It took me three tries before I finally figured out what gate to go in at Universal Studios and then they didn’t have any maps for getting to set. It was still dark outside because it was only 5AM when I headed in.

According to the convoluted instructions that the lady at the gate gave me, I hopped on the right street and then came to a suspicious looking stretch that said, “Do not enter.” I was thinking, “Well, if I don’t go here, where the hell’s the rest of the road?” as I stopped in front of the sign. …Then I saw why I wasn’t supposed to continue. That was the part of the backlot tram tour where the Red Sea parts!!!!

I had half a mind to drive through it, but I was in my husband’s ‘66 Corvette and I still didn’t know exactly where the set was. With a playful frown, I threw the car in reverse and set about finding the way around the Red Sea. It wasn’t lit very well, but I did find my way.

Once at base camp, all the guys were drooling over my car. That’s always fun.

I went to wardrobe (who of course hated everything 70s that I brought) who gave me a short dress…It was many shades of beige, complete with mountains and geese. I felt sooooo ‘happenin’! Then, I went to hair who gave me a Cher wig with bangs. Then make-up, who dolled me up…a lot like a toned down version of Cher.

Once on set, I parked my car and did a bunch of walking-through-frame kinds of things. I bet my car got more camera time than I did!

That day was short. I got to go home at a reasonable hour. I had as much trouble getting off the Universal lot as I did getting on. Most of the gates are closed on the weekend. But I did drive past one tram tour! They probably thought I was Jennifer Beals or someone. I was just glad to be booked for another day.

…And wouldn’t ya know it, I almost drove through the Red Sea again!!!!!! It was 5AM and dark! What did I know? (I tell ya, though, I really, really, really, really wanted to drive through just so I could say I’d done it!)

Anyhow, the day started much as the first one had. Except the costumers changed their minds about hating one of my outfits. But didn’t tell me they wanted me to wear that outfit first, so I screwed up and wore the wrong thing. They didn’t get mad, they just had to give me something else to wear later on.

In that first set-up, I struck up a nice rapport with the First Assistant Director. He at first didn’t realize that I’m not like most extras…I actually have a brain and can understand and follow directions. He gave me a starting cue and an ending cue and I hit them every time.

When the lead actress got to a certain spot, I walked down the stairs of a water tower and then when the lead actress started going up the stairs, I was to cross her path right in the middle. The First AD even singled me out specifically to tell me I was “Wonderful!” It was just nice to know that he’d noticed.

And that water tower–which by the way, I was getting serious stair-master exercise on–it’s actually a tank for shooting underwater stuff. It was empty, but nonetheless nifty to look down into just to say that I’ve seen it. Kinda like the Red Sea, only no risk involved and if I were to have gone into it, I would not have been chuckling like I would have done while parting the Red Sea.

After that scene was done, the costumers gave me another outfit…which had THE most stuck zipper on the planet. Just when I was about to give up and go get help, the darn thing came down and I shimmied into the beige pantsuit.

The next shot was in Hollywood and I had to get in my Corvette (yes, still wearing wig and costume, passing 2 tram tours this time, plus all the people on the freeway) and drive to the corner of Hollywood and Vine. Ironically, the location was out front of the nightclub where Jason and I got married!

They were doing a minor stunt where one car cuts off another one, but my ‘Vette was parked and they had precision drivers running. I was totally jealous. …And annoyed because I was instructed to walk away from the action and didn’t get to see any of it. I only heard it. The second take included some brake-squealing that didn’t sound intentional. After that one, the Coordinator had a few words with the girl doing the cutting off. Okay…so it was more than a few… But at least the next 4 or 5 takes were good.

I must have walked up and down that block a hundred times by the end of the day. One side, then the other, and I never really saw the scene. Oh well. I guess I’ll have to wait until the movie comes out. I still bet that my car got more camera time than I did!

Super early call time out in the middle of nowhere at a small lake. As I arrive and head to wardrobe, extras are being asked if they don’t mind wearing wetsuits and getting wet. Ummmm…no thanks for me. I get dressed in my rags and grab some breakfast.

When the time comes, we all hop on the bus and go to the set. I weaseled a decent sized purse out of the costumers and managed to fit a bottle of water along with my palm pilot and cell phone into a brown clutch purse. As unfortunately usual for me, despite the fact that I was already holding a purse, I became a prop magnet. First I was given a parasol, but because I only had two hands, I had to pass on two fans and a bible. Ah well. At least I had shade. Thank goodness that prop guy got to me first! [I have no idea why the prop people always love to hand me stuff. I almost always get singled out of crowds to carry props or wear the spectator t-shirts. I don't know why.]

Anyway, we’re ready for the scene to start. They do the safety meeting and then the people who were willing to get wet walk into the lake. Three or four stunt/safety men went in to the water as well in case someone tripped. During the wide shot, the costumers put one guy in the same smock as the people in the lake and he acted in the scene with the rest of everyone. Cool guy…and looked damn good in a wetsuit. Yeah, lots of eye-candy that morning.

Once the wide shot was done, everyone who wasn’t in the water went back to holding. Hell, I even took a short nap. The sun was hot, but I still had my parasol for shade. I pulled out my palm pilot and goofed around. It sure looked funny…me in 1934 clothing playing with my palm pilot! I even made a few calls on my cell phone! That’s the magic of Hollywood.

After lunch, I waited around another few hours and then finally got to go work again. Men in wetsuits…yum… Then I hear a horse whinney. I turn around and see Mr. HotSexy1934Cowboy and my knees got weak. Yum-yum-yum-yum-Yum! I was so not expecting to see a man that hot, dusted with dirt, on or near a horse. In other words, I looked one way and there were men in wetsuits. I looked the other way and there was a real cowboy. It was definitely a day for eye-candy.

Then there was the dead body which floated up in the lake.

But don’t worry, it was supposed to and it wasn’t real, but darnitall, it sure looked real! I saw it up close when the effects guys were rigging it. Wow. They did a damn good job. And when it came through the surface of the lake, it definitely got the desired effect out of everyone.

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

I was on a new TV show called Clubhouse. I don’t know all the stars, but the two principle boys were Jeremy Sumpter and Dan Byrd.

Getting to the parking lot was kind of fun. It was in the upper 90s, so I wimped out and brought my air-conditioned Prowler. As I pulled in, somehow, it was a high-end Plymouth/Chrysler/Dodge convention among all the production cars. Not only was I there with my Prowler, but there was also a Crossfire and a Viper! I knew I’d be in for an interesting time.

The crew was actually running late and we ended up chasing daylight. The scene was New York street where Van Nuys Boulevard somehow doubled for New York.

I was supposed to be an art vendor, but that didn’t pan out and I just ended up as regular walking-through-frame background. I wore my New York artsy hottest clothes, thinking that wardrobe would make me change, but she didn’t. She loved what I was wearing. In the end, I was almost bummed because with the intense heat and my 100% spandex and polyester, I baked. Oh well. At least I looked good and only got one blister on my heel.

There were two scenes. One where the kid buys the necklace, the other when he sells it back after dark. But because they were running late, they’d had to use high-powered lights to fill in sunlight. Boy, did my sunglasses come in handy. Up close, them lights feel brighter than the sun!

For some reason, there were a lot of newbie background actors on this call. It was fun to remember back to when I had no idea how to “go on action, banana around left, bear right along a line, then diagonal out of frame.” Reminiscing was great. And between takes, I got to work on notes for Eternal Talisman.

As the crew was setting up the second scene, I was outside calling Jason, asking if he still had some steak left to barbecue for dinner whenever I got out of there. Just as I was about to go back into a beauty salon that was doubling as extras holding, the rest of the extras were hurrying out. The set medic rushed in, followed by a few more people with big orange plastic toolboxes.

I found out a couple minutes later that a guy had a seizure, but was okay. Then the crew started scurrying faster because they wanted to get another shot done before the ambulances came. We were delayed only about 20 minutes by the ambulance and firetruck sirens and lights. The guy was fine, but as far as I can tell, standard procedure is to give him a ride to the hospital. I learned that on a different set.

Yep, this wasn’t the first time I was on a set where an extra had a seizure. Last time, it was Navy NCIS and it was a woman. Her seizure happened before anything got going, though. It was just strange to hear sirens and see the ambulance coming…then stop right in the middle of all the production trucks and equipment. Bizarre. I’m just glad that in both cases, everything turned out okay. I’ve even seen that lady on another set since then, so she must be doing fine.

After all that, it was business as usual. I “went straight, banana-ed right, went for the tree, then followed that line all the way out of frame” about a million more times, taking care that when I passed the garbage can, I always pulled my bag from my right shoulder, lowered it and carried it in my left hand, not by the bag’s strap. Yeah…that was my little bit of business just to keep myself interested in working once I’d finished with the Eternal Talisman notes.

I have no idea when this show aired or if I was even in it after all. I did have a great time, though. Even now, I’m thinking that there’s got to be a place in a book for “go on action, banana around left, bear right along a line, then diagonal out of frame.” There’s just got to be.

Hmmm…maybe a few books down the road.

This one’s a little on the short side, but sometimes that’s just the way the show goes.

On Monday, I was on Medical Investigation. Yes, Mr. Ultra-Sexy, Neal McDonough was there. In fact, just after I’d done a wardrobe change, I was heading to the back of the soundstage and Neal was coming toward me in the walkway and with a big smile said, “Hi” to me.

The general rule is that as background, you don’t talk to the talent unless they talk to you first and you refrain from eye contact, but darnit-all, how can a woman refrain eye contact from that man? Besides, it was a little dark and I wasn’t sure I was really seeing him. I nearly fainted, but I managed to eek out a “Hello” back to him. The rest of my walk through the stage was spent gasping for air and with a big ol’ watermelon grin plastered on my face!

All the while thinking “Jen’s gonna kill me!” ‘Cause she totally digs Neal, too. So far, of all the celebs I’ve seen, few have spoken to me without me speaking to them first. My very first speaking encounter was with Antonio Banderas…He said, “Excuse me.” I was standing in his way!

Anyhow, back to Neal… Later on, after a trip to the ladies room… OH! I almost forgot about the irony factor… When I was on Angel last year, it was shooting on Stage 5 at Paramount… the exact same stage Medical Investigation was shooting on. Talk about deja vu.

Anyway, there are about five steps going down to the stage door. As I was taking the first step, Neal came out through the door while talking on his cell phone. He was about to let the door close, which would have been perfectly fine for me because I wasn’t anywhere near it yet, but he scrambled to hold it open with his foot. And, yep, I flew down the last of those stairs, oh hell yeah! When a sexy gentleman is holding the door, it’s just impolite to make him wait!

Thing I learned while on this set: Use the ladies room frequently, it somehow enhances the chance of running into the talent.

…And I never did get to see the actual set. I remained in holding the entire day!

In this Tale, I’ll combine last week and the week before…Yep, Disney’s dusting off the Love Bug. I don’t know much about the plot other than that Linsey Lohan is the ‘good guy’ and Matt Dillon is the ‘bad guy’ and they go from town to town, race to race.

I took part in two different towns. The first of which, I didn’t catch the name. The second, I think was Riverside, but I’m not positive. In both cases, there was a car show followed by racing, but the racing was fake. I’ll explain a little bit later.

The first town: It was a 2 day shoot during their second week of production so essentially, they were still getting into the groove of things. There were about 200 extras, some with cars, some without. Many with cars had never been extras before and didn’t know what to do or how to do it. This plus the crew’s newness to the project made for somewhat strange and interesting events.

The casting director had specified that our cars needed to be in tip top shiny condition…but then getting to the set, there was a mile long dusty/dirt road. Thanks.

Anyhow, in my ‘68 Mustang Fastback, I was in the domestic muscle car group. The AD told us to go stand by our cars because they were setting up the shots. It was around 6AM.

They took one car from our group and then promptly forgot about us…for the rest of the day. We waited around for over twelve hours, but they never took another car from our group.

The following day, they didn’t want our cars at all so we ended up with the rest of the extras. We cheered for Matt Dillon, who after a bazillion takes finally started losing his lines…the last take before lunch. Poor guy. We were all feelin’ for him, but at the same time starving!

After lunch came the worst of it. Mind you, it was in the high 90s temperature-wise. We were in full sun, sitting on metal bleachers from about 1PM until about 6:30PM. My ass hasn’t been that sore in a very long time.

We were supposed to be watching a race between Herbie and Matt Dillon, but instead, there was a poor PA holding up a big stick with a yellow X on it.

When the director called “Action,” the PA ran as fast as he could and we cheered along with the announcer. Eventually, the PA got worn out and they used a van. Then a golf cart.

I have no idea why they switched vehicles, but I think we all felt pretty silly cheering the yellow X no matter what it happened to be on.

That’s the extent of that week for me.

The next week was different. A lot different, but same idea.

Once again, first day, I didn’t work at all. I just hung out by my car (my 2000 Prowler, this time) for thirteen hours. The average in time was 5:30AM, average out time was 7:30PM.

And I missed the milli-second that Matt Dillon admired my car and asked who’s it was. Darn my need for breakfast!!!! The guy parked next to me said Matt liked my car and walked around it, admiring it, wondering who owned it. Ah well. I guess it just wasn’t my moment to talk to him.

Second day, they finally pulled my car from the deep and put it near the car show.

I had to be a watchdog because extras were leaning on people’s cars, sitting in them…It’s just not cool to do that without the owner’s consent. Some people’s cars got scratched up pretty good. A tent fell on another one.

I was in my Prowler for this shoot and really worried that someone was going to sit on a fender and crack it. They aren’t cheap.

Luckily, the ADs understood and let me work near or within sight of my car. I didn’t have to police too much, but there were a few people who didn’t understand that at car shows, you just don’t mess with the cars.

Lots and lots of walking around the car show ensued. What they wanted was movement. Lots and lots of movement. Once again, it was in the 90s…and wardrobe wanted me to wear a black t-shirt. Thanks. At least there were a few shade trees this time.

I always stayed in deep background so I never heard what the scene was about. Essentially, Herbie pulls up to the show, smoking and running terribly.

I won’t give away what happened after that, but let’s just say that I did get to see Herbie having a mind of his own and it was really, really cool to see some of that Hollywood magic in action.

Oh! I almost forgot the most exciting bit… During the afternoon, we were all doing our usual walking around, looking at cars and all of a sudden [while the camera was rolling], a guy comes running at me with an AD, a PA and another guy chasing after him saying “Call security!” I thought I was going to get trampled and I had no idea why.

The guy got into an SUV and drove off like a bat out of hell. The instant rumor was that the guy was trying to steal a car.

Ten minutes later, I talked to one of the guys who gave chase. Apparently, the runner was a paparazzi posing as an extra and snapping pictures of the scene during filming.

I was thinking that in either case, I should’ve tripped him. He held up production for a good half hour with that stunt. I wonder if it was worth it. I did find out that he wasn’t the only one.

He was actually one of two guys that day and a third on the day before. I never thought Herbie would attract paparazzi, but I guess because it’s been so long since the last movie, there’s lots of buzz.

I don’t know. I had fun, though! The hours were just way too long and way too hot.

UPDATE:I thought I saw myself in the deep background a couple times, but it was really hard to tell. I couldn’t remember for sure where I was during filming, so I can’t be positive enough that the little blur in the deep background really was me. There were a few people wearing black shirts.

This following capture wasn’t shot on the same day as the rest of that scene. They called in a few of us car people a couple months later and had us strategically standing in order to match the rest of the scene. I was blocked by the person in the big hat, but my Prowler is seen. Funny how both times, it’s through the foggy window of Herbie. Ah well.

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.

I wish I had more to report about Serenity, but mostly all I’ve got are one-liners. The whole story isn’t interesting enough and I’m so bummed!

As far as gigs go, yesterday didn’t really have that special magic that some gigs do. Everything felt exciting, but not in a story-telling kind of way. Hell, maybe I should just list out all the instances of niftiness I encountered. That way ya’ll can see that it was really great to be there even without an adventure or two stirring the pot. But because I can’t do a coherent story of the day, this is gonna end up being long, so you might want to get real comfy…

The costume department had trusted me when, during the fitting, I’d told them I could bring my own shoes, gloves and jewelry. They’d even written it on my costume tag and had given away the shoes they’d initially chosen for me. That was really cool of them. Usually, the costumers don’t trust the extras to have the ‘right’ stuff or to actually bring it.

I got to wear my pink Chinatown shoes, fluourescent green fishnet fingerless gloves, 6 dark silver twisted metal-and-flower bead necklaces, iridescent triangle earrings, and silver/grey jelly bracelets done up almost half my arm in what I call reptilian style.

After having my hair pin-curled and stockinged in preparation for wigging and after I’d gotten my costume on, while I waited to get my make-up done, I saw Nathan Fillion as he walked away from the catering truck with a plateful of breakfast. He was heading for his trailer and I was quite happily pleased that he looks even hotter in person- without his Captain costume on yet. Oh, and it was about 6AM…just for reference.

After having 40s “Rosie the Riveter” make-up put on followed by a black Betty Boop kind of wig, I went back to holding and tried to keep myself awake by writing in my mini-journal. At one point, I glanced up and Adam Baldwin walked in and opened each of the breakfast food warmer thingies. I guess nothing looked good because he left empty-handed. It was about 8:45AM and an odd juxtaposition because I really wasn’t assuming I’d see the cast before we got on stage. And if any of you remember the tv show Firefly…he was wearing an even sillier hat.

We were led onto Stage 12 some time close to 10AM at the Universal lot and my very first glimpse of Joss Whedon was as he directed Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres, Summer Glau, Sean Maher and Adam Baldwin……while standing in the open cargo bay of the ship Serenity. Oh hell yeah, that sight kicked ass and I really wish I could download the mental image in my head just so ya’ll could see it.

Imagine a short little video of Joss using his hands and walking up and down the ramp, describing what he’s looking for in a scene, Nathan nodding his head and the rest of the crew following intently, the big door at the back of the ship is open and the cargo bay is visible as well as most of the back end of the ship. It was at that moment, that I really realized I was on the set of Serenity…it was real…I was about to be in a Joss Whedon movie that even my husband was excited about seeing.

The 2nd AD [assistant director] placed me next to a giant wok where there were two cooked ducks…complete with beaks and twisted necks. I stood in that same spot for about 6 hours total throughout the day. I learned that in order to make it look as though the ducks were freshly being cooked, the prop guys put powdered walnut shells underneath and lit the powder with a torch.

The scent of burning walnut shells and smoldering cooked duck gets pretty old after the first half hour or so and the walnut shells don’t smell like walnuts anymore…and the smoke gets in your eyes to the point where you can’t help but blot the tears and worry that make-up’s gonna smear all over the place. I did okay. I’m a trouper. But I did request the smoke bump on my voucher. Coughing and crying from it tend to be worth those few extra dollars at the end of the day.

If I get seen at all in the main part, I’ll have to do freeze frame on DVD because the crew ran past where I was and my back was toward the camera most of the time. I tried to turn around, but it wasn’t always possible.

After the big shots were done, they did some vignettes. The 2nd AD kept me and another fellow to do some deep background work that probably won’t even be seen, but it was fun in any case. If I was quick enough walking forward and they use the vignette of the bicycle going by, maybe, I got a split second of camera time. I doubt it, but hey, I’m always hopeful.

The next vignette happened to be of the dead ducks in the wok. The cameraman loved my gloves, and jewelry plus a gold leaf glass the prop guys had given me to hold. When Joss came over to set up the scene, I could tell he wasn’t sure if he could direct us extras. If a director directs a non-union actor, that actor can get an upgrade. I’m in SAG, but he had no way of knowing that and it wasn’t like I was gonna announce it. Anyhow, as we stood there and he framed the shot, he said that the shot was all about the ducks and stopped short of specifically saying he didn’t want faces.

That was nice of him, I thought. I hope it wasn’t because he looked at me and thought I was ugly!

Anyhow, he did specifically say that he wanted to see hands, and fabric and drinks and pointed at my hands, fabric and drink for emphasis as he looked at me, too. It was nice to have been noticed by Joss, I just wish I hadn’t been in the company of imbeciles.

They only did one take with the dead ducks. The guy ‘cooking’ them wasn’t much of an actor and couldn’t handle working with tongs very well. Dammit. My one chance of getting my weird hands on screen with some dead ducks and it got botched. Ah well. Better luck next time?

As the walnut powder smoke cleared from my eyes from that darn wok scene, I stepped away, thankful that I wouldn’t be bothered with that stuff anymore. The crew was moving to a different vignette and I just happened to look up and see Nathan Fillion looking at me. I, of course, instantly wondered if my proverbial fly was down or something. I ‘checked’ and it wasn’t. I’d just caught him staring off into lalaland.

After the next vignette was done [which I wasn't in], the 2nd AD released me, telling me to go to the prop table and turn in my sunglasses and that darn gold glass I’d been holding all day. As I near my destination, I have to pass by monitorland where the directors chairs are set up for the lead actors. And once again, I caught Nathan Fillion looking at me. I liked it. I liked it a lot, but let’s face it. I was wearing a Betty Boop wig and a bunch of weird stuff that while I might wear on the street on any given day, I certainly wouldn’t wear it all at once! I know he was just marveling at the costumery and I’m really glad I got to use some of my own stuff. It all became souvenirs of the wonderful, but sadly typical time I had as an extra on Serenity.

I’m praying there will be a next time…I’ve got my fingers crossed at least!

I wish I had a bigger story about this one, but anyhow, I was on Lords Of Dogtown again. Last time, I was on Venice Beach with Heath Ledger. This time, the scene had the skater crowd and the whole day was spent sitting on a porch, watching the skaters crash.

Yep, it was a heavy stunt day and I do not at all envy those poor kids! The scene had a group of about 8 kids skate downhill in a wide alley, zig left, then down another wide alley. But one kid has to hit the curb, then two more kids sort of smash into each other and some garbage cans before continuing on. It was a thirteen hour day and I think the garbage can kid hit them things 200 times! And they’re the metal kind!

I was supposed to be driving, but as they set up the scene, they decided that they only wanted one car actually on the road. And boy oh boy was I envious! He was a stunt driver and he got to come to locked-up screeching halt as the kids poured out of the alley.

Someday, I’m gonna be that guy… Someday… I’m saving up to go to stunt driving school and after that, nothing’s gonna stop me as far as I’m concerned!

Another average day in the life of a movie extra. My favorite!

The following is an excerpt from an email I’d written shortly after the gig:

Last week, I was on The Ring II. Technically, I was on set twice, but the first day, I didn’t get used. I just sat in holding and read a book.

I think the highlight of that day was when they were about to use the extras and paraded us through to the director and along the way, there were four cute little baby skunks playing or eating (we didn’t want to get close enough to find out) near one of the buildings. Yeah, very VERY boring day. But at least I got some writing as well as reading done during all the down time.

Once we were paraded in front of the director, he chose the people he wanted for the scene and then the rest of us got sent home.

It wasn’t common for the director to hand pick people right there, but I was totally fine with it. Some people were a little grumpy after being in holding all day only to find out they weren’t going to be used. We get paid either way, so I don’t know why people complain.

Anyhow, the First Assistant Director pointed toward a group of us women and asked the director if we’d be good for the women’s shelter scene.

Usually, that wouldn’t mean a thing except that they did actually take our names down. I figured I’d believe it when I got the call. There have been several times when we think we’re going to have multiple days on a shoot and it turns out to be only the one day.

But they really meant it. I ended up working on Friday in the womens shelter scene.

Naomi Watts is not strikingly gorgeous in my opinion, but definitely girl-next-door pretty. I had no idea what to expect, but at least I wasn’t disappointed.

Anyhow, I might actually be in this movie when it comes out. They moved me around a couple times, but I ended up in a chair that they sort of turned to one side after the director walked through looking at camera angles.

His name is Hideo Nakata and according to one of the Production Assistants, he’s on the Forbes list of the 100 most influential people. The Ring came from Japan and he’s the guy who directed it there.

Anyhow, after being seated for awhile, I looked up and saw the director with his hands out, framing the shot…and I think I was in the middle of it in the foreground.

About a half hour later, I look up from my book again, and I see him doing the same thing as he’s showing the steady-cam operator what he wants.

Of course, I had a deer in headlights expression on my face because I wasn’t expecting any of this. And then to make matters in my little head worse, the director comes over and kneels down between me and a lady in another chair nearby and proceeds to tell us that the scene takes place in Seattle, it’s late afternoon, we’ve been there a very long time, we’re very depressed and down feeling.

He gets up and walks away and the other lady and I look at each other in shock. Directors don’t usually talk to extras…especially for that amount of time. It was very strange.

When they were finally shooting the scene from Naomi’s point of view, the camera was on all of us women and after the first take, the director went over to a group of women and told them some of the same stuff he’d told me and the other lady, except with a few extra directions. I guess they weren’t giving him quite what he was looking for.

As he walked past me, I looked at him as if to say, ‘was I okay?’, but didn’t actually say anything. He then told me he wanted me not to look down, but to look about three feet upward from where I’d looked in the last take. I was absolutely stunned. He could see me clear enough that he knew which way I’d been looking.

Something tells me that I really really really do have a chance at being on screen in this movie. Yaaaaay! It’s just really really rare to have this kind of thing happen. And who knows if I’ll be in the finished product, but at least I have a chance for once!!!

You betcha, I looked exactly where he told me to look during the next five takes! I really hope I don’t end up on the cutting room floor, but if I do, oh well…it certainly wouldn’t be the first time!!!!!

I will certainly be updating this Tale once the movie comes out. I’m looking forward to seeing if I actually made it into the finished product.

Well, I made it…kinda. Here’s what was in the finished product:

Ah well. I still had fun. Better luck next time, huh?

When I worked on this movie, it was called ‘Synergy’.

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

I was on the set of Synergy with Dennis Quaid and Topher Grace. I was a ’sushi restaurant patron’ and for the entire day, I had my back to the action while pretending to eat sushi and twiddling with my PDA.

Anyhow, the one time I did turn around between shots just to see what was going on, my eyes accidentally met Dennis Quaid’s eyes. WOW! Super-ultra-blue and absolutely incredible. Unfortunately, I had to turn back around so I couldn’t just stare at him…I’d've likely drooled as well. That wouldn’t've gone too nicely with the plate of half-munched warm sushi that was in front of me the entire day.

There was a real sushi chef who threw together a plate of shrimp for me which I ate during the course of about six takes…there were six pieces!

The other part of my Tale involves the guy who was sitting next to me. He started the scene seated, then got up, walked over to Dennis and Topher, said two lines, then walked off-camera.

Well, the guy played in the 1984 Super Bowl as a Defensive Back for the San Francisco 49ers. His name is Dwight Hicks and he was kind enough to show us his ring between takes. But the poor guy kept screwing up the first of his two lines ["Hey Dan-O"].

I actually hadn’t noticed because I was too busy writing nonsense on my PDA making it look like I was some kind of businesswoman preparing for a meeting after lunch.

Anyhow, after his second or third blown line, he came back to his seat and jokingly said, “Hey write ‘Dan-O’ on that would ya?” Well, I thought he was serious and seeing as how he had a line and most actors who have lines don’t talk to the extras, I pulled out my stylus and wrote in big huge letters “Dan O!”

The scene had already started by the time I was writing, but then when I’d finished scribbling, I nonchalantly tapped his shoulder and pushed my PDA toward him. He sorta snorted at first, but then it was time to go deliver his line and–wouldn’t-ya-knowit–he got it right!!!! WooHoo!

Sometimes it happens to the best of us when all we have is one line. Sometimes it’s just better to have a monologue or something longer. Dwight was really great. He joked with me and the girl that was sitting on the other side of him during lunch and the rest of the day. And I still have “Dan O!” on my PDA plus some of the other stuff I was writing… I’ll type out a few gems below:

Looking busy on the set of Synergy.

Just trying to look like I am trying to do something.

Still trying. The scent of warm sushi is getting to me. Oh boy.

I can’t believe I’m being paid to eat sushi.

Still being paid to eat, but very slowly.

The scene just keeps going and I just keep on writing.

Still going. I think I’m still having fun. I’ve lost track.

I mean, I’m still eating alone.

Oh what a beautiful day.

And on that note, I bid you farewell…