Mandy Moore
The casting agency called me the day before to keep calling
back for a gig in a new pilot. I was
apprehensive to do any background work due to a minor medical procedure I had a
few days ago. But I was feeling better
and wanted to get my mind off of worrying –so I persisted in calls back to the
agency and they came through.
US and THEM is the name of a new ABC TV pilot starring Mandy
Moore of singing fame –unfortunately, she wasn't in today’s scene. She’d been transitioning toward acting in the
past few years, doing cameo roles and now landed the lead role of a newlywed in
this show. “Us and Them” refers to the
distinction that she is learning to make between family members, friends and
others -and the ensuing emotional complications that arise whenever allegiances
need to be made.
Call time was for 7:30 AM at a Greek Orthodox Church near
the movie house set. I got there an hour
early to avoid any lateness due to the notorious Belt Parkway traffic from my
home, as well as to make sure I got parking.
Two other extras had the same idea and we commiserated about how nothing
was set up for us (i.e. breakfast) and the brutally cold weather that just
didn’t want to leave –even though we were now into the days of Spring. To warm
ourselves up, we walked down the block where we found an open McDonald's and I
suggested we go for the $1-any-size-coffe they were hawking on the
billboards. An hour later crafty got set
up and we all had a second helping of coffee along with a sumptuous choice of
breakfast goodies which included a veggie-juicer option. Drinking that vegetable juice while it’s
still fresh, is like feeling renewed life injected into your body!
While waiting to go to set I was surprised to find that the
young woman at the next chair was studying to be an environmental lawyer. She was very keen on all the “green issues”
and proceeded to inform me about every one of them. Another woman sat down and began to discuss
how necessary it is to have your own business and to diversify your activities
(she was both a tour guide and a real-estate agent)!? Remarkable. You can learn a lot from these
impromptu lectures while sitting around in holding.
Our role was to be movie patrons watching a movie. Some of us were spread around 2 of the principals,
arguing in the middle of the movie. The
funny part of this whole set up was that the regular movie shown in this
theater was continuously running while the crew was filming us.
As it happened, the movie was “Identity
Thief” with Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman –with the sound turned off. Nonetheless, we could all follow the story
and couldn't help cracking up laughing at inopportune moments of the US and
Them filming… the director had to keep admonishing us not to laugh since it
interfered with their shoot. The movie
house was rented for only a short period of time and the rumor was that the
automated film-schedule that’s usually in progress at this theater couldn't be
interrupted –hence the freebie, albeit silent movie… whether we wanted it or
not!
Scene setup inside the movie theater
After hearing this, we knew it would be a real short day. And it was!
They paid us for the whole day and released us by noon. I got home at 1:30 PM. No lunch on set but that was OK with me…
lunch at home is always good to look forward to.
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