First Overnight Shoot
Last Friday was a very long day for me. After putting in a full day at work, followed by a Women's Hockey Game against Carleton (final score Gee-Gees 4 - Carleton 0, yay!), I quickly left for the Chateau Laurier and some background work for a CBC miniseries.
Now the scene we would be shooting was set 1961 which gave me my first perk of the evening: H/MU/W or Hair, Makeup and Wardrobe for the unfamiliar. It is so much fun to feel like you are playing dress-up and to get pampered by the hair and makeup department. Even a lowly chambermaid like myself felt like she was getting special treatment.
Perk number two came when I realized that I would be paid on a YELLOW voucher. Basically, this means that they do not have enough union people to fill up their quota in the extras department and therefore have to treat some non-union background actors as if they were union (salary et al.)
We were shooting a party scene in the Chateau Laurier's pool area and it was pretty impressive watching the stunt double fall in from the balcony above us as the "dead body" in the pool.
While, I had a good time, there were some lowpoints to it all. First of all, a lot of people seemed to have idea that we would be there all night. A lot of them were also complaining about the amount of time they had to wait around for. I mean, come on, if you want to make it film, get used to waiting around. Also, you're an extra, not the star of the show. Nobody cares if you're tired. In fact, they are probably just as tired as you. Sheesh.
A few hours into the shoot, they decided that I would not be a maid anymore, but rather one of the rich girls at the party. I was kinda excited when they told me that because they had all these pretty vintage dresses for people to wear. Unfortunately, it seems women in the 1960s weren't able to squat 135 pounds. I can. And therefore my ass was way too big for most of the dresses they had me try on (I was also off on my measurements by 3 or 4 inches, but honestly, who knew your hips were suppose to be that low?) So that got me a little depressed when we finally settled on a cream number with a flowy bottom.
Then, when the wardrobe mistress brought me down to the director to approve my outfit, I spent the most agonizing 20 seconds of my life. As I stand before him, I can literally see the unspoken words going through his eyes. It kinda went like this: "Who the hell is this? Why is she standing here? What the hell is she wearing?" Finally, after what felt like forever, the wardrobe mistress speaks up. "You like it, right? Yeah, you like it." The uncertainty of that statement must have shown in my face because he finally spoke up and said: "Yeah, you look fine."
To make matters worse, the 3rd A.D. removed one girl who was leaning against a wall and put me there instead. All of a sudden, the thunder roared: "Who the hell is this? Where the hell did that blond girl go? I told you I wanted a blond!"
Damn
To be fair, this was their last day of shooting after about a month or so. And he did yell alot, at everyone, not just me. But still. Now I feel like my ass is too big AND I have the wrong hair colour.
Anyway, all that aside, it was a lot of fun. I relish any opportunity to hang out on set because I consider everyone a learning opportunity. I'm also very glad to see that more and more stuff is coming to Ottawa. Now if I could only get my union card.
Now the scene we would be shooting was set 1961 which gave me my first perk of the evening: H/MU/W or Hair, Makeup and Wardrobe for the unfamiliar. It is so much fun to feel like you are playing dress-up and to get pampered by the hair and makeup department. Even a lowly chambermaid like myself felt like she was getting special treatment.
Perk number two came when I realized that I would be paid on a YELLOW voucher. Basically, this means that they do not have enough union people to fill up their quota in the extras department and therefore have to treat some non-union background actors as if they were union (salary et al.)
We were shooting a party scene in the Chateau Laurier's pool area and it was pretty impressive watching the stunt double fall in from the balcony above us as the "dead body" in the pool.
While, I had a good time, there were some lowpoints to it all. First of all, a lot of people seemed to have idea that we would be there all night. A lot of them were also complaining about the amount of time they had to wait around for. I mean, come on, if you want to make it film, get used to waiting around. Also, you're an extra, not the star of the show. Nobody cares if you're tired. In fact, they are probably just as tired as you. Sheesh.
A few hours into the shoot, they decided that I would not be a maid anymore, but rather one of the rich girls at the party. I was kinda excited when they told me that because they had all these pretty vintage dresses for people to wear. Unfortunately, it seems women in the 1960s weren't able to squat 135 pounds. I can. And therefore my ass was way too big for most of the dresses they had me try on (I was also off on my measurements by 3 or 4 inches, but honestly, who knew your hips were suppose to be that low?) So that got me a little depressed when we finally settled on a cream number with a flowy bottom.
Then, when the wardrobe mistress brought me down to the director to approve my outfit, I spent the most agonizing 20 seconds of my life. As I stand before him, I can literally see the unspoken words going through his eyes. It kinda went like this: "Who the hell is this? Why is she standing here? What the hell is she wearing?" Finally, after what felt like forever, the wardrobe mistress speaks up. "You like it, right? Yeah, you like it." The uncertainty of that statement must have shown in my face because he finally spoke up and said: "Yeah, you look fine."
To make matters worse, the 3rd A.D. removed one girl who was leaning against a wall and put me there instead. All of a sudden, the thunder roared: "Who the hell is this? Where the hell did that blond girl go? I told you I wanted a blond!"
Damn
To be fair, this was their last day of shooting after about a month or so. And he did yell alot, at everyone, not just me. But still. Now I feel like my ass is too big AND I have the wrong hair colour.
Anyway, all that aside, it was a lot of fun. I relish any opportunity to hang out on set because I consider everyone a learning opportunity. I'm also very glad to see that more and more stuff is coming to Ottawa. Now if I could only get my union card.
posted by Nancy Kenny at
3:10 PM
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