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Photographs Copyright 2005/6 by Phillip Moon
Archive March 2006
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Date: March 6 and 9, 2006
Show: Close to Home
Episode: David and Goliath
Location: Sony Studios

I have done Close to Home several times, and now know several of the AD's, and a few of them know me on sight which is a good thing. Really. I have an identifying trademark, which Steve G. from Fred Meyer has kidded me about many times over the years (at least I think he was kidding me). Many years ago, Linda and I came down to California and spent five days at Disneyland. While there I bought an Indiana Jones hat near the Jungle rides, and I have worn that hat since. Many background actors and the AD's and PA's have seen me coming onto set and that one feature is enough to remind them of who I am. They get to remember me, and they know I've been there before, and that is really a good thing, most especially with the crew.

Today I am a Juror. For the next twelve or so hours, I will be sitting either backstage in background holding or in the jury box. No crossing for this fellow. Looking at the jury box from the front, I will be seated near the center, four from the right, or three from the left, in the front row. I picked this spot by gallantly allowing three others to step into the box before me, and then hoped that the 1st AD, 2nd AD, DP, Director or wardrobe person wouldn't decide that someone else should be sitting there. For a few seconds, the AD's finger wavered between me and another BG actor before settling on the other fellow and sending him to the back row. After that, I was set. I was jury member number three.

There was a rather cute and young BG actor next to me (on my left) that created a second advantage for me, and that is, she drew the camera operators, script supervisor, and at one time or another, several other male crew members to her, and thus potential camera time as well. There were several times when the center of the jury box (that is to say, me and the young lady) was were the camera started and stopped, and it was a natural place for the actors to stop while talking to the jury or the person in the witness box. I am hoping to be seen in this one.

As I was sitting in the jury box, I found that the actors, (the defense attorney and the prosecution) would stop walking while delivering lines and look to the jurors, either while speaking to us, or to see how we were responding to what they were saying. The witnesses would also do the same thing, but the “attorneys” were often only a few feet away, and I found that both actors playing lawyers were looking at me more than any other “juror”. During one series of takes, the principal actor (and star of the show) would stop right before me and would deliver her lines, and while she glanced at other BG, she would come back to me and deliver the most dramatic lines while looking right into my eyes. At one point, I had to really focus, because I was close to the edge of laughing. It was just a little unnerving having her be that intense.

I had one of those moments on set today where it was all about me. We were filming a scene where the cameras were on a tight close-up of the actor while she was delivering her lines to the witness. This meant that there was little or no chance of anyone being seen as more than a blur in the same frame with her, and this was a good thing, because during one take, I had a problem.

While the take was being shot, I got one of those little tickles that start at the back of the throat and begin turning mean if you ignore them. Most of the time, you get to cough or clear your throat to get to the itch. Even a glass of water will work. But...if two cameras are rolling, and the studio is spending about $400.00 a minute on time, you try to subdue you response and that is what I did. I did some very non-vocal throat clearing dry swallows, and stoically held onto my silence. The scene we were shooting was nine pages long (that is to say, several minutes) and the itch went from mildly annoying to creating ticks in my left eye. Then my throat clenched and the thing climbed into my left ear, and my sinus cavities, and actually began to close off any chance of breathing because doing so only made it worse. Happily the actor was busy with her lines and did not look closely at the jury box, because the young lady next to me was becoming quite concerned, as was the 2nd AD. I know this because of how quickly he responded when the Director yelled cut. This was the main scene we were shooting today, so I knew just where the actor's lines ended and I was betting that I could hold on long enough for them to get that shot in the can. As she sat down (just before the Director's cut) my head rather involuntarily sagged down to the railing of the jury box, and being as I was red, and apparently not breathing, The 2nd AD flew across the set breaking several land speed records, checking to see if he could help. By that time, I had started a coughing fit that lasted several minutes. Water, and a ten minute setup time between shots made it possible for me to continue without leaving the set, and survive to tell the tale.

Date: March 8, 2006
Show: Desperate Housewives
Episode: Don't Look at Me
Location: DC Studios (on location)

Yesterday, I received a call from Karen at Central Casting. Karen is the casting director for Pepper Dennis, which is the show I am one of the regular background on. Pepper Dennis had a possible (even probable) five day call. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week, and Monday and Wednesday of next week. Alas, I was already booked on Desperate Housewives for Wednesday, and Close to Home on Thursday (a continuation of Mondays call) so I missed out on a really nice booking, but not all is as it seems, it seems.

BG Bryan enjoying dinnerToday I met Bryan, who is a BG actor just starting out, and happy to be doing what he's doing. He only just recently told his family that he would be doing background acting, and after years of disabling chronic back pain and many surgeries, his family and friends were happy to see him doing something he was excited about.

Slightly off the topic...

Before the day was over, Linda set me up to take a “Sitcom class” that will meet on Sunday. After work I drove to meet with one of the teachers of the class to pass the “will we take him without a referral or previous class” test. I passed, even though I was exhausted by the drive through L.A.'s downtown traffic during rush hour. That is really a misnomer. No one in L.A. can rush anywhere during “rush” hour. It took me 25 minutes to drive a few short blocks from 6th to 5th and Spring, by which time I knew I was not going to get there by the time I had said I would. Still, I did get there before Todd left, and I passed the “test”. More about the class next week.

Back to Desperate Housewives...

We were taken to set and gathered into the grand rotunda of the courthouse where we were being dragged off by ones and by twos, to be placed hither and yawn. At one point, the 1st AD came up and asked if there were any experienced BG who were confident of themselves enough for some special placing. Only about three of us raised our hands, and that surprised me given that most BG actors talk a good game about what they do (myself included). So the three of us were lead across the rotunda, and down a hallway, past the stand-ins for half the cast. At first we were placed around the corner of the hallway, and told we would walk toward the rotunda on background and then cross as we wished, but lighting changed all that, and we were placed in the hallway next to the actor on whom the camera would be focused during that shot. So for several takes, I had to stand two feet in front of Carol Burnett before action was called. She smiled and said hi. I smiled and said hi back.

It was the funniest thing I had seen in a while, because there were several people, make-up, wardrobe and hair, who were just all over themselves taking care of this woman. They were standing around with these silly grins and talking to each other in awed and whispered tones about getting to do this or that, or bringing Carol her shoes, and making sure her on set chair was where ever she needed it to be. The other actors could have been invisible for all the attention they were getting, but I don't think they noticed, because they were also basking in the warmth that was Carol Burnett. There are a lot of people in the business that is Television, but when it comes to the Royal figures, Carol Burnett is not just in the royal family, she is at the top of the list, and she had an entire crew and cast truly thrilled to be at work that day.

Date: March 10, 2006
Show: The Suite Life
Episode: Going for the Gold
Location: Hollywood Center Studios

This week I registered for “The One-Day Comedy Intensive” that focuses on preparing one for the auditioning process by helping you understand both the way jokes are laid out in a sitcom, and by helping you understand the Characters in a sitcom. When you sign up for the class (and hand over that all important check) you are given a book (The Eight Characters of Comedy by Scott Sedita) that was written by the fellow who will be running the workshop. I didn't have a lot of warning that I would be taking the Sitcom Intensive, so I had only a few days to read the book, and got started right away. By today, I had almost finished the book, and that bit of timing allowed me to experience today's taping of The Suite Life of Zach and Cody in a rather unique way.

Ian, the AD for The Suite Life, gives each background actor a “side” (a collection of script pages that will be shot that day) and we use them to keep track of our blocking (our placement and movements) on set. Having read much of the book, I was able to compare what I had read to the sides, and see how the jokes were written, and how the characters of the show matched up to the archetypes described in the book (more on that next week, when I report on the class). The upshot is that, while I enjoyed working the show (as I always do), I also learned much about the sitcom process.

This is the first time working The Suite Life, that we had a studio audience. The other two times, we taped the segments I was in, for later play back on the shows live taping night. This show takes place in the Tipton Hotel, where Zach and Cody live with their mother, and from which the cast of characters is drawn. Many of the scenes take place in the lobby of the Tipton, and in the lobby you will find a doorman, bellman, and a concierge. They are characters that are played by background actors who have a regular spot on the show, and are called in when they will be shooting in the lobby. Usually, the background actors playing these parts are union (AFTRA) members, because when the show needs background, the producers must hire a fixed number of AFTRA background first, and if that number is exceeded, then they can (and do) hire non-union. By being a regular BG actor on a show like this, the cast, crew, Directors, producers, and writers will eventually get to know you. Hard not to when you show up to the set on a regular basis, and there can be good things that come from this.

Today, during a break in shooting, the producers and writers, told the audience that they had a special announcement. They had a special script, that was signed by the entire cast, that they wanted to give to someone tonight. That someone was Irene, the Concierge. Irene is an AFTRA background actor that has been working on the show for a long time. The producers and writers included Irene's concierge character in next weeks shooting script, complete with lines. Enough lines to include her sitting at the reading table (where the cast reads the script together for the first time) at the beginning of the week. Irene (who's real name and character name are the same) was thrilled. She will be a principal for that episode. This is the kind of thing that just makes your week. I told you The Suite Life was a good show to work.

Date: March 12, 2006
Show: Sitcom Intensive
Episode: Situation Comedy Workshop
Location: Scott Sedita Acting Studios

During the week, while I was on the set of Desperate Housewives, Linda called to let me know that there was a “One Day Comedy Intensive” that I could attend on Sunday if I wanted. My first “acting” class since high school, and the first one of a professional nature. Here's what happened.

There are three people who work this session. Katherine signed us all in and was the third voice in commenting about performances by the attendees. Todd was the second voice and the co-teacher of the class. Todd also runs the “On Camera T.V. and Film Comedy” classes that are held weekly at the studios. Voice number one, and the author of the book, “The Eight Characters of Comedy”, was Scott Sedita, in whose studio (Scott Sedita Acting Studios) the classes are held.

There were fourteen of us at the Intensive, neatly divided between male and female. And while the majority were younger actors, there were four of us that tipped the senior end of the scale.

It has been a while since I have performed in front of others, especially a small group of strangers, and the feeling is still an uncomfortable one, though not as bad as it was when I first auditioned for a play in the summer before my sophomore year in high school. I am not as bothered about “failing” as I used to be. I have learned, via years of stage and magic performances that “failing” is something you live through, and learn from. It ain't fatal.

Scott spent the first part of the class talking about the eight characters of comedy. They are:

The Logical Smart One – Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur of Golden Girls) The Lovable Loser – Gilligan (Bob Denver of Gilligan's Island) The Neurotic – Barney Fife (Don Knotts of The Andy Griffith Show) The Dumb One – Frank Burns (Larry Linville of M*A*S*H) The Bitch/Bastard – Endora (Agnes Moorehead of Bewitched) The Womanizer/Manizer – Blanche Deveraux (Rue McClanahan of Golden Girls) The Materialistic One – Thurston Howell III (Jim Backus of Gilligan's Island) In Their Own Universe – Mork (Robin Williams of Mork and Mindy)

The main idea is that, if you know and understand the eight characters in the situation comedy, then when you audition for a role, you have a notion of how to approach it.

The other thing that we spent time on in class was finding out which of these characters we can best play as individuals. Bea Arthur was very good at playing the Logical Smart One in Golden Girls, and in Maud, she ruled as the Bitch, while Don Knotts was the perfect Neurotic, on the small screen or on the big screen. Betty White could play the Manizer (Sue Ann Nivens of The Mary Tyler Moore Show) or the Dumb One (Rose Nylund in Golden Girls). By the end of class, I had discovered that I could play two characters with relative ease. The Logical Smart One, and the Bastard.

I had once thought that I could play the Dumb one, but Linda has always insisted that I never quite loose that glint of knowing, the look that says “hey, ain't I cute, I am playing dumb.” As Scott pointed out in class, you can't “play” the character, you need to be able to “be” the character. Lucille Ball was the Lovable Loser Lucy in I Love Lucy. She never let the shrewd business woman show through Lucy. You never got the sense that she was playing Lucy. Lucille Ball was Lucy, at least while the film rolled. As time goes on, I will have to learn which of these rolls fit me better than the others, and which ones I can learn to play, and which ones I will enjoy from the side lines.

When all was said and done, I surprised Scott, who had not know what to expect from me. Most of the people in this Intensive were either recommended by an agent or acting coach, or had taken other classes at Scott's studio. I got in by interview. There was quite a bit to learn both from the book and from the class, and I figure it was worth the time and money.

Date: March 13, 2006
Show: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Episode: Poppin' Tags
Location: L.A. Convention Center

On location at the L.A. Convention Center, CSI was filming a part of the show where a rapper is found in a box, in the back of a SUV. The actor playing the role of the rapper was closed into the box before each take, while between takes, someone would hold the top open to provide a breath of fresh air. Alas the air was quite cool, and the actor had to have a blanket to help him keep warm. You see, the character, who is found quite alive, was wearing a bikini. He refused to be removed from the box, and closed the lid, preferring to stay inside, rather than exposing himself to the public in the little two piece he was wearing.

I was surprised by wardrobe when the gal told me I could not only wear my necklace (men almost never wear jewelry) but was also O.K.'ed to wear my hat. The hat and my gold sports coat might make it easy to spot me in the background. We'll see.

To date, I have worked on CSI enough times that I have been on set with William Petersen (Gil Grissom), Marg Helgenberger (Catherine Willows), George Eads (Nick Stokes), Jorja Fox (Sara Sidle), Eric Szmanda (Greg Sanders), and Paul Guigoyle (LVPD Capt. Jim Brass).

Date: March 14/15, 2006
Show: Untitled Steinberg Pilot
Episode: Pilot
Location: L.A. Center Studios

When you get a call to be on a show titled “Untitled”, you don't have a clue what to expect. Hank Steinberg is the creator of Without a Trace, the FBI missing persons show that follows CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. This is his pilot for a new show that he hopes will make the schedule next season.

The basic story is that of nine people who survive a back robbery, and the course of their lives after the event. Each week, a bit more of the robbery will be shown, and the now interconnected lives of these people will be examined.

After I had been on set a while, the AD came around calling for me. Turns out they wanted someone to be the stand-in for the security guard, and I fit the bill. Once again, that means an automatic bump in pay, and a better chance of being called back, if they need people for the next day. The shoot did go to two days, and I also was stand-in on day two.

There were two actors on set that I recognized. One was Susan Sullivan who played Kitty Montgomery (Greg's mother) in Dharma and Greg. The other was John Billingsley who was Dr. Phlox on Star Trek: Enterprise (my third Star Trek connection while background). While looking at the filmography for each of them, I noticed that they have something else in common besides the show we were filming. Both actors are voice actors for animated characters. Susan has a repeating character on the Justice League cartoons, and John was on T.V.'s Duck Dodgers (aka Duck Dodgers in the 24 ½ th Century).

One of the lights used on set was called a SoftSun. 50,000 watts of portable sunshine, guaranteed to keep the set mid-day bright from pre-dawn to well after dark. That's enough juice to light up 83 apartments the size of mine.

I worked this studio before (NCIS) and the final holding spot for background, after many were sent home, was the lobby of the main building. This is the same lobby that was turned into the bank set for this pilot. I had a good memory of this lobby, and to turn it into a bank, a wall was put up cutting off the hallway to the elevators, and the teller windows, ATM, and office furniture were placed. It looked nothing like the lobby it really is. The only thing that gave it away was that some of the bank furniture was the original lobby chairs and sofas.

Well, I will keep you informed about this shows airing. With luck, they will get a title for it. The Untitled Steinberg Pilot just doesn't have that Hollywood ring to it.

Date: March 17, 2006
Show: Pepper Dennis
Episode: Hiroshi Watanabe in Bed with Curtis Wilson - Film at Eleven
Location: 20th Century Fox

On arriving at the set, it was easy to tell that this was Saint Patrick's Day, given all the green being worn. Thankfully, the whole pinching thing that was popular as kids is not as much a thing with adults, because one of the draw backs of background work is, you don't get to dress in the current holiday mode. So no green for BG.

I didn't get on Pepper Dennis last week because I was otherwise booked, so it was nice to be back on set. Call time was 1:00 PM and that meant a possible late night. The PA's and AD's were certainly having fun suggesting we would be on set till the early morning. Allison is the director for this episode. She directed an episode a few weeks ago. Lots of energy and a more relaxed working style than some.

Wacker Building in ChicagoDinner was on Pepper Dennis today. The lunch room was closed (lunch was at 7:00 PM) so we saddled up and moved over to Stage 9 for chow. Shark, Corned Beef and Cabbage, vegetables and some really tasty desserts were on the menu today, and as usual, dinner was great. Dessert was hot cookie cakes with ice cream.

Below is a satellite image of the buildings that are shown on the scrim that works as the Chicago skyline that is visible outside of the WEIE Chan. 4 Newsroom. North of the Chicago river are the round buildings, and somewhere on that side of the river is where the location of WEIE Chan. 4 would be if the skyline were real. South of the river, from the far left to the bend in the river on the right is the skyline that matches the scrim.

Date: March 20, 2006
Show: Pepper Dennis
Episode: Hiroshi Watanabe in Bed with Curtis Wilson - Film at Eleven
Location: 20th Century Fox Studios

This is day three of a four day call. Pepper Dennis uses a lot of regular background, and that's a good thing for me. When they get the shooting schedule for an episode, they know right away, how many BG they will need and just when they will need them. If the show is filming on location, they will use BG actors that are not regulars on the show, because the regular BG are for the Bull Pen and office's of WEIE Channel 4. Debra, a BG actor that I met on my very first booking, was booked on Pepper Dennis as background for a location shoot. Unless they have the office staff show up at an outside event of some kind, I will never be seen outside of the office, and will not work with her on this show. The BG schedule for this episode was Friday (17th), Monday (20th), Thursday (23rd), and Monday (27th). This is one of the nice things about having a regular gig, because that took care of four bookings at once.

By now we should all notice that Pepper Dennis Episodes are all titled “whatever, whatever, whatever -Film at Eleven. While the episode is titled, Hiroshi Watanabe in Bed with Curtis Wilson - Film at Eleven, the events that effect the news staff (i.e. Background) are the birthdays. Today's birthday is for one of the office people (an actor with a speaking role). There were several shots we needed to get prior to the party, and those involved the non-party element of the show, and so a more regular background activity. Crosses.

BG actors need to pay attention to where they are during a scene, and to what they are doing, not only because we will shoot the scene more than once, but because of the Pick-up shot. This happens when the Director decides she needs to get a shot further into the scene, and we pick up filming at that point. The BG need to be able to get to their marks for that point in the shot, and duplicate, as much as possible, what they were doing at that time.

Another thing that is important to know about for a BG actor, is the difference between a prop, and set dressing. If props hands you a file, the file is a prop. If props puts a file on a desk, it is set dressing, and you had best leave it alone unless you are sitting at the desk, then you may shuffle it about on the desk, but DON'T move it off the desk. I now have my own desk (after a fashion) and when I sit there I notice that there are things (files, video boxes, keys, pens and paper) on that desk that have been there for many weeks. So remember, you are handed a prop and set dressing is placed on the set.

Now to the fun stuff.

There was a party to be had for someones birthday, and the party was being held in the conference room just off the bull pen. The conference table was laden with food, decorations lined the walls and BG were viewing a beautiful cake that would, alas, never touch their lips. The scene was choreographed with music (the Happy Birthday Song), removal of the cake (performed by myself and another BG actor) and Dance (provided by Alexandra Barreto as Blanca Martinez (weather girl/woman/person)) and karaoke.

The Two Hat GuyIn preparation for the scene, birthday hats were handed out, and I asked for and received two, which were worn with pride in horned fashion. The trick was getting into the party scene with hats in place, and to do that, I needed to get through the gauntlet of AD's and such. Zach saw me and smiled, Paula grinned and shook her head, but didn't say take it off. The first AD said nothing, and when I got to the set, the Director saw it and smiled. I was home free. Later on, Josh Hopkins (plays Charlie Babcock) walked over to me and told me he liked the hats. Josh is the lead male on the show. So far, so good.

Now it is time for the shot, and after we remove the cake from the table, Alexandra (in short dress and zippered sweater top) is lifted onto the table to dance and sing to the karaoke I grabbed a bouquet of balloons to get them out of her way (and out of the camera's way) and watch with appreciation as she lets the music move her. The boss comes in just as the dance is really getting going, and puts the kibosh on the rest of the party, and in the first take of that scene, as he says the lines that pop our bubbles, I let the weight of the balloons' anchor drag the balloons down in a suggestive manner, thus causing Brooke Burns (who plays Pepper's sister and the office receptionist) to break, and laugh. The Director shot the scene again, but chose to leave the drooping balloons in the shot. With any luck you will get to see some of that when the episode airs.

On the way out, after being wrapped, I had a chance to speak to Allison (the Director) and let her know that I enjoyed working with her and watching her work. I have no plans to direct, but as an actor, I am learning a lot just watching the Directors work, and Allison is an energetic Director.

More on this episode latter.

Date: March 21/22, 2006
Show: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Episode: Pilot
Location: The Hollywood Palladium

One of the cool things about doing background acting, is that you get to see many of the historical sites of Los Angeles. The Hollywood Palladium “is the longest operating venue in Los Angeles. It was opened in 1940 with Frank Sinatra and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.” Now it is the setting for a banquet where the Writer's Guild of America is giving out awards for, well, writing.

Amongst those competing for the award for which we are all present are four writers from the real world and one writer from the reel world. Lawerence Kasdan, Carrie Fisher, Charlie Kaufman and Steven Zaillian (the real writers) are going to lose to Matthew Albie (played by Matthew Perry of Friends). Other actors in the T.V. show are D.L. Hughley and Bradley Whitford (of West Wing), and Timothy Busfield (of Thirtysomething/West Wing). Timothy Busfield is also a producer and will be sitting in the Director's chair.

The Dummy SectionOnce we were on site and background holding was set up, we had breakfast, got our vouchers and went through wardrobe. Not too long after that they started taking people in to seat them. There were a little over thirty tables on set, and once they assigned me a table, they moved me half way across set to the very edge in the nose bleed section. I have proof of this, because they didn't want to risk using BG people here. Instead, they were using ... dummies. You know that just comes out all wrong. No, really. They were using real dummies. I mean these were certifiable. Oh, forget it. Look at the picture.

On background, my job was to finish playing the game I was playing on my pocket pc, and walk to my table at the front of the banquet room, where I got to sit down until the Director called cut, and I had to return to one at the edge of nowhere. The entire scene consisted of nine pages. There was dialog at the “Hero” table (where the stars of the show sit), the M.C. comes out and introduces the award winning writer who is going to hand out this award (real writer, real award winner) and Matthew ascends to the stage to gather his award and the scene ends. This is what they spent two days shooting. Helps to have three million dollars to make the pilot.

At the top, they set up the table for a shot that has to appear behind the award winner, on the stage screen (just like the Oscars). They take the shot on a hand held camera and transfer it to the computer so they can run it during the shoot. When Matt gets on stage, he directs the attentions of the audience to his table and the pre-recorded shot appears on the screen behind him. Looked pretty good from where I sat.

We did this scene for 13 hours on day one and 7 hours on day two. You gotta love this business. To put 20 hours into one scene, you really have got to love this business.

On day two, they used my car for a scene in the parking lot. They had me back in next to the camera, which was sitting on a small stand only inches off the ground. The second unit Director, Timothy Busfield, asked me my name and told me that when he said “Go Phil”, I should drive away and turn into the secondary parking lot ahead on the left. He tapped the top of the car and gave me my “Go Phil” and off I went. Personally directed by Tim Busfield. Cool.

Date: March 23, 2006
Show: Pepper Dennis
Episode: Hiroshi Watanabe in Bed with Curtis Wilson - Film at Eleven
Location: 20th Century Fox

For some reason I can not explain, the musical strains of “The Purple People Eater” complete with Oo ee oo aw aw, ting tang walla walla bing bang, kept piping out of the radios of the PA's AD's and crew of Pepper Dennis during this days filming. This will likely remain a mystery, and I just thought I would share it with you.

Josh Hopkins, who thought my wearing of the duel party hats during the shooting we did on the 17th was cool, wanted to see me in those hat again. At one point, Allison Liddi-Brown, the Director, saw me and smiled. “Josh really wants you to wear those hats”, she said. One takes little risks like that and becomes known as “The Hat Guy”. Sigh...

Jessica (my daughter) does many jobs to bring in money while also working on her acting, and while doing one of those jobs, she met one of her clients Brenda. Brenda is an actor, and has a small part in this episode. Her line is “Hey birthday girl.”, delivered to Pepper Dennis. During the filming, I made a point of locating her and saying hello. This really is a small town.

During shooting early in the day, I could hear Allison's voice saying “We need a bagel in the hand of that first cross”. I was the first cross. All action stopped while Zach and the props gal ran to the crafty cart to get a bagel for me. Thank goodness it was during the first shot of the day and there were still bagels available. To be honest though, I would not have thought that I could even be seen in that shot. Need to remember that before doing anything embarrassing.

Most important for me today is that the desk near Pepper Dennis's desk is now thought of as mine by the 2nd 2nd AD, Paula. Now if I can just get the name Gary to stick.

Date: March 24, 2006
Show: West Wing
Episode: Series Finale: Tomorrow
Location: Warner Brothers

The Second show I did after becoming a background actor was West Wing. I have enjoyed working on this show every time I've done it, and this time was no exception. The difference is, this time will be the last. This episode was the final episode of the series and I got to be on the Inauguration stand with the out going President (Martin Sheen) and the incoming President (You didn't think I would spoil it for you, did you?).

Bryan on the High CourtToday was a hot day, and even before we got too far into shooting, one of the background actors was sent home because of too much heat. We were sitting on the Inauguration stand pretending it was a nice January day in Washington D.C., wearing suits, over coats, winter scarfs and hats. In reality, the weather gave us a break, and put off the rain and cold we had been dealing with, and instead, it was hot and sunny, and we were in the middle of a Warner Brothers parking lot with a fake background and ten feet off the ground. They passed water out like beads at Mardi Gras, and sun block was also freely given. Alas, while I did partake of the water, by the time I put on the sun screen, I could have been used as a stop light at any intersection in L.A. Even using my scarf to cover my head didn't help (though Martin Sheen said he liked the look, I suspect tongue was planted firmly in cheek).

Turning redAmerica the Beautiful was sung by Keb Mo (an excellent blues singer). In order to make sure that sound could be synced up on film, the prerecorded music was played back, and Keb Mo would then sing with it. We heard the song sung several times, and each time was a joy. Even on the sixth or seventh time, it was still performed with meaning and emotion, as you would expect a top performer to do.

Keb Moe - Blues SingerDuring the early part of the shoot, Aaron Sorkin (West Wing's creator) showed up on set and sat in on the platform for a few takes. One of the WB's big shots showed up and said his bit about the show and the cast/crew as well. Stockard Channing made her appearance as Mrs. Bartlet and, of course, the newly elected President of the United States was there as well.

During the scene (all 9 pages of it) both the present and the new President walk down the isle shaking hands, and I got lucky that both men stopped at me and shook hands. I know that editors can make great moments like that vanish, but if they are kind, I will turn up in at least a few shots.

Background DownAs I said earlier, it was hot, and one of the cheer leaders to keep the group of 100 or so background actors pumped up to work was Martin Sheen. From sit down chats with handfuls of BG, to his baseball vendor calls of “Peanuts, Popcorn, Ice Cold Beer”, and the First AD's and Director's efforts to get him to take his first position, Martin kept popping up to entertain all the folks on the platform. At one point, during a longer break, Martin had the Director holding a megaphone while he read from a list of definitions used by Crew during taping of a show, and when shooting began again, he took the job of the 2nd AD (with her permission and help) and called “pictures up”, “rolling”, “cut” and other orders that tell us what to do. He got to do that for about twenty minutes and then Stacy took her job back (after all, Martin will be looking for a job soon).

And you will remember that I said it was hot. We were almost done shooting when one of the background called out for a medic, and when I looked around, a woman had passed out, and he had caught her before she fell off her chair. Martin and the actor playing the new President, jumped up and were up the steps and helping clear BG and chairs so the woman could be laid on the ground. Martin called for water and an umbrella, and they got her in shade and talked to her until the medics arrived. Shortly after that the paramedics came up and took over. At one point, the 1st AD tried to relieve Martin of the umbrella so he could go sit down, but he stayed with the woman until the medics got there. That made for a break, while the fire department, paramedics, and medics got the woman off the platform and crew replaced nearly fifty chairs moved to make for access to the emergency.

We finished the scene and BG was wrapped. An exciting end for our part in an historic television show.