A Working Actor's Lament (Chapter 77)

Another Film in the Canister

So, this weekend was very hectic for me. I had to finish the final two days of shooting "Time and Time Again", and these were going to be the fun shots. Day one consisted of shooting in a laboratory, in a bathroom and at a valet station. All in 8 hours. And...go.

The laboratory was to be a scene where 'an intern' was to give me a hard time when my time-travel experiment of an apple doesn't go quite as planned and turns into applesauce in the container as well as all over me. I love doing the physical humor shots, they are the most unpredictable and, therefore, garner the most spontaneous reactions.

After arriving the laboratory, I found out the 'the intern' called at midnight (12 hours prior to being on the set) and backed out of the shoot. Talking to the director, I guess it is hard to find extras who will do a free shoot and want to get paid. My argument is:

1. It is not an extra gig if you are saying lines, and
2. I'm not getting paid and working for four days so why would an extra expect to get paid?

I find it unbelievable how many actors sabotage their own acting careers. Get film on yourself, meet the next generation of filmmakers and stop crying like babies about getting paid. An actor acts, period. Do the work and more work will come. But, I digress...

I got bummed when we didn't have the time to get the applesauce exploding on my face, but I know what we shot will be great. Onto the bathroom scene, where I would have to act opposite my future self.

As we got to the location, the producer was putting signs on the bathroom door in the new Lucas Building at USC. As he finished, a student walked into the bathroom. That was at 5 PM, when we were supposed to be setting up for the first shot. It was then 5:05, then 5:10, then 5:15...what the hell was this guy doing in there?

At 5:20 PM, our producer walked into the bathroom and told the student in the stall that we really had to shoot and if he could finish it up. I don't think I have ever experienced that in all of my days of shooting. Funny stuff, this film making.

During the 20 minutes of waiting for the bathroom, the director informed me that he was a big fan of Ghostbusters and I brought it up that my wife was 'Slimer' in the second movie. He had seen the footage online and was in awe. We finished the bathroom shoot early and headed over to the valet location. It was three shots (handing the valet a ticket, close up of valet, close up of my character) and we were finished for the night. One more day and this shoot would be behind me.

On the last day of shooting, I thought it would be a nice thing to bring my wife and introduce her to the director. It was nice to do that for him. I think it still freaks my wife out to meet people who are in awe of her past on Ghostbusters, but she is a part of Americana.

We only had some quick shots of arriving home, writing down a message, trying on shirts, brushing my teeth, gargling with Scope, eating gum...easy stuff that took only 3 hours. Then, that was it...it was over...one more project done. After the shoot, I always get this feeling of "what's next?", but things have been happening this year and I am just hoping the momentum stays. This is my year, I just know it.