But, I didn’t GET a close-up, dammit, because I was only an extra!!!
I did have some fun, though, Thursday night on the set of the trailer for the 15th annual Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, put on by the fine folks at Three Dollar Bill Cinema. True it involved an hour and a half of waiting around to spend 30 minutes jumping up and down and feigning excitement and glee as we point and stare at a non-existent image that’s supposed to be a block away (added later with CGI), but, IT WAS SHOW BUSINESS, BABY! Kidding aside, it was very interesting to see a film crew at work, up close, and scrambling to get everything done in the allotted time. Film work, at least for actors and extras, involves lots and lots of waiting time and we had that, but it was fine because we were perched on top of a building next door to the Smith Tower at sunset and got to experience a beautiful moment in a place few people get to visit. It also didn’t hurt that the weather was beautiful and there were all these ridiculously buff actors hanging around as eye candy, but that also had its downside…I spent most of the shoot holding in my gut…
The “acting” part of the evening was fun, too, though I could have used a bit more motivation than “you’re excited and happy and gay!” and since I’m NOT the bouncy, perky, “glass is always full” type, it WAS a stretch for me, but I think I pulled it off. (Actually, to be honest, I don’t think the camera was even ON me, but it did pan RIGHT BY ME, so look out for a forest green hoodie; that’ll be me! Or, at least my shoulder…) The other funny thing about the shoot, was the fact that we were all hollering and screaming and pointing and looking towards a building a half a block away, and that building was a hotel, and the hotel guests were REALLY perplexed by what the hell was going on and we were guessing most of them will be going home with stories of looking out their hotel window during their vacation in Seattle to see 30 odd people acting like jackasses on a nearby rooftop…that, or they were all excited and hoping it was “Grey’s Anatomy” shooting on location. With good lighting, I AM a bit “McDreamy”…
As for the THEME of the shoot, you’ll just have to wait and see what it’s all about when it’s shown during the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival starting October 15; it’ll be shown before every screening. I would say, I can’t wait, but that would be a lie because I’m guessing I probably looked like a big goof…at least I was in good company; Three Dollar Bill Programming Director Jason Plourde was having a gay old time up on that roof giggling between takes and cracking jokes…and, he seemed very excited by my idea that we should be Method actors and drink Appletinis between takes to “loosen up” but sadly, the budget didn’t allow for a Cocktail Bar/Craft Services table for the extras…
Oh, and as for the theme of the trailer, I will hint that the photo with all the ominous suited men should give you an idea what the trailer is about…but, are those official looking suited men “The Good Guys”, or “The Bad Guys”? You’ll just have to wait and see next month.
The top and bottom photos with Smith Tower are by Strangeways; the other two photos are from Three Dollar Bill’s Facebook Page
-Michael Strangeways
