A Day at the Lake -The Filming of "My One and Only" in Middle River, MD.

Tuesday, June 17th, 2008.



First off, I'll say that where we are filming today, at the edge of Gunpowder Falls State Park in Middle River, beyond Baltimore, is a breathtakingly gorgeous view of the Gunpowder River complimented by beautiful green grass and trees. Very picturesque. No wonder a movie would film here!


So, this movie stars Renee Zellweger, who is here today, as is David Koechner (Get Smart, the Comebacks). Being a period piece, the 1950's, they are both dressed for the era. Mr. Koechner is almost unrecognizable in spectacles and a pie hat. Also being a period piece, I am in period clothes as well. So are the tweny-five other extras here today by the water. Did mention how gorgeous the view is?


I came to Baltimore last week, and was fitted in period wardrobe, including red suspenders. I got suspendered! This morning, I drove down from Philadelphia at 5am to make an 8am calltime, with time to spare. Didn't get any sleep the night before, which is typical when I am working a shoot. I did make it here just fine, and parked close to the beach.


It's been a low-key morning. Picked up my costume from wardrobe, and changed. In addition to my outfit, they gave me a fedora hat. Then went to hair and makeup. It takes a long time to braid women's hair for the 1950's, and the hair dressers kept getting called to set, so it was two hours before it was my turn. I was a bit nervous that they would decide to shave my beard, and breathed a mental sigh of relief when they didn't.

Once we were called to set, most of us were positioned on the grass by the water, lying near vintage antique cars, on blankets, reposing for a picnic. A good 1950's recreation. An hour down here by the blanket, and I felt like it was the 1950's. B ut we're just the window dressing. The real action was taking place up a sloped hill, where Renee Zellweger is seated with other principals at a picnic table overlooking us and the lake.

So I got to recline on a blanket, with a fellow extra and friend I've known for several years. In addition, Bailey, a young red headed boy of about five-six years old was "asssigned" to us to be our child for the scene. Utterly cute and full of energy, he kept running off in between takes to chase down dragonflys. And he was also given a cap gun to play cowboy with, which he ceartainly enjoyed 'shooting.'

After lunch, we were repositioned to a new setup down below. The extra playing my 'wife' and I would walk to the edge of the water, and look out actross the river. Bailey would just be running around, playing with his toy gun. They filmed about ten or so takes, and then set up reverse angles on the picnic table up the hill.

We were then repositioned up the hill, in front of the picninc table. I wasn't used however, and spent the next few hours watching the filming from out of the way, and occasionally reflecting at the view of the lake. Wrapped at 12 hours in, I got changed back in to comfortable civvies, and drove on home. Another fun day well done!