I'm Walking on Greenscreen! The Filming of Happy Tears in Philadelphia.

May 28th 2008.

This movie stars Parker Posey (Superman Returns), Demi Moore, and Rip Torn (Men In Black). And it's been filming in town for a few weeks. The casting office booked me for today, and that finds me down at the Old Naval Yards at Philly's southern edge.

The Naval Yards are almost a movie studio of it's own. The long-emptied warehouses are utilized often by production companies. Sets, art dept, wardobe dept, equipment storage. "Invincible" utilized it. I did my first costume fitting for "The Village" here. And the movie "Annapolis" shot here, doubling for the real Annapolis, Maryland.

There's about forty extras here today, all dressed in black for a 'cocktail party.' Signed in, and grabbed a table in the far corner of the holding tent. A few hundred feet down the warehouse, they were filming a scene on an indoor set. That set being the interior of a plane cabin. We had to be silent when picture was up, else we get picked up by the microphone, and ruin the take.

I don't want to give away the scene, but it did involve Parker Posey, and a greenscreen carpet I was standing on, looking at an imaginary eyeline of something (or someone...) who wasn't there. It's cool to get to work in a special effects shot. I'm walking on greenscreen!

We sat in holding for hours before they needed us on the set. I had brought a little tv with me, to watch the season finale of "Lost", which I was dying to see. Yes I am a admitted Lost junkie. I was able to watch all the way through until the last two minutes. Just as they're about to reveal a long awaited secret, we got called to set, and I missed the pivotal moment!

Wefilmed the scene throughout the night from different angles. Parker Posey would crochet on a pattern fabric in between takes, and my feet were starting to feel sore. Doubly so for the ladies who were in high heels.

It's 4am. Things are starting to blur over. Almost 12 hours in. I'm pretty done for. Tired. Pained feet. The hallmarks of an extra. It didn't last much longer for me. I went back to holding and soon was part of a group wrapped.

That is a wrap!

Good Things to Come

It's a good time to be an extra on the east coast. And why? Because a slew of movies are on their way here, if not arrived already. In Philadelphia, Dream of the Romans, Tenure, and Happy Tears. Coming soon: Marly & Me, Remorse, Three Sistas, The Last Airbender, Transformers 2 to Philadelphia. In DC: My One and Only. Currently filming in New York: The Taking of Pelham 123, Duplicity, Julie & Julia, and coming soon: Brooklyn's Finest. In addition, the area around Philadelphia will be getting two movie studios opening by year's end, which will bring a lot of productions here.

I've been on hiatus for several months, and now's a good time to get ready for a busy season! The truth is, that the work of booking extra work includes a lot of pictures, emails, letters, casting calls, and phone calls. Correspondance takes up a lot of time. constantly putting yourself out for every job opportunity, and being lucky to get jobs on half of them. If you're the look they want they'll call. If not, better luck next time.

So in preperation of that, I've been busy with some of the movies listed above. In preperation of good things to come. This blogsite will be going forward and backward at the same time. Here I will chronicle my efforts, thoughts, and adventures yet to come. At the same time, I will post the the journals I have kept from other shoots over the past eight years. Good things past....Good things to come.