Pigeon droppings in the park

The set was at Washington Square Park on a sultry hot summer day in NYC.  My partner and I were slated to be chess player extras but the scene was changed and we were recast as bystanders and walk-by people. We were walking back and forth by the fountain sucking on water bottles between takes and watching the scene repeat a number of times:

...the two principals sit on a bench with the Washington Arch behind them; a man approaches a group of pigeons feeding nearby.  He suspiciously picks up one of the pigeons to check for a message on its feet as he notices one of the principals giving him chase.  He tosses the pigeon down and books it through the park...as Shirlock chases him (and Watson does the capture).

That's me with the maroon shirt and green cap in the background!

The day wore on and the temperature got hotter and some of the "trained pigeons" started to stumble, fall and eventually have seizures -dropping all over the place.  Their keepers were rounding them up from under the shade-providing benches, when suddenly the unexpected happens.  A red-tailed hawk swooped down and snatched one of the weak pigeons.  Someone should call CUT!

Nonetheless, the scene was completed by the end of the day.  The running culprit was handily caught by the chasing principals in classic martial arts fashion down a lane that did not include any chess players.  And OH HOW MUCH WE ALL WANTED TO PLAY CHESS (mostly because it would have been a nice cushy sitting gig)!!!

But we did get a chance to sit on the park benches occasionally and watch the park's activities.  On one of these occasions as an impromptu actor was putting on his Shakespeare soliloquies nearby, a resident celebrity happened to walk by.

It was Arsenio Hall -dressed "not to be recognized" with a blue backpack slung over his shoulders.  I said hello to Arsenio -and he gave a low-key wave towards me as though not wanting any further recognition. Not a problem -I didn't want to be recognized either. Other park "celebrities" included a regular entity sitting on the benches, who was repeatedly covered by trusting pigeons while kids were asking the penultimate question from their onlooking parents: "What's an extra?"

And so July finished up with a number of gigs under my belt.  Among them Bird man, American Hustle, Spiderman 2 (London Calling), Elementary and a Verizon commercial.  All of them excellent experiences that make me long for more when my submissions to new cast-calls go unanswered. But that's part of the deal -there are no guarantees of long-term employment in this business... not for extras, nor pigeons.