Friday, April 27, 2007

Leatherheads - Day 7 - It's a Small World and the final shots of the Game

Today is the last day of shooting in Charlotte and I am again standing on the sidelines of the visiting team..(not sure if I can divulge the name). The Coach of the team is Wayne Duvall. a larger than life character. I had been near him all week but did not want to bother him as he was one of the "actors". I finally just reach out my hand to him and said "My name is Andy Kaplan" nice to meet you. We then got into a discussion which I guess happens often on film sets..."Where did you grow up", I asked. He replied "Silver Spring, MD". I told him my sister now lives near there and I asked where he went to High School (it was a leading question). When he told me he went to high school there as well. I asked him if he knew Dickinson College. He then smiled and said, "Yes". All my brothers children went there and I am going there for my nieces graduation in May". I told him I founded and was chair of the Dickinson Club of Charlotte and was the 2006 Dickinson Alumni Volunteer of the Year. Well, it is a small world.

All morning they were filming the final scene of the game and perfecting some of the shots so the editors will have more interesting shots to work with. Camera's are set up in the far stands to get a distant shot of one of the important plays of the game. This time I am running down the sideline (as directed by John, Assistant Director) and just by luck end up at the end of a crowd about a foot from George Clooney who is playing a football player. Knowing this may be my last minutes as an extra, I have now learned to find the camera and make sure I can be seen clearly. I am not sure if this will be a far shot or they zoom in.

One interesting shot of the day were 3 football players laying on the ground together and the cameramen were up on stepladders shooting down at the players as they rolled around. Another shot of interest was when a single camera was pointing up to the sky (it laying on the ground) and George Clooney and one of the crew were tossing the football like a "hot potato" over the camera dozens of times.

At the end of the day, we did a scene where the game is ended and we walk off the field. We did about 6 takes of this walking in all different directions and at different paces. In each take about 50 of us walked from different places and did about 3 different walks. I walked from the side of the stadium to the middle of the field to the director in what I call a "New York Walking pace" and then we turned around and walked reguarly back to another part of the sideline, then I decided that as a "sideline photographer" it would be authentic to be running so the two of us ran back into the field. At that point the director named John, directed us to walk very very slowly toward the corner of the endzone continuing until we hit the wall. This I guess will look like we are exiting the stadium Our educated non-professional guess is that this may be the last scene in the movie where the credits are rolling. Again, only the editors will know. Maybe it will be me and my buddy walking into the sunset instead of George Clooney.

There are still three more weeks of shooting in Winston Salem and Statesville, NC. I live about 40 minutes from Statesville and 90 minutes from Winston Salem. I am hoping for a part in Statesville, so I can restup...I had about 45 hours of sleep in the last 9 days.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Leatherheads Day 6 - The play of the game

Most of htis week is filming of a football game. As you can imagine like most sports films we have important plays in the game. Today, they worked on the final play of the game all day. I started in the end zone on the home team side next to some "band members". I reminded me of a smaller version of the Stanford Band. A friend playing a police officer was also nearby. I was basically just background at this point as the play was taking place way down the field.

I have learned from the assistant directors that movement is preferable in a scene so I walk up the sidelines once they yell action. You actually hear the words,
Pictures Up!, Rolling, and then "Background Action" to know when it is time to move about in the scene.

As the play moves up the field toward the endzone of I move with it and by the end of the morning end up next to the cheerleaders 3 men and 3 women and end up doing my pantomine talking and photography.

They continue to move fans in the stands around behind us as fillers. They fill in the first 5 rows of the stadium in about 6 sections. We have a long hot morning.
Ginger who is one of the wardrobe people, comes up throughout the morning to work on extras to make sure they are authentic and their scarves, hats and coats are on correctly. She has straightened my hat a few times. Our pants also need to be hiked up to show our socks...think of an old man pulling his pants over his belly and that is what a lot of us had to do during filming. Of course this was hidden by our overcoats.

Ginger, who has a resemblance to Carmen Diaz was really in her element as a wardrobe expert. She was really a stickler for detail and even noticed the little things such as whether we wore the same tie each day or how our winter scarves were tucked under our coat. As far as my brown jacket, I would have these wardrobe experts tie a square knot to make it look authentic.

Most of the day was fairly uneventful, except it occured to many of us it is taking 6 days (60+) hours) to film these scenes. George Clooney is all over the field that day. He is a player on one of the teams. Both teams are on the filed for most of the day. Some are professional actors such as Ed Miller (who is from Los Angeles), others are from local casting.

The players were having to do many of the scenes repetitively while camera's and audio folks captured a variety of shots from closeups and dialogue to shots from a distance...This is a romantic comedy, so there were a couple of scenes that had George Clooney laughing right after shooting.

The players on both teams were playing in the "elements" (which I can describe in detail, we'll have to wait for the film promotion to start) and they had "heaters" on the sidelines to warm them up when they were done shooting.

We are told they need an extra day to shoot so we will be back on Tuesday...

Leatherheads - Day 5 - George Clooney Directing

Friday morning, I woke up at 5 am and arrived at the set at 6:30 am. I figured at this point I had only about 20 or so hours of sleep this week, but was still excited with anticipation of the days activities.

We park our cars at the lot near Bobcat arena and take a shuttle bus over to Memorial Stadium. The bus driver has a large jar i the front of his bus for two police officers slain in the line of duty in Charlotte a few weeks ago. He asks for donations to the almost full jar.

When I arrrive, I go to a table where the casting director's staff has us fill out our daily forms or timesheets with name ss@ etc. At the top of the form it says we are working on Leatherheads from Speakeasy Productions.

By the time I am dressed, coiffed and put my sunscreen on, I arrive at extra's holding at about7 am. I have my food and then sit with others and talk about today's activities. We are told they are adding an extra day of shooting on Tuesday.

In the morning, my first shots are fan in the stands. We end up cheering, booing etc.
The day is fairly uneventful until the end of the day. The last shot of the day I am a photographer again on the visiting team sidelines. I am at the 40 yard line standing near the sidelines. One of the assistant direcots comes up to me and tells me to move back behind the team bench about 10 feet off of the firld. He places other extras in specific places as well. I am thinking I will be more of a background player again.

Then all of a sudden, he places the Head Coach of the team to my right and the team mascot and trainer are nearby as well. The Head Coach, played by Wayne Duvall (Robert Dubal's cousin)is a fiarly large man which a deep luud voice you would expect from coaches.

The next thig I see are the two cameras in front of us with all the direcors sitting in back including George Clooney as he is not in this scene as an actor. Tape measures are run from the cameras to us to measure the focial point so we will be in focus. There is also a camera on a golf cart type vehicle that will be going down the sidelines. Now I realize why we were put back behind the benches. It needed the space to ride inside the sidelines.

We then do about 4 or 5 takes of this shot. In one of them the coach takes the old camera I use as a photographer and starts to look at it and pretend to talk to me.
I realize now that this is even a better chance for me to appear in the movie with a close up from 3 camera angles. I turn to the actors to my left and say..."it doesn't get any better than this".

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Leatherheads Day 5 - End of the day surprise

Friday, April 20th (pm) Today went along rather uneventful. In the morning we were doing reaction shots as "fans" in the stands. The directors and production crew had to get us to realistically react to a football scene.

The walks hundreds of us out to the stadium and bring us down aisles. With only a few hundred extras (I think there may be around 500 now), they bring us down the aisles of Memorial stadium and start to get up to fill up the first 5 rows of the stadium in about the first 3 or 4 sections from the endzone.

Our job as fans is to react in a variety of ways to get very good action shots. There is no actual game going on. We are looking out on the field at camera's, production crew, microphones, carts, etc. I assume the guy in the movie credits called the Grip is somewhere out there as well, but still want to find that person as for years I wondered by a key grip is.

All the production crew are on radio freqnencies to each other (including different channels depending on what job you have). The directors and production assistants continually talk with each other throughout the day to coordinate everything from who should be taken from Extra's holding, to when they are ready to shoot the scene to where to place the actors in the scene.

I am sitting in the 2nd row next to two women, both dressed in those beautful 1920's hats and clothes. On my left,(in real life) is Jody, a real estate agent who lives just West of Charlotte. On my right is Sharon who calls herself a "Jill of all trades". She teaches Swing dancing, creates antique jewelry, does photography and interior design. While waiting around Jody takes a call on her mobile phone she pulls out of her 1920's purse. It is from her 9 year old son, who is also an extra in the movie sitting somewhere else in the stadium.

The directors now tell us to be ready and describe the scene we will be looking at and how we might want to react (cheering, booing, bored or like nothing special is going on).

The first scene is a play that is a big play for the other team. So our reaction is to be upset at the defense of our team for letting up a big play. In the stands also the prop people have handed out props from that time period such as buttons, game programs and cigarettes.

One of the things we also have to do is to have some fans start standing, but not all at the same time. The directors instruct all people with a birthday in April, Stand up. As the plays develop on the field the rest of us will stand to cheer or boo the play. Today we also do some acting like talking to the person next to us, pointing at the play, or congratulating each other after a big play.

After that, they moved us to the endzone for more shots. However, the asst director said anyone on the sideline needs to be out of the shot. I left to go to the sideline as a photographer again. As I moved from the stands to the field I stopped by to see the propmaster. He let's me pick my camera (a 1920's vintage camera) from the prop table. I enter the field and we are instructed to go to the place where we were standing previously. For me that was on the 45 yard line right next to the cheerleaders, coach and trainer in front of the team bench.

I am standing on the sideline and all of a sudden I am told to move back off near or behind the bench. There are now about 20 people behind the cameras with two cameras pointing at me. One is from the left at about 10 o'clock the other is straight ahead at noon..The third camera is down the sidelines to my left at about 2 pm.
The production assistants take a tape measure to measure the focal point.

The director places Wayne Duvall (Coach) to my right) there is also a trainer with the team mascot nearby as well as well. When they call for action, I realize at this point it doesn't get any better than that. This might be my moment as we are looking at a play on the field and reacting to it. Could this be my close up? Only the editors will know. It was a great way to end the day and start the weekend.

Leatherheads -Lunchtime - The "Cast(e)" System

Each day the extra's are provided breakfast, lunch, snacks and water and gatorade. Our food for lunch is what I would call "upscale cafeteria food". We have salads (regular or caesar), fish, pork, beef stew and chicken (fried, baked or bbq)..We also had fruit salad, mac and cheese, vegetable lasagna and regular lasagna.

We enter the "Extra's holding" each day at appoximately 1 pm depending on how the shooting was that day. The women and children are given priority to enter the building. We wrap around the sidewalk as there are hundreds of us in our 1020's wardrobe. We walk up out of the stadium and find ourselves walking further up a hill and out the gate so we can enter in front.

As we enter the old building, we are in the main hall, the line snaking around. Finally we walk down the stairs and there is a very efficient operation. One of the Production assistants named Michelle is waiting at the bottom of the stairs and letting us move toward the buffet tables at about 10 people at a time. There are 6 tables with actors going down both sides.

We then proceed to the white table clothed tables.

The directors, actors and film crew however on Thursday had chinese food delivered on a cart to the field. Some were carrying out egg rolls. On Friday, Pizza was delivered from fuel pizza.

As far as snacks, we had a smorgasbord of things from one of the warehouse clubs, slim jims, twizzlers, granola bars, pretzels, etc.

The crew had snacks that were a little more upscale at times. There were coolers filled with drinks on the field. Two of them were filled with gatorade, water, coca cola, etc. This was marked in big magic marker "Not for Extras". The other had bottled water. it was marked "Extras".

Leatherheads - Day 5 - Getting ready for the day

I woke up at about 5:30 am with around 5 hours sleep and arrived on the set for my usual (oh it's routine now) visit to the Extra's table to fill out my paperwork and a visit to hand it off the Maryann who is always smiling (she said her father is a dentist) as she takes the paperwork to allow me to go into the wardrobe tent.

I walk into the Men's wardrobe tent. It is one of 3 tents that are setup in a parking lot outside the stadium (women's wardrobe, men's wardrobe and makeup/haircutting. In the Men's tent are about a 5 large rows or racks of clothes. Each of the actors/extras has their own # to identify where their clothes are. My place is at the end of the aisle on the right. There is a plastic divider with my name, cast ID#, and a list of wardrobe that has been provided to me by the wardrobe department, a brown coat, a cap, and a scarf.

I exit the Wardrobe tent and then stand in a line of about 20 Men waiting to enter the makeup/haircut tent. People in these departments are walking down the line to see if anyone needs a trim or haircut to keep us in the style of the 1920's. Short on the sides and back of the neck. They also check to see how clean shaven we are since in the 1920's it seems that men shaved very close, so the face is smooth.

A production assistant is playing traffic cop within the tent. On the far wall are about a dozen hairstylists. Some specialize in men, some with women and some with children. The women really have a lot of work done each day to give them the hairstyle of the 1920's. I am signalled to get my haircut. The women who does not cut my hair but styles, combs and puts mousse in it. She has a dollar bill pinned with a saftey pin to her lapel. I ask her what that is for and she tells me it is her birthday. We have a conversation about being on the road and working on a movie production.

I then leave the chair and have to be checked by makeup. They tell me that I need to shave this morning. I sit at a table near the entrance to the tent. It is a giant makeup mirror with 3 or 4 electric razors to choose from and some spray lubricant (that is essentially like shaving cream) so as to not cut up your face. As I sitting there shaving, the makeup artist next to me is applying "blood" to a soldier who is appearing in the movie.

The last step is to apply sunscreen. The sunscreen is a very important part of this process. On Monday, I thought it was just to protect us from the sun. Now I realize it is for a few reasons - to keep us from tanning and there for looking different in each shot (since all week we are shooting the same football game)..It would not be realistic to get a great tan from the 1st quarter to the 4th quarter, although many of us would love that.

i walk down a long road between the stadium and production trailers to the building (in real life called the Grady Cole Center), but for our purposes it is called "Extras Holding". Although it is only 7 am, hundreds of extras and actors have been madeup and fully wardrobed. We walk into the front door of the building and down the stairs to a large room which in real life is a 50 year old gymnasium with a converted basketball court. There are about 30 or 40 long tables with white or blue plastic tableclothes. The white tables are for the extras sit at for lunch and the blue tableclothes are for the crew.

Caterers who have been preparing the breakfast have a buffet set up each morning with Cereal (Raisin Bran, Special K, Cocoa Puffs), danish, and then grits, oatmeal, sausages, hash browns, and scrambled eggs. For drinks there is orange juice, coffee or water.

Looking out among the three hundred or so extras dressed in costumes from police officers, referees, league commisioners, soldiers,cheerleaders, football players, team trainers coaches fans ad press, someone commented that it looked like a soup kitchen from the great depressiion (although the clothes are much too nice).

This room reminded me of my train commutes from Stamford, CT to Grand Central at that time of day. Some people are talking, some are reading their newspaper and some are sleeping. I have a relatively late start time. Some extras have to be there at 4:30 or 5 am to get dressed.

At about 8 am, a production assistant makes an announcment and helps to wake us up a bit. From the large stage at the end of the room he begins to call for various grops of people to assemble by the door leading out of the "extras holding" to the football field. By now most of us have specific groups we are in, Sideline Press or people on the home team side, sideline press for the away team, Fans, trainers, football players, etc.

They call for sideline press and we exit the building and walk about 50 yards to the entrance of the stadium.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

They are not just paperclips -

In 1998, a small town in the hills of Tennessee started on a journey to learn about the Holocaust. What they ended up with inspired the world.

On Sunday, April 8th, I was invited to hear a talk at my synagogue with David Smith, the Assistant Principal of the Whitwell Middle School in Tennessee. His talk was about the journey of collecting over 26 millon paperclips to remember the Holocaust. The story was made into an award winning documentary called Paper Clips.

This was an amazing story of a small rural town where a small school project grew into a worldwide campaign to create awareness remember the holocaust.

How did a town where there were no Jewish people, 100 miles from where the Ku Klux Klan was founded, no knowledge of the holocaust, become a worldwide inspiration and experts on the subject. David Smith told our group he attended an education conference in Colorado. One of the things he learned was how to bring a program to educate students on the holocaust back to his town. He understood that being in a poor rural town which is less than 100 miles from where the Ku Klux Clan was founded he would need to include the parents too.

An after school class was given on the holocaust and the parent's of the students needed to attend also. Over time they met and discussed the topic. At one point in the discussion, a student said he could not imagine what six million looked like.
They studied how Norwegian's would put a paperclip on their lapel during WWII to remember the Jewish people they knew who were taken away by the Nazis.

So, the students decided they would collect six million paperclips. Most people including teachers might have discouraged this as "chasing a dream". So they decided to start collecting..Initially they spent time collecting and received around 300,000 paperclips in the first year. They realized it might take them a lifetime to collect 6 million. All of a sudden, a reporter from a major newspaper came to do a story on the school and the story was picked up in Newspaper and press around the country. One day during spring break, the assistant principal, got a call from the post office and told him he better bring a truck to get the mail. There were over 16 cartons of mail from around the world. This continued every day for months. Eventually, the school collect over 26 millon paperclips.

They needed a place to show ro store the paperclips and they sought out an actual "rail car" from Germany. This again was an adventure to optain the rail car and it finally made its way to Whitwell, TN, where today it has become a holocaust museum.
It is now about eight years since the start of the project. The students, who never had a chance to travel or go to college are not asked to fly to various events around the world.

More projects were inspired around the US and around the world and a second documentary movie is in the works on these.

I have told David Smith, that I would help him with some of the technology I work with as part of my eWarrior and to help bring Toastmasters to his school and town.

Leatherheads - Day 4 Fan in the Stands

Arrived on the set at 6:30 for the wardrobe and makeup...yesterday a winter scarf was added to my wardrobe. Every day, I had my hair done and then before I can leave one of the makeup directors checks my face and tells me to "shave closer". There is a table with 3 electric razors. I was told in the 1920's era men shaved close.

Each day I am more impressed with the level of detail that goes into this film to keep it authentic to the 1920's. There is an incredible team of wardrobe people that are on the set each day making sure every single outfit on the extras is authentic an being worn correctly.

One of the things we have to do is "hike up our pants" as men back then had their socks showing and the pants had no breaks in it. The woman on set have the most gorgeous hats...A hat seems to be a very common item for adults and kids in that era.

In the morning we went out to the stadium and sat in the stands as the directors wanted to get audience reaction shots. As one of the production assistants ran up and down the field we practiced our cheers and boos. We also just sat there an looked bored and then restless. I could relate well to this scene as I envisioned being at a Carolina Panthers game (I am a rabid fan..part Panther fan, part NY giant fan)...so I know how o cheer and boo! and act bored.

Across the field another director and team was filming a scene with Renee Zellweger. All I can say is "She has a good set of lungs".

Later we completed that and I ended up in some shots as a sideline reporter again. We then broke for lunch late today.

In the afternoon, we basically stayed in the holding area. We spent time talking, reading playing cards and waiting to go back out. I signed up to continue as an extra for future shoots after Monday in some other cities such as Winston Salem and Statesville.

Also today a photographer came to "digitize" some of the extras. I lined up in front of a screen while having my arms outstreteched slightly. The photrograper too my picture facing directly at him. The turned us to each side adn took a picture. This digitized version of me may end up in the film (although I am cluesless to what level of detail.

I also want to note today that there are definitely interesting people as extras. I met a woman who runs a company related to Monarch Butterflies, a historian and antique collector, a sports anchorman who does voiceovers,. , and we also killed time with some amateur comedy and singing.

Some musicians came to try out for another scene in the movie and one of the extras did a great job singing some 1950's tune while they played.

We had a nice surprise of a relatively early release today as it started to rain late in the day. As we were waiting for our shuttle bus to take us to our cars, George Clooney walked past looking glad to be done with another day of filming. Some young kids from the movie tried to chase him down before he made it to his trailer.


Off to bed -- 11 pm here. ...have to be on set at 6:30 am again. This continues to be an amazing experience.

Leatherheads - Day 4 Fan in the Stands

Arrived on the set at 6:30 for the wardrobe and makeup...yesterday a winter scarf was added to my wardrobe. Every day, I had my ahir done and then was told to "shave closer". Thre is a table with 3 electric razors. I was told in the 1920's era men shaved close.

Each day I am more impressed with the level of detail that goes into this film to keep it authentic to the 1920's. There is an incredible team of wardrobe people that are on the set each day making sure every single outfit on the extras is authentic an being worn correctly.

One of the things we have to do is "hike up our pants" as men back then had their socks showing and the pants had no breaks in it. The woman on set have the most gorgeous hats...A hat seems to be a very common item for adults and kids in that era.

In the morning we went out to the stadium and sat in the stands as the directors wanted to get audience reaction shots. As one of the production assistants ran up and down the field we practiced our cheers and boos. We also just sat there an looked bored and then restless. I could relate well to this scene as I envisioned being at a Carolina Panthers game (I am a rabid fan..part Panther fan, part NY giant fan)...so I know how o cheer and boo! and act bored.

Across the field another director and team was filming a scene with Renee Zellweger. All I can say is "She has a good set of lungs".

Later we completed that and I ended up in some shots as a sideline reporter again. We then broke for lunch late today.

In the afternoon, we basically stayed in the holding area. We spent time talking, reading playing cards and waiting to go back out. I signed up to continue as an extra for future shoots after Monday in some other cities such as Winston Salem and Statesville.

Also today a photographer came to "digitize" some of the extras. I lined up in front of a screen while having my arms outstretech slightly. The photrograper too my picture facing directly at him. The turned us to each side adn took a picture. This digitized version of me may end up in the film (although I am cluesless to what level of detail.

I also want to note today that there are definitely interesting people as extras. I met a woman who runs a company related to Monarch Butterflies, a historian and antique collector, a sports anchorman, a few computer programmers, and we also killed time with some amateur comedy and singing.

Some musicians came to try out for another scene in the movie and one of the extras did a great job singing some 1950's tune while they played.

We had a nice surprise of a relatively early release today as it started to rain late in the day. Off to bed -- 11 pm here. ...have to be on set at 6:30 am again.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Leatherheads - Day 3 - My big "break"

I arrived at 7 am for wardrobe and hair. For most of the day the sky's were overcast and gray, but it was still somewhat warm. Already, there is a bonding going on between cast, crew, directors, extras. This is a very warm and friendly set as I am seeing George Clooney's fun and relaxed but professional imprint on this film.

I grabbed some breakfast and sat with a few of my "new friends". I definitely now am not a "fan", but I am now officially part of the on the field "Press". I spent most of today as a photographer carrying around a camera from the 1920's. The most fun part is being a sideline sports photographer, allowed me to have some freedom to move around as long as my actions were realistic.

Most of the morning was spent in the end zone. I am learning the subtleties of how directors set up the shots. In most cases, I believe we will be just seen as motion and maybe a person walking and or talking in the background.

This was the longest day of filming for me so far. I was out on the field from about 8:30 am to 6 pm with about a 30 minute break for lunch.

The end of the day was the highlight. In the last 90 minutes of the day, I was able to sit behind the directors including George Clooney and watch them set up the "shots" and actually do the filming of one of the major scenes in the movie.

I can't divulge details, however, I will say that the last scene filmed for the day was one in which I was right smack in the scene and many people there think it will be in the final cut of the movie. All I will say is that I was a photographer about a foot behind a team bench. I was paired off with another extra where we had to pantomine talking and where I then started to take photos of some action.

I also had a chance to speak with some of the directors including Ian Calip, who worked on the movie "Rent" and Seabiscuit.

Someone famous said part of being successful is just showing up..Today was one of those days.


Time for sleep now... have to be on the set at 6:30 am.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Day 2 - Leatherheads

Today, I arose after only about 4 hours of sleep last night to arrive on the set at 6 am. We went down to have some breakfast first as I was scheduled for hair and makeup for 6;30 am. Had some oatmeal, eggs and OJ to start off the day.

Day 2 was more settled. After breakfast, I was led over to the costuming tent and my brown jacket and hat were waiting under my #. I arrived back at the holding area around 7 am after some hair and makeup. My makeup was just a closer shave with an electric razor and some sunscreen.

The waredrobe people checked out my attire and fixed it throughout the day. They have been meticulous with detail of the costuming and hair.

The women coming from hair and makeup look stunning and what I consider "geisha-like" with bright red lipstick and a pale flat makeup. Each woman is also wearing a unique hat. I am not sure if these were bought as antiques or reproductions or created by the wardrobe team.

I have settled into a role as a sideline reporter for the Chicago Team. One of the first shots of today had me walking from the 10 yard line to the 40 yard line as the teams entered the field. I was the only one walking up the sidelines during the filming. However it may be far in the background since the cameras were beyond the endzone. Later in the morning I was put at the 40 yard line of the opposing team
There were two of us standing there and 3 cameras, so there is a good chance I am in the shot.

Later we were moved into the stands for some cheering and booing of each of the teams. We then broke for lunch. After word we moved to the other side of the field (actually the Chicago side)...Because I had been in an earlier shot on the other sidelines they asked me and a few others to go up into the stands to be in a fan shot with a few hundred others. The cameras in these scenes were on a track which looked like a ladder laying flat.

We had a great lunch of chicken and fish. Snacks all day looked like a raid on Costco or BJ's with Slimjims, chips, cookies, powdered gatorade, Doritos, etc.
It got extremely hot, so I drank lots of water.

In the afternoon they began to film some of the game scenes. I was not in any of those and spent time with some of my "new" friends as extras and talking with the production crew.

In two days we have spent 24 hours together, so friendships or the feeling of comraderie builds fast. I really am enjoying this journey. time for bed..If I am lucky I will get 5 to 6 hours sleep tonight.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Leatherheads - My first day

I arrived for my 6 am call for extras and rode the shuttle bus over from near the Bobcats Arena to the set at Memorial Stadium. This is a "closed" set, meaning no pictures and things need to remain a secret as far as the movie is concerned.

Once I arrived as a first day as an extra, I was in a line for 'wardrobe'. This movie takes place in the 1920's so I was fitted with clothes of that period including a hat and a large brown coat. The costume team made sure that all the actors and actresses were dressed in that period.

After that, I went into a tent where they do hair and makeup. In this tent were about 15 or so makeup artists and stylists working on the cast. Although I had just had a haircut last week and I thought my hair was relatively short, they cut it to fit the 1920's era.

I then asked about makeup and was told I only needed to put "sunscreen" on. (I was to find out later that this is so the actors and extras don't start tanning).

After that I walked down to the "holding area" and eventually made it out to the football field where they were filming todays scenes. I had expected to be just a fan in the stands. However, I found myself, in a role as a "news reporter" standing on the sidelines....the pad I was to write on was "authentic" from that era also.

I did get to see George Clooney from a distance as he is both director and actor in the film. Renee Zellweger was also there and some of the extras (not me) got to be in some scenes near her.

The field was windy today as a large storm had just come through the Carolinas and was wreaking havoc on the East Coast. Our fall football attire was perfect for today's weather.

We were served a buffet lunch and after I spent most of the afternoon sitting with other extras and making it a point to meet some of the production crew. Most were from the Charlotte area and some were in from LA.

At the end of the day, they had a raffle of items and I won an "Ocean's 11" poster (another George Clooney film).

We then checked out and I finally arrived home around 8 pm (a 14 hour day). I was told to return to the set at 6 am tomorrow.

Friday, April 13, 2007

MTV Redux - New Networks

In 1981 a few of us ventured into the land of MTV, The Movie Channel, Nickelodeon as part of a company called Warner Amex Satellite Entertainment Company. Over the past year many of those executives who spent the last 25 years building that company and lauching shows such as Spongebob SquarePants, Rugrats and networks such as NickJr, NickatNite have recently left to form a new company called New Networks. The plan is to have 101 internet channels of special interest. Herb Scannell, former, President of Nickelodeon and Fred Seibert, former head of Hanna Barbera and CEO of Frederator.com have teamed up.

Herb Scannell and I worked closely together at the Movie Channel including teaming up on the Star Wars "Robot Giveaway". Fred was learning his way around creative areas of on air promotions. This New Network is going to an interesting laborator to watch.

Leatherheads starring - George Clooney, Renee ZellWeger and Me

Well not exactly. The phone rang a few days ago. The person on the other end of the line said in her "southern accent", "I am calling from George Clooney's production company about Leatherheads, a 1920's football movie. Will your schedule allow you to be a paid extra in our film over the next few weeks.". I said yes and then she spent the next 10 minutes explaining the role and with a list of everything I needed to bring.

She explained "We will be filming in an older football stadium in Charlotte called Memorial Stadium. Your part will be to be a fan in the stands. There may be closeups and ther shots so you need to bring and where the same clothes for those days."

Filming starts on Monday, April 16th for these scenes. This is the first time I have been on a movie set running multiple days. A close friend of mine was an extra recently in the Ricky Bobby movie with Will Ferrell filmed here and was in the movie for about 10 seconds at the bar. I know my years of a Knicks, Rangers, Giants and Carolina Panther fan will now be paying off.

A white dress shirt
A dark tie
A Fedora (hat)
Dark Pants
Plenty of water
Books and other things to occupy my time.


I am looking forward to this mini-adventure.