Movie Star!

What a start to the summer! Basically there has been a lot of hype recently, especially on the southern news about a film named ‘Morris: A Life With Bells On’ being filmed in our area. A big scene is being shot at Sandbanks, and another would be shot in ‘The Lighthouse’, across the road from Poole Dolphin. It was advertised that there was going to be a big stage scene, and that they would need a large crowd to act as an audience. Basically I thought ‘what the hell!’, so I phoned up the council, and they recommended visiting the film productions website to sign up… Little did I know what I was signing up to be, was a featured film extra, other than just someone in the crowd, lol.

It was an amazing experience, especially having a much better job than just a simple crowd member (extra), and I had the chance to mix with the stars backstage. Basically I had to be round back of the lighthouse for 7am…. Once there, there were the production trailers, and costume trailers, and I was welcomed to a cooked breakfast, and eat in the trailer.

There I was, minding my own business in the breakfast trailer, gathering scraps off the table, lol, and I all of a sudden could hear this singing in the background. Took a peer round the corner, to notice that it was who I believe to be the main actor in the film, Chaz, bearing in mind that I don’t think that there are any singing roles in this film. I found that quite amusing… its probably just his way of warming up his voice. Minutes later, im still in the breakfast trailer and he comes in to get a cup of coffee from the machine and walks off, but forgets to turn the machine off… so hear I am with a trailer slowly flooding with coffee, lol. I turned it off, but you should have seen the look the chef gave me, as I walked out, lol, thinking that I purposely let the coffee on the floor, tehe o well.

The time came to be given my first role, and heres me regretting that I had a shave the day before, because at this age, I look like a child without the goatee, lol. This denied me becoming a security guard for a scene or two, but wasn’t a major deal. I was then required to change my clothes so that I was all black, thinking what the hells going on here, tehe…. Onto the first scene. Oh and by the way, actors Naomie Harris and Derek Jacobi are also in the film, woop! The first scene I had to do involved Naomie having an interview backstage and basically my role and the other featured extras was to walk behind her to give an illusion of a busy environment. In the first take, some idiot of an extra decides to walk between her and the camera! Total ponse! So that had to be retaken. After that a quick 10 minute break of mingling with the extras and listening to problems in their lives, lol. Next was a screen test. Basically I stood in for the main character and did some basic acting from the script, so that the cameras could be prepared for when the actors came on set. When the actor came to set I would give them a quick brief on what would be happening, as if they didn’t already know, tehe. Then that scene was filmed, and I happily stood next to the director and Naomie minding my own business as this went on. We then proceeded to another backstage scene. I think I had the choice between being a chappy clapping the characters on, or random guy who opens door.. knowing id more likely be on camera opening the door, I took that role. Basically the main characters were heading onto stage for their big show, which is gonna be filmed later on in the day.. I think they wanted me to smile.. I may have forgot, lol.

30 MINUTE BREAK!! The actors need to relax they say, lol.. so biscuits and tea all round and the coffee spill still hasn’t been mopped up, lol. Onto the next scene.

The film extra chappy calls me and 2 others over because he wants up to be part of a documentary film crew who would interview the lead actors after the big show. Our main roles were to run into shot, get radio microphones on the actors as quickly as possible, and then leave the shot. Ok, doesn’t sound so bad… we get a quick tutorial on how to apply a radio mic, then it’s a group huddle with the actors to see whos doing who, lol.. I get the lead character, whoop!! And we make random conversation about Karl Pilkington.. no objections there of course.. I spose its his way of bonding with ya, lol.. so that’s going on for 5 minutes whilst everything’s being set up.. time for the first bit… ok, characters run down the stairs celebrating, and when we get the signal, we run in and get the job done.. lol, now I don’t know what I did, but because of what I did, my random no body character had to be written into the rest of the scene, lol.. so all of a sudden, the featured extra boss man, drags me to one side, and I got one chap to my left telling me whats happening in the script, 2 girls giving me lots makeup all of a sudden, Chaz standing there getting over excited for no apparent reason, lol, and the extra boss telling me exactly what to do.. turns out this is a bit of a romantic scene, so my ugly mug center frame must really kill the mood, but I aint complaining, lol. FIRST TAKE… I run into shot as planned and get a little bit tangled applying the mic, and by the end of the scene still haven’t got the mic on Chaz… bummer, this will need to be redone.. plus the fact that when Chaz hugged Naomie, he got a tonne of makeup on her… and I chose to randomly prod her cos of the makup mishap, lol.. got to have been one of the most random things ive ever done.. hope it makes the outtakes on the dvd. TAKE TWO… still don’t really get the mic on in time.. and the director calls.. “get more makeup on David please”, im like thanks! TAKE THREE.. I do the job perfectly and get out of shot in time, but Chaz randomly calls Naomies character ‘Karl’, and he looks over to me as if its my fault.. it aint my fault mate, you’re the one going Pilkington bonkers today, lol. TAKE FOUR.. Perfect!!! Its Lunch Time, woop!!! We all get treated to cooked meals, sandwiches etc.. I took a spag bol, yum… all the extras and main actors sat in the trailer together, had some nice conversations and lotsa fun.

This afternoon was the main event scene, so people wanting to be in the crowd were starting to be rallied in.. this is the funny bit.. to make sure the crowd were under control, we were asked to dress up as police men and security, just to fool them, lol, it worked. It took 4 hours to film this 2 minute clip!! We didn’t have much of a role to play in this because it was on stage stuff with the lead actors.. and most of us had to stay as security anyway, lol.. but that’s just about it for that day of filming.. though because some of us were good enough, were now officially registered featured extras with the film company, so if they need any extras, then were be the first in line.. how cool is that ;)