So it was suggested that I blog about my Leverage adventures... And I had my reservations about it. For one, because I didn't think there would be anyone interested in that sort of thing. And two, because I worry that I will reveal too much or something. But i reconsidered and decided to talk about my first day as an extra... see how it goes... and take it from there, or not.
There's a lot I have to omit for privacy reasons, personal reasons, or just spoilery reasons. But I'll say what I can and hopefully someone will find it interesting :)
Let's Begin....
On May 19th, I finally received that fabulous email that was titled "LEVERAGE AVAIL CHECK 5/21"
I had been told I might be able to get some work on the show... and originally I was hoping for something more steady, as I've been unemployed for so long... but I wasn't about to complain. Now the sad part was, I had agreed to go to my twin nieces birthday dinner that night... but I FINALLY got SOME offer of work and couldn't, after six months of dead end job searches, turn down ANY work. Plus... HELLO?? it's Leverage work. So... I responded that I was indeed available. The next day, mid-afternoonish, I still hadn't heard anything... So, I emailed the woman back and asked when we would know if we were needed... when she responded, she told me that if I hadn't received an email ten minutes ago, I wasn't going to be used.
So, I called up my sister... and told her the dinner was back on for me. A couple hours later, a member of the production called my phone. I had met him a few weeks prior and he called and asked why he hadn't heard from me in a while. I told him that sometimes those that I know 'there' don't always get back to me and I don't wanna be a pest so I... yanno... just waited. And he says "no no no, you're not a pest. Hey! Wanna work tomorrow?" I, of course, giggled and told him 'Yes' and he puts me on the phone with the woman who had just a little while before told me that I wasn't needed. Then had to call my sister again, but thankfully, the girls and her understood.
I then recieved an email explaining the idea of the scene, which was attending a children's school play at a private school and the attire was upscale. Well, I'm a jeans and t-shirt kinda gal, so I kinda panic-ed a little. Called on some wonderful friends and drove all over the Portland Metro area to 3 different houses to pick up possible wardrobe options. I called back my friend and told him I was worried that they wouldn't use me cos I don't know how a curvy girl with a lipring can pull off the upscale look they wanted... he laughed and said, "they'll figure it out, you just show up." (like I was even considering not going... uh, i dont THINK so!)
So, I arrived about a half an hour before my call, and delighted the extra coordinator folks by stating "well that just means I'm REALLY on time!" I sat down to fill out my paperwork with a gentleman that was alone at his table... I chose to sit with a man because I was worried about being judged amongst the other women... I know how catty we can be and all... :) He was way nice and helped me get situated, showed me what parts to fill out, told me where the wardrobe folks were to get checked out, etc.
So, the wardrobe lady comes over... and let me tell ya... I felt like a STUNNER in this blue shirt I borrowed from my friend... I was, as I put it "Boobtacular" and felt super hot. And the wardrobe lady is raving about how much she LOVES my top BUUUUT... there's already too many folks in the scene wearing blue. Wah Wah WAHHHHH. So, she goes through my other options and picks a Khaki coloured top that another friend had loaned me. Now this top, is one or two sizes too big... It fits, it's just a little... frumpy. So, my confidence is slightly dashed that I have to be seen by my ubercrush in a frumpy outfit. But, what could I do? haha.
So, a couple other women joined our table... they were also very nice... but I started to notice a lot of the other extras complaining... like... "ohhhh its soooo boring" and "ohhhh we just sit here for HOURS and I just wanna go home..." and to top it all off, the person who casted us all has to make an announcement to the room to "please not ask if you can go home, yet" Um, really? The emails they send SAY prepare for at least 8 hours if not more... if you can't hang, why sign up?
Anyhow, we actually got called in pretty quick... and we walk into this auditorium and start getting placed into seats strategicly. And then we get moved around a bit. And a bit more. And then, some of the audience members are handed little "programs" for props. I was one of them. I was totally stoked, my first souvenier!
I'm not sure at what point I actually noticed... but I did at some point realize our director that day was none other than Jonathan Frakes. So, I thought that was pretty cool cos when I was younger, I did watch some Next Generation... and at one point during the day, I heard a crew member shout "MAKE IT SO!" and I about peed myself laughing. So, basically we're just told to look like we are really enjoying the show and when cued, to pantomime applause. Which is pretty easy but some people found it difficult for some reason.
We filmed several takes and switched seats and switched sides of the auditoriums several times... and it mostly like... supposed to be different times in the performance and all, so it was pretty entertaining. We broke for lunch after a few hours... I took one look at the Craft services line and fled outside instead... I'm a smoker and I hadn't smoked in like... three or four hours so I hung outside, smoked and snacked on my veggies that I brought. Then towards the end, I went back in, the line was gone, and I grabbed some roast beef and ate that before we got called back in. On my way back in, I saw Christian sitting on the floor outside the holding area and gave him a wave on my way up the stairs... He smiled and waved back.
At one point, I was seated next to Rian... and if anyone is like me... they shamefully are addicted to VH1 reality shows... including the Pick Up Artist. Rian was on Season 2. And he TOTALLY used one of the pickup methods on a girl behind us and I really wanted to call him on it, but didn't have the heart to.
I was also seated next to this girl Joey, who is now one of my good friends. So, we start to film where we all slowly file in and take our seats... Kyle, my fav extra coordinator, takes me, Joey and this random dude and says "Ok... you three are gonna walk in... walk about halfway down, stop, have a quick conversation, and then take your seats."
Ok sure.
So, Timothy Hutton is standing in the aisle as we do this. So we walk past him, stop in the middle-ish and pantomime our conversation... Now this guy, had this other extra he'd been with most of the day who played like... his wife. So, I mouth to him, "Oh, is your wife parking the car?" And he mouths back, "Yea Yea, she's parking the car cos I'm drunk." Which Joey and I find hilarious and we're trying to be cool... but we're slowly losing it. Finally we take our seats and we hear the "CUT!" and we LOSE IT completely. Like... we were one step away from rolling down the aisle with our laughter. They tell us to reset... and as we're heading back to our first position, we're walking past Timothy. And he looks at me (with those KILLLLLLLER blue eyesssss) and smiles and says "You're having fun, huh?" or something to that effect... and I was just like... "Well YEA!"
and then died.
Ok, obviously, I didn't REALLY die. But inside, I was SQUEALING like a fangirl for sure.
So we worked for a total of ten hours that day... and when it was all said and done, I went and got signed out and shuttled back to my car, texting back and forth with Joey the whole time.
I was, I think in a state of shock cos... it didn't really hit me that first day. But man... I had a BLAST and KNEW I wanted to do it again.......
