I'm Ready For My Closeup, Mr.DeMille.....

I have discovered a way to make money in New York.

No, not that... I said make money.

It is called being a paid extra. Yes, you, too can have the fun and pleasure of being on a film set, eating film food, sitting around for ten hours, being in two scenes, knowing your face will be seen by millions, you can put your name on IMDb, and in the credits, you are listed as Mama.

How cool is that?

Very, with the exception of the ten hours.

My first call was at 1A. No problem, I said. I'll snooze, be up at 11.ish, catch the L to Brooklyn, and be in time for hair and make-up. Hair and make-up. Heh.

I was then advised the call sheet was changed, and they wanted my scenes completed, so, my call was changed to 9P. It was 8P when this happened.

I raced...okay, I went from my usual meander to a brisk walk...to the A, changed over to the L, and arrived in time for the aforementioned hair and make-up.

One reason I was cast was my curly hair and Sicilian colouring. Since I'm part Sicilian, the colouring came naturally. Note the curly hair comment. The first thing the hair people did was straighten my curly hair. The director loved the white bit in the front, and he wanted it to stand out instead of curl about, so, bye bye curls.

With no time to go home and change, I went in my clothing for the day... tank top, light cotton sweater over this tank top, and jeans. It was a bit of a low cut tank top, especially for me. I was supposed to be a typical Brooklyn pizza parlour owning Sicilian mother... and, I had clevage. I did as I'd done all day, pull up the tank top, adjust the sweater. It was more than uncomfortable with the actor playing my 'son', coming over, kissing me on the cheek, then leaning over me, looking down the front of my shirt for the rest of his scene with me.

We shot the first scene, with me in the background, reading a newspaper.

That was scene eight... my next scene was scene ten, I'm thinking I'll be home by midnight. woot.

Scene ten was shot at 7.30A.

I earned my 60 bucks.

The other extras huddled about inside, discussing acting... they were ACTors. Me? I watched the entire shoot... amazing stuff, film. Interesting things, film shoots. This is an indy shoot, the director hopes to have it in the Festival circuit. His mom and I spent lunch together, chatting. I also had a nice time with the set photographer, a PA, the gaffer, the key, the sound guy, the best boy, the AD, and the director hung around for a bit and chatted theater. He wasn't a theater guy, he was pure film... theater was too unsure for him, he liked the fact he could put a film together, and know there was no uncertainty. I told him that was my favourite part of theater... the fact every night is a new show. He said it would make him crazy.

Most of the crew was from the area, the cast was from LA. It was amazing the difference in the attitudes, the approach in how they did things. What I found most interesting was the sameness in techie attitudes, be they film or theater tech people. A certain distance from the actors, respect if there is talent, disdain if there isn't. No matter how you try, you really can't get the two groups together... they may rub along, but, each thinks the other is the more powerful in the set-up.

I walk a fine line when I production manage, to keep all in harmony... I respect both for their skills, and trying to keep peace can be a headache.

Which is what I have now after only two hours sleep.

Still, I'm in a film, I have my name in the credits... and I made enough to pay for a play next week.

Oh, and the straight hair? It was drizzling all night... by the time it came to my scene, with the humidity in the air, well, let us say Mama had big curls again. Such is life in the world of film.

I wonder if they got my good side.....