Just spent some time doing annoying BG work for the FX show Louie. Great show to work on, small crew, small production, big heart. And the people working it were very organized and fun to be around. Even Louie himself.
I've noticed, I'm sure on past shoots but mainly during this one, a few truths about people and film-making.
1) If a scene is being filmed and there is a monitor somewhere on set to watch it on, people with be drawn to that monitor to watch the scene being performed. It's being acted out right in front of you, LIVE. You know, almost like theater. We're drawn to a little screen. I watched tonight as we all collectively would watch the monitor until the camera swung around to focus on us. I understand watching the play back...but while it's being performed live? I don't get it. (but was also drawn to it myself)
Maybe its the idea of looking at how it will look on TV, or maybe we like looking at things that appear to be tiny so we feel huge! Like a Gulliver complex. Hell yeah I just coined that.
I get that the crew...specifically the director is looking to see how it will look on the screen. But the scene being filmed was at a rock concert. There was a band playing. A damn good band, right in front of us. But instead of watching them everything squinted and craned their necks to watch a small monitor.
2)No matter how hungry anyone is on the set, they'll eat whatever is laid out from craft services. This was a small budget shoot, so it was really just snacks. We weren't scheduled to be there long enough for a lunch or dinner break, so there was pretzels and water, juice, coffee, tea and chips. People still ate. And ate they did. I'm not faulting anyone. It's not a bad thing. I had juice. But its the idea of "free food? I'm in. What is it? I don't care it's free!"
3) the worst part is the repetition. Over and over again. Especially from my crappy aspect as just scenery. We filmed a second scene which took place outside in the 19 DEGREE WEATHER!! It wasn't too bad. The standing still and waiting to repeat the scene is whats so painful. You start to feel the cold through your shoes. And normally, in average human temperatures it's just tiring doing the same thing over and over again. So here we are freezing and repeating. Freezing and repeating. Wah Wah, I'm complaining, I know. But you try it. Did I mention we were filming in front of an open fish market? Yeah...Now who was suffering.
4)There is always one crazy person.
5)Likewise, there is always one know-it-all who is too cool for school. We're extras, get over yourself.
And that's all for now. Here's to blending in to the background until I get some decent parts!
Watching stuff on the monitor is how we're supposed to be seeing it; and for the crew, it's like the biggest microscope in a gigantic play. If there's something amiss, they can catch it on the monitor.
ReplyDeleteYes, there's always at least one crazy, and at least one really loud, annoying douche.
But, there's also one really cool person, who keeps to themselves, understands that they're on a JOB, and if you find them, it's gold.
Or maybe, on set that day, that was you!
Hahah this is all so truthful. I haven't done film yet but it also applies to theatre!
ReplyDeleteIn Spring Awakening now a bunch of our scenes are projected through live feed on the wall behind them. No one will be watching the actors, they're all going to be watching the projection! There is something memorizing about it...
Always one freak. That's the business haha.
@Lira I completely understand about catching mistakes and such through the monitor, its just interesting to see how conditioned we are to watch a little screen! Ah, t.v.
ReplyDeleteand thanks! I think it was me
@Actingsweet...the same applies to your show. We're more interested in film and tv than whats live on stage. Eh...what can you do.