Washington Field

CBS – Pilot
April 6 -9, 2009

Just finished working four days on this pilot for CBS TV. I received a call about reserving the four days over a week before the booking. Sunday night, I called the line and discovered that the location for the shoot is in Irvine. For those not wanting to look at a map, Irvine is 50 miles south of Los Angeles (where I live). 100 miles (actually 101.6 miles) round trip. Add early morning calls, and later release times, and I didn't get much sleep over the four days.

When I drove up to the location, the Background handler was sitting on a curb gathering some of the background as they came in and keeping us quiet as they were filming outside and not far from the parking lot. I was very pleased to see Jason Gutierrez, who is the BG handler/booker/PA on “24” which I've worked for two seasons. Turns out Jason asked for me, which was nice to say the least. It also looks like I could be called back on next season of “24”, as he will be back there himself.

I got quite the surprise when I found out that most of the crew of “24” were also crewing this pilot. The Director, 1^st AD, 2^nd AD, wardrobe, hair, make-up, camera operators, grips, and nearly everyone else including Bruce's Catering and many of the background actors. It was nice walking onto a set I've never worked before, but where so many people knew me.

There were clear reminders that the production company doing this pilot had connections to “24” and 20^th Century Fox. The set is populated with “fake” paperwork (in some cases clearly public documents from city hall or a business now defunct) and this paperwork is then used as props for handing off from one background to another, or shuffling about and such. Here are some examples of what was on some of the forms:

• Finger Prints check: One Kristopher Kringle, no criminal record.
• A report of the death of Kristopher Kringle (previous to finger print I.D. known as John Doe) signed by agent in-charge, S Booth (of “Bones” on Fox).
• The typed confession of Joe Addy (aka Zack, also of “Bones”) of serial killings.
• And on one sign on the side of one of the cubicles, a note saying, “Softball sign up – See Keifer”.

In the first scene shot, I was put at the desk that is just left of the front center of the set, where most of the action takes place. This established me in an oft seen location. During one scene, I was told to leave my desk and walk up to the center of the set where I would exchange words with one of the actors (a young man named Adam Jamal Craig, a day player/actor who could have a decent break if this goes to television). Adam plays Dean, whose job is to operate the computer with the large three touch screens. Now those were just back screen projections cued by Adams actions and operated by a man just off camera. On the other hand, the real Microsoft touch screen table top computer, called the Microsoft Surface (costing about 5 to 10 thousand dollars) was very real. Adam was having great fun playing with the real computer while pretending to do many of the same functions on the Hollywood make believe version that takes up most of that set piece.

There was only one of the actors I've worked with before and that was Gina Torres (of Firefly/Serinity and Standoff). I worked with Gina on Standoff (no longer airing) and got the chance to talk to her and tell her that. At the top of one of the scenes, the Director placed her at my station, and had us talking until her cue to move up to the raised set piece and begin her action with the other actors. She introduced herself, (as if I would need such an introduction from her) and we had a chance to chat briefly before spending the next hour working together. During one of the takes, the Director did one of those really slow actions, where he kind of drags it out. “Aaaaaannnnnnnnddddddd...................action.” While waiting for him to start, I began my first move, which was to circle a spot on the top of the form I was holding and “showing” to Gina. I continued to circle the same spot waiting for “action”. After about 5 seconds, Gina said under her breath, “nice windup”, causing us both to laugh, and of course, that was when the Director said, “action”. Tough morning having to work so closely with someone so talented and attractive. This job can be so difficult sometimes.

All in all, a good four days, and nice to be working again. Oh, and “The Suite Life on Deck” had called me back too, so work is starting to pop up again. Yeah.

Being in the Right Place...

He’s Just Not That Into You goes into the theaters today. This is one of the movies I was in, in which I will likely never be seen. I am in the wedding scene with Jennifer Aniston and in the parade scene with Drew Barrymoore.

I saw the trailer for the film last night, and was tickled by the fact that the last cut was of an old woman telling Aniston what a nice dog she has. I know that the woman who said that will be thrilled that it not only made it into the film, but into the trailer. The actress who did the part was a background actor, and the director made the decision to give her that line on the day we were shooting the scene, thus making her a day player. Up to that moment, she had not had any lines in a movie.

So if you see the film, watch for the old lady during the wedding with Jennifer and the dog. There is a real case of a background actor being in the right place at the right time. Oh, and if you want to look for me, I am sitting just to the right of the woman a few seats down. In the parade, I am one of hundreds in the crowd, but always near the front.

Wishing Well

October 20, 2008

I worked on Wishing Well, which is a T.V. movie for Hallmark Channel. The great thing about this show was who I was working with, and the fact that I got to talk to two of the stars. It took a bit for me to realize who the Sally was I was sitting next to on set. She would walk into the scene and offer each of the characters on camera a sandwich box (me being one of the ones to take one from her) and then take her seat next to me. She was very pleasant and at one point was asking the director if she had done a certain action during the last few takes, and no one responded. She turned to me and I nodded and said that yes she had done that move. She smiled, said thanks and asked my name. I told her, and she said it was good to know who to give credit too if she was wrong. She was kidding. I think. She was also Sally Kellerman. Nice person.

Sitting across from her and me was a star from my T.V. viewing past (movie past too). He ate lunch right near where I did. He spent some time talking to a few young ladies who were visiting the set, and when he was done walked by where I was sitting. I smiled at him and he said hello and shook my hand, and I got the chance to let him know that I have enjoyed his work from back when he was on McHale's Navy. He played Lt. Cmdr. Quinton McHale. Ernest Borgnine, of course. Such a pleasant person to work with. I'm glad I had the opportunity.

Boston Legal

October 14, 2008

I was back on Boston Legal, which is always nice. I played a lawyer and sat right behind William Shatner and James Spader in the courtroom scene. Last time I was in the courtroom, Shatner and Spader were there. I really enjoy watching both these actors, and their characters are quite fun as well.

Outside in the courtyard of the Courthouse (which was actually next to the parking structure and coffee shop at Raleigh Studios Manhattan Beach) I was placed at a table behind Betty White, John Larroquett, and Henry Gibson. Watching them work was great fun. Betty spent time sitting back in holding talking to some of the background, and Henry Gibson was making a mess each time he did his scene, though it was quite intentional. Well most of the time, anyway. He did manage to end up with a lap full of water during one take that was not planned. Course, between each take, someone had to clean it up so he could do it again.

Everybody Hates Chris

September 17 and 18, 2008

I worked on Everybody Hates Chris as a detective in September. EHC is the show that Andrew Giannetta was working Camera A on. Drew is my son-in-law, and it was great fun working this show and seeing him do his thing. I was booked to work it, and then let him know. The day I worked, he let the 2nd 2nd know who I was and got placed to be seen in one of the scenes we were shooting.

I would hope to do the show again, but it's future is unknown at this time. EHC may well have shot it's final episode, but there is always hope, and until the official word is out, so is the jury. I have a friend who has worked the show many times because he has a car that fits the time period of the show. Alas, he works on the outdoor set, and I was working inside.

Intermission - August 2005

The previous posts dated from August 15th to August 31st of 2005. This was the first month of working as a background actor. This brings up something worth saying because I was only 15 days old as a background actor, and had worked only nine shows by the 31st. As I read these bits, I am trying to correct anything at is "wrong". My intent will be to make sure that I am factually correct, though I am going to try to do so in a way that doesn't mess with the articles too much. I wrote what I wrote, sometimes from ignorance, and I will try to preserve said goofs while making corrections.

You will note in later blogs that I had the opportunity to work several shows more than once. West Wing was one of my favorites, I had high hopes for Night Stalker, and Arrested Development was a blast. While I repeated my visits to West Wing and AD, Night Stalker didn't last long, and I didn't get to make that a regular gig.

I will continue to put up the old adventures, and when I have caught up with reality, I will begin blogging about current experiences. In the meantime, I will put intermissions into the timeline with comments about each of the months as they pass by.

Arrested Development

August 31, 2005
Episode: The British Bombshell
Location - Beverly Hills Courthouse

Thank Goodness for WARDROBE!

Today's shoot is outside the Beverly Hills Courthouse on a very sunny day, and thanks to wardrobe, I was lucky enough to go the day without a jacket and tie. She even had me roll up my sleeves to give it that casual look. Some others wore black jackets and ties.

The AD on this show is Jennie, and after assuring us plenty of sunscreen and water, she laid out the day for us. Told us about the show, and the episode we were going to film, as well as what some of our responsibilities were for the day. As she put us in our starting points for the scene and told us where to walk on "background", she also informed us that because there were so many of us and lots to film, after we made our crosses, we were to go ahead and make another cross to keep the background busy. On background, we all made our crosses and then stood there unsure if she really meant we were supposed to just walk on camera again, with no specific direction. Marching onto camera and hearing the director yell "cut" followed by "who the hell just crossed there?", was not high on anyone's list of things to do. Jennie came out and gathered the background together and said, "OK, not such a big success, that shot. Where were my background?" She proceeded to give us more direction, and once again told us to go ahead and just make those extra crosses. By the end of the day, we all had it pretty well down. Far more freedom/responsibility than this BG is used to.

If you pay real close attention to BG on this show, and this episode specifically, you will note that continuity is not such a big issue. If you were to follow me around by where I am headed in each segment of the scene at the courthouse, you would notice that I first go up the steps toward the courthouse, then soon afterwards, head back down the steps and away from the courthouse. Shortly after that, I cross camera again heading toward the courthouse to watch the magic show, where I stop and observe the entertainer. I'm all over the place. If you watch even closer, you will note that shadows are all over the place, and what is a ten to fifteen minute period on the show took 12 hours to film, and the sun (firmly in the east at the start) was setting in the west by the end.

This program will go quite a ways to use a joke. During the beginning of the visit to the courthouse scene, the camera will cross the courtyard and stop on a log cabin sitting on a flatbed truck with an older man, wearing white, rocking in a chair by the door. Look close and you will see an Andy Griffith look alike (Matlock reference here). That BG actor (the look-a-like) was paid to sit on the porch of the log cabin for several hours just to get that one shot and keep continuity.

There are some nice things about being a principal actor on a series. One actor had his dog on set. The little pooch was well behaved, never without a handler, and getting almost as much attention as the stars. In between shots, wardrobe and props would come up to actors and take jackets and briefcases so the stars didn't have to carry them between shots and they would bring the actors umbrellas, to keep them shaded. Make-up would be there to do touch ups and take care of hair issues. During one moment before getting a particular shot, Jeffrey Tambour responded to the line of another actor ("I am a star") with a short rendition of "There's No Business Like Show Business". The other man was in a cage, dangling above the crowd wearing a chicken outfit and mask, with simulated blood oozing down his head.

Today was the first day paparazzi near set I was working on, and bless their little shutterbug hearts, they were not there to get my picture. Charlize Theron was guesting on this episode, and they were there to follow her. One poor guy had trouble getting a decent shot of the actress because the sun was shining in his lens. Of course, the sun was to his back, but this didn't stop a few of the crew from putting a reflector to good use. The police had to work to keep them out of the shots and crew was watching them like hawks just to make sure they didn't get too close.

Lastly, an exchange heard earlier on the set, that will give you some understanding of the confusion that occurs with the blending of reality and make believe. A background actors comment to two men sitting in the eating area having breakfast, "Wow, you guys really look like cops!". The response was "We are."

My Name is Earl

August 30, 2005
Episode: Joy's Fancy Figurine
Location - Van Nuys

This is a flash back episode, where the flash back year is 1981. That means it is a period piece and requires that hair styles and apparel match the time. The men didn't have a hard time of it, because most of us had short hair, and styles have not changed that much on "dress up" type clothes. The gals on the other hand needed to have hair set, make-up applied and clothing that said, "I'm an 80's kinda girl". This was the first time I've seen so many background need make-up.

Background actors come in two flavors: Union and Non-Union. On any given show, there is a minimum of BG actors that must be Union. Once that number (usually 20) is met, all others are going to be Non-Union. There are certain rules the producers must follow when dealing with Union BG regarding lunches, dinners, bumps in pay for costume changes and more, and of course, the Union boys and girls make more money. The only way to become Union BG is to work on three Union vouchers, and that is sometimes kinda hard to do. You might be offered one by the person clocking you in, or you might talk your way into one. I am in no hurry because, while your pay goes up, once you get in, the number of jobs you can get, go down. Can you say "Catch 22?"

This show was shot in a sound stage (like the one I was in on 20th's lot yesterday) that was putting up next weeks sets while working in this weeks. That meant that each time the bell rang and "Rolling" was echoed through out the stage, all the craftsmen/craftswomen working on the new sets had to stop what they were doing and wait out the scene being shot. Makes for slow going on the whole building thing.

One thing you notice about the set is that all the crew have headsets, and communicate constantly. When "rolling" is called, you will notice key people clicking the mics and repeating "rolling". No one on set can claim they didn't hear. Air conditioners and fans get shut off and you could hear a pin drop.

Often, crew will be talking one moment and then stop, stare into the distance and commune with that voice in their heads. On completion, they will pick-up whatever conversation they were having as if there were no pause. It takes a while to get used to, but soon you become quite adept at recognizing the sudden distance of the crew member and get right into the rhythm of the thing.

This episode also employed many children, mostly well behaved and occupied by parents. Never-the-less, one BG actor was heard to utter W. C. Fields' line about children. I personally think the kids did fine though. And watching them work was just like watching any other actor (except they have smaller bodies and are only 5 or 6 years old). The director was giving them direction, and they did their best to follow it. Real troopers.

One crew member, a D.A./BG wrangler, managed to keep the little girls, busy at one point by answering questions about and modeling her many tattoos. The kids were so busy pointing out and describing the tattoos to each other, that they didn't notice the wait they were otherwise experiencing.

Head Cases

August 29, 2005
Episode: In the Club
Location - 20th Century Fox

20th Century Fox Studios is tricky to get in to. Most of the cars wanting to enter the studio seem to be coming from the south, and thus need to turn left and cross the south bound lanes to pull into the lot. Because all of the background actors need to be checked in, the speed of traffic that goes through that gate is glacial. South bound traffic ends up blocked by folks who don't want to lose their place in line. Once on the lot, finding the Stage I was supposed to go to was an exercise in, well, exercise. I walked to the wrong end of the studio before realizing that I was lost. Asking for directions sent me to the right location only a stones throw from where I parked.

This, of course, was my first time on the 20th Century Fox lot and I was able to stop by the Studio store and buy a 20th Century Fox pin to go along with my WB Pin. I am building a collection. I have a looong way to go.

This was also the first time I was working in a "real" Stage, like the ones you see in the movies or in T.V. shows with the big doors and the flashing red lights and the bells to tell the world that it is time to be quiet while we film. One long bell ring for "be quiet" and the outside red flashing lights go on at all the doors to warn people not to enter. Two quick bells tell everyone it is ok to continue with whatever you were doing, and the flashing red lights go off. As big and well padded as these buildings are, sound may not get in from outside, but it can and will be picked up on set during filming if it occurs inside the studio. During one take, the director hollered cut only a few seconds into action to yell out, "I Can Hear You Walking", to whoever was ignoring the bell and padding through the paths between sets.

On this stage, the background holding area was right behind the set, and all that stood between the cameras and us were the ply-wood walls that made up the courtroom. While doing one scene in the courtroom, I noticed how easy it is to forget your on a set. We were surrounded by 4 walls, with jury seating and the judges bench and the seating area for court watchers, and I had become so focused on what was happening, that when I looked up and noticed the lack of ceiling, I was a little surprised. To avoid a surprise of another kind, the background was warned that during the courtroom shot, we would be seeing the "Vaseline" guy. This is a featured background actor, who had Vaseline spread all over his body, and owing to the strategically timed dropping of his pants, was able to prove the fact. If you catch this episode, the line you probably won't hear is, "Is that a persimmon, or are you happy to see me?". The actor giving that line went through so many permutations of it, that I have no clue what one will make it to the final cut.

Nightstalker 2

August 24, 2005
Episode: Malum
Location - L.A.

You gotta love this job. I get up and go to work, and the first thing I do when I get there, before I clock in, is eat. They feed me. Hot breakfast, cold cereal, fruit, pastry, the works. Today I had an omelet cooked fresh with my choice of ingredients. Nice way to start the day.

After we ate, the call to set was almost immediate. We went upstairs to the set and took our places. I have a desk that is "mine". It is where I am seen the most, so that is were I get to sit most of the time. Today was the beginning of a new episode, and so the logical place to start were scenes 21, 32, 33, 25, and 28 in that order. There really is logic at play here, because all these scenes take place in the News Room of the Los Angeles Beacon. Even though more than one day passes in context of the show, we shoot them in one day, so change in costumes are needed so it does not look as though we never get to go home and always work in the same clothes.

Once on the set, the crew began shooting establishing shots. No sound is needed, so the set was noisy and both cameras were working different areas at the same time. I didn't end up in any of the establishing shots, but I think I'll show up in background on two other possible shots.

The director is the closest thing to god on the set, and as such is often only heard from on high. Unlike the movies you see where the director is right next to the camera, most of them work in an area with blinds that block their view of the scene (though more than once I've seen them in different rooms altogether). They do come out and give direction to the actors, and sometimes to make changes to the way something looks on the set, but otherwise, their major view of the action is on a small monitor in a dark space. From this space you'll here the distant cry of "Camera", "Action", and "Cut". This is the director. Each of these orders are repeated throughout the set so that it often sounds like an echo canyon. "Camera" yells the Director, "Camera" yells the DA, "Camera" yells two or three more voices off set, just in case you don't hear it the first two or three times. "Action" only gets repeated once, and again the echo begins with "Cut". The word that gets repeated the most is "Wrap". "It's a Wrap" is joyously chorused by better than half the cast and crew, because these words set you free, at the end of a long day.

Next time you see a cozy little chat going on between two people at a desk in a small space, you might reflect on what really happens to film that shot. In a space roughly 10' x 10', Kolchak and Gabrielle (actors Stuart Townsend and Perri Reed) talk about their latest adventure in hushed tones, to exclude prying ears. Also in that 10' x 10' space are two cameras on dollies each with an operator and the guy that moves the dolly, the sound man, lighting people and others whose job remains a mystery to me, totaling 11 people, the props, set pieces and equipment. That's 22 ears. That's no way to keep a secret.