Illegitimate Sun

Another day’s shooting ends with me blearily driving home as the sun rises.

Despite an early start, we got virtually no shots done in daylight. We even missed the ‘magic hour’. That’s the period just before the sun sets when light doesn’t shine down, it infuses.

The rest of the night was spent filming scenes with the rain machine.

A rain machine turns out to be fire hoses strung through two cranes and attached to industrial sprinkler heads. We were fortunate that the water couldn’t reach the extras’ section.

Not without hours of fruitless trying though.

That’s right, tonight was filled with hours of mindless drudge on the part of the crew and endless boredom for the extras. Maybe two hours of my entire day & night was spent participating in a shot. And I was in every shot but one.

The soccer players did spend a lot of time in freezing downpour and I did feel bad for them, but they also spent hours being catered to in between takes.

I’m a little upset that I missed the They Might Be Giants concert last night to be bored, cold, and damp.

I’m gonna grab a quick nap and try to get some work done that I promised skip.

I report back for another day of filming later this afternoon.

MOVIE NEWS:

It’s the end of my second day of filming. I’ve literally walked in the door and am watching the sun rise as I type.

It’s seems that I’m on nights for the rest of my stint. Night shoots starting at noon and running until six in the morning, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

The night before shooting, I had an enjoyable picnic with Angie atop the Cahokia Mounds, with a great view of the St. Louis skyline and the setting sun. I had to leave early because I was told to report in at 4:30 on my first day.

They were a little confused. Eventually, by late morning, it was established that I would be going to a high school literally blocks from my apartment. I should wear slacks and a dress shirt and be prepared to have fake rain dumped on me.

Before arriving, I shaved off my goatee – as per wardrobe’s request. Some of you may be wondering what I look like without facial hair; you’re just going to have to wait for the movie. By day two, I was already shaving around the area – growing back the goatee.

It turns out that I did not need to wear dress clothes, wardrobe had an outfit for me – a brown howdy-doodey shirt and orange pants that look like they had an collision with a copper kettle and lost. I should be easy to pick out from the crowd.

Extra work is a series of mindless repetitions of an action over and over again. You’re never really sure if it’s even being noticed.

I do think I’m getting some camera time (maybe because of the pants) but I keep being picked to walk around behind the scene – either by myself or escorting women about. Most everybody else just sits in the stands pretending to watch a soccer match. Because I’ve been told to move about, I’m trying to be wherever the camera is pointing. Only four people in the whole crowd get to mill about like that.

Hey, they’re only paying me minimal wage. I should try and get whatever perks I can.

Every six hours, we break for catered meals. The crew and actors get really good food (cheesecake, fish, salads, and cheeses) while the extras get cafeteria fare. I’ve been jumping in line with cast for the better food. This isn’t easy to do with my copper pants and cowboy shirt, but no one’s called me on it yet.

I do think I freaked out Wes Bentley when I had a complete conversation like I already knew the guy.

I had no clue who he was, but he probably views me as a psycho stalker now.

Wednesday’s shooting was called early due to rain. Ironic, as the original game they were portraying happened in the rain. I got home about 2:00 AM with a 9:00 AM call in time.

Today, I got home at 6:00 AM with a 4:00 PM call in time. I called in at 9:00 AM and came in again in the late morning.

Skip, I don’t think I’m going to make it to work today.

They’ve also asked me to come in on Saturday too. I told them I’d have to check my schedule on that one, but honestly, when am I going to help make a movie again? Even in a peon role?

Tired Joshua signing off.

Movie news: It appears I’m filming in a rain scene. I checked in for directions to the shoot tomorrow and they told me to bring an umbrella and a poncho. Yikes.

Flugtag news: Our team design was turned down. I just received a letter stating that we did not make it. Redbull did send me two four-packs of their drink, so I’m not too upset.

Laundry news: My darks came out damp and are now strewn about my apartment (mostly the futon couch) drying.

Too busy, too much going on, not enough time to post on the web.

Monday, met Kate for drinks in Clayton. We talked about rock climbing and Nepal.

Tuesday was dinner with Angie, coffee with Phil, and drinks with Becker. I was interviewed as a man in the street for a news broadcast – the topic was political fundraising. I was not included in the final broadcast cut. I think I was too intelligent and didn’t provide the simplistic sound bite they needed.

Wednesday was racquetball with Phil and Fiddler on the Roof with Becky & Erik.

Thursday was more racquetball, including a solid hit to my nose. I didn’t play my best after that. I also found out that I’ve been cast as an extra in a movie being made in town.

Friday, I reported to wardrobe to get my looks made more ‘vintage.’ I get to wear a lot of rayon (King of Rayon may be my extra title) as no changes to my hair cut. They said they would style it differently, but it needed no cutting. I do have to shave my goatee off for the filming. For a good story, I think I can endure a little razor burn.

Saturday was Augusta wineries with Erik, Phil, Oska & Vortan from Armenia, and Victoria from Kirgistan. Dinner was Marion’s ribs with black eye peas and spaghetti on the side.

Sunday, I shuttled Hannah, Jed, & Kenny to Columbia from a wedding they attended here in St. Louis. Had dinner with all the siblings and the Madre there. Following an excellent pork roast, I head back for St. Louis much the way I always do from family gatherings – tired, full, and covered in cat hair.

More to come from the movie filming later this week.

Been a while since I posted, there’s a lot going along.

The mainstream media is finally taking notice of the Bush Cartel’s prevarication. Way back in October, the CIA was complaining about pressure from the Whitehouse to indict Iraq. This story was published by Knight-Ridder! It’s not like a bizarre, crackpot rag was publishing this story; it was carried by one of the largest news wire services in the U.S. Let’s pay attention people! Hopefully, for more than 30 seconds at a time.

Past events include auditioning for a movie, MacBeth in Forest Park (including a picnic with Angie, Matt, Matt, Allen, Angie, Kim, Eric & Becky), a visit by two forces of nature: Thunderstorms and Angie, and a long lazy afternoon in the sun at Aesop’s Coffeeshop.

Future plans include a concert by Mest and a possible roadtrip.

Tonight was a great dinner night. I oven fried some chicken and used the egg from the breading in spaghetti alla carbonara. I may have used too much egg in the pasta, but the slab bacon was a great touch.