It's official. I am a Star.

Ok. I would like to officially add my movie-extra experience to my life's top 10. I am so glad I did it. haha. I hope that I can effectively convey the awesomeness of that day in this blog post.

To start it off, I am going to have to provide a little bit of background.
As I have mentioned before, the movie was being filmed at the jail... my very own place of employment. This in itself is awesome. I mean, coming to work and seeing Russell Crowe smoking a cigarette outside of the lunch room window is kind of crazy. But when I had the opportunity to be in the movie, I couldn't really pass it up! After a few weeks of joking around about it, I decided to actually call.

Originally, the guy had told me that they would need me on Friday, and that they would call Thursday night to let me know when to be there and everything. But I never got the call. So on Friday, instead of hanging out with Russell, I went to work so that I could actually get paid. I was a little disappointed, but I decided that even if I wasn't in the movie, it was still awesome that I randomly saw Russell Crowe walking the halls of the jail.

Fast forward to Sunday evening.
I get a call around 5:00 asking if I want to be an extra on Monday. Absolutely. So I called my boss to get the "go ahead", but in fact, never actually got it. I just got her machine. I decided that either way, I was going to call off to be in this movie. So that's what I did.

On Monday morning, I got to the "set", (aka my usual parking lot) around 8:00am. I filled out my "time card" or whatever, went to wardrobe (haha), and got instruction about what I'd be doing. They wanted me to just take my car to the front of the jail, and sit in it. That was all. Not bad. I was getting paid to sit in my warm car and listen to the radio. However, after a few minutes, one of the PA's knocked on my window. He told me that they called from up on the hill and wanted "the tan car". That was mine!! haha. So they told me to drive up to Duquesne's campus. When I got up there, it was like another world! It was everything I ever imagined when I thought about movie sets. Just tons of people, in little director's chairs, and cameras and headphones and walkie talkies galore. It was exciting.

I talked to a few of the PA's, and they told me that I would be DRIVING through Russell's scene. Oh My Gosh. Instead of merely sitting in the background, I got an action scene! They even gave me my very own walkie talkie! And I had to follow cues! It was awesome. I felt like the whole movie was depending on my ability to drive in a straight line at less than 10 miles per hour. And I am not sure, but I felt like every time they had to do another take it was my fault. haha.... despite the fact that the PA's told me I was "doing great". haha. What a relief.

Anyway, having a walkie talkie was definitely the most exciting part. I heard everything. "What's the status on Russell?" "He's 100%." ..."Russell is on the move!" (YES! JUST LIKE ASLAN!) ... I got really excited when I heard that. I just felt like I was supposed to be excited.

I was sitting in my car, pulled over next to a stop sign. And shortly after hearing that "Russell was on the move", I see an Escalade approach in my rear view mirror. Sure enough, it was him! As his car pulled up next to mine, I was literally less than 3 feet away from him. Except that there were 2 glass windows between us. Oh snap. If we had both decided to roll down our windows, I could have touched him. omg. haha.

Anyway, I was kind of nervous when I had to drive. I was following the direction of this guy who was standing next to my car. And then after that, they started telling me over the walkie talkie when to go. That was better. One of the PA's also told me to turn my car around after the scene, rather than reversing. Except... after the scene, everybody on the walkie talkie was like, "Why doesn't she just reverse?" haha. They were making fun of me. They said "Have you ever seen a Pittsburgher reverse down a street?" At that moment, not only was the quality of the scene and possibly the whole movie resting on my driving abilities.... but the reputation of Pittsburghers' reversing abilities as well! I did end up reversing down the street. It was way easier.. And I had to repeat it about 10 times... I hope they were blown away by my reversing skillz. I was also really nervous because my brakes were/are extremely squeaky. I felt like I was going to ruin the scene by braking!! Or maybe, I would rupture Russell's eardrums with the horrible sound. Luckily, nobody mentioned my horrible brakes.

Anyway, I am pretty sure that this is going to be the best scene of the whole movie. Just wait for it!

So after about 10 takes, they started packing up. I had no idea what to do. So I just sat around for a few minutes, until one of the PA's asked if I could give him a ride back down to "base camp" (yes, they actually call it that! haha). So I did. Not only him, but 2 others as well. They even had the nerve to ask me to open the trunk for their equipment! haha. I found the whole situation slightly hilarious.

So I got back to "base camp" a little after 9. And then we sat there for the rest of the day. Seriously. Until 5:45. We did nothing else! haha. But it was a lot of fun, and I think it definitely made the experience. I went into this thing hoping that at the most, I would only be visible in the movie for 2 milliseconds. I was expecting to be a nobody on set, etc. But wow. I don't think everybody else had the same expectations. haha. The other extras were so serious about it! One lady had "been in" so many movies, and was sharing all of her veteran advice. Another girl was there for her first time, but I am pretty sure she was bound and determined to sleep with any man on set.. I am not sure if she was just that desperate or if she really wanted to be in a movie that badly. haha. There were two slightly creepy guys. One more so than the other. And there was an older lady who was so annoyed by the prototypical "Extras" that she was constantly leaving the tent to smoke. And then there were a few CO's (jail gaurds... correctional officers) there as well. I think they were the coolest people there. Maybe it's because they are legit people with legit jobs. The rest were questionable. haha. But they were really cool, and now I'm excited to see them around the jail. Their scene actually got cut from the movie, so they were there all day with us, and never even got to do anything. What a bummer! haha, They were so excited for it, too.

Anyway, it was just a long day of waiting, and not being allowed to eat lunch until everybody else had eaten... even the actors' dogs ate before we did. haha. And the whole time we were thinking that we could make our own movie, tv show, or snl sketch about being an extra. It is definitely it's own interesting world. And I am so glad I had a chance to see it. haha.

Would I do it again? hmmm. Not sure. Probably, just because it was so hilarious. But I don't think I am cut out for that world. I am far too laid back and uninterested in "drama" to care. haha. I definitely don't want to become the "veteran" who gives advice to the newcomers, but I would probably do it one or two more times. haha. I am now receiving emails from the "veteran" offering tips on open casting calls and how to be an extra in other films. haha. This of her own accord, of course.

Hilarious. All of it.

I kind of want to go so over the top when this movie comes out. Like, rent a theater and have everybody I know come watch it together. haha. I think it would be hilarious. And awesome.

p.s. I hope that others can tell I am being a little facetious about this whole experience. I mean... sure, it's awesome... but the best part is making a huge deal about non-significant events. I think this is the key difference between myself and real "extras". haha. I am just doing it for some good stories, not to be discovered!