Confessions of a G-list Actress:I can't...I have rehearsal!
As of Friday, April 13th, my life is not my own. Today, I slept
through my alarm and had the girl who is sleeping on my floor not said
anything I would have easily slept the entire day away. But as of the
13th, my life is going to be madness. Abandon all Sanity, Ye who enter
here.
As always we start with the film shoot. Is this it. Great show! Fun Cast! Can't wait until we are done and the series is up online on May 5th.
To save some cash, Allen and I spend the night camping on the beach. We get there late on the 13th and rather than just staying with the director we decide to rough it and drive to Carolina Beach. At the very north end is a state park where you can drive your 4 wheel drive vehicle for a fee or put up a tent. Allen hefts a massive tent down the beach and we manage to get it up in the dark, thanks to a couple who was right next to us offering us a lantern. We walk to the bar and have a drink, walk to the end of the pier and it is already 11:00pm. Close out the tab and walk back to the tent to climb under some blankets and spend and entire night trying to get warm. You wouldn't think it would get REALLY COLD at the beach, but it was freezing and I barely slept while I tried to huddle in a mass of blanket and sleeping bag under a beautiful night sky.
We get up, dust the sand off, drive to Director Dan's house and shower before I climb into my clothes and we go through yet another weekend of filming. This finishes season 2 in record time.
Also I have to drive down to South Carolina and film Distraction, a TV pilot. I have almost no lines and drive 4 hours for no money. On the positive side I do have the hope that a specific production group, who shall remain nameless, will pick up the series and I will have a major role as well as a permanent job. Actoring. Being paid well. Two of my favorite things. The atmosphere of a pilot episode set can be very stressful, mostly because it is so strictly scheduled. You have to do a great job in hopes that the show is picked up, and even more important, you get to maintain your role. Lets be honest, if they do pick it up they could replace you with a bigger name. You don't want that to happen.
I am playing a police officer in a small town. I get there 30 minutes early, well over the mandatory 15. (When working on films you are always at least 15 minutes early) When I get there it is around ninety degrees and I am sweating. Then it really gets hot when the crew get there. I am given my costume and I run upstairs to pull on black pants, bullet proof vest, shirt and under-belt. I then go downstairs where they put on my badge, gun (yes it was real), pepper spray, taser, handcuffs, nightstick, and radio. I am now in an extra fifteen pounds of armor and weaponry. I feel awesome. We quickly step outside and are given lines and the guy playing our leads runs by. We say them quickly. Cut, do it again. The second time he trips. We try not to laugh. Oh it's hard. One more time. Cut, switch angles, film again. This goes on for about two hours in the heat. Then we get to step in, rehydrate, and eat while the lead is being "beaten" by a large man.
You can't help but sit back and watch in excitement, until the break is over and we have to tear the big man off the poor kid...several times...for the camera.
On top of my filming schedule I am also rehearsing for a great Tennesee Williams piece, A Street Car Named Desire. I know what you're thinking. No I am not Blanche. I am STELLA! Yes, in my mind, every time someone says it I hear Brando. So every day after work I am driving from Greensboro, NC to Raleigh, NC to work in a freezing cold room.
Theater people are from a very different planet from film people. It's quite refreshing. I am giddy with excitement. We sit and talk about all the little character choices, read through three acts of dialogue, block. You don't get to see what the set is like because at the start it is just tape on the floor. Here is your dresser. Here is your bed. This chair is going to be your refrigerator for right now. You don't question, you just go with it.
The last scene we rehearsed is the one everyone remembers. I love rehearsing the famous scene where Stanley is standing at the bottom of the steps crying for Stella. Howling at the moon as it were. I can't contain a huge grin because I only have action, and I love just moving. I don't entirely know what's going to happen. I watch Jason, who is playing Stanley, walk past the taped area marked "bathroom" and into the area designated bedroom. He looks frantic. I cover my mouth to hide the fact I am theater geeking out here. It's amazing to watch. He has a few words with Mary (Eunice) and she throws a binder on a table to signal she just slammed the door. He starts calling out, Stella. Time to go.
Everything goes soft focus and totally clear at the same time. Stell-. That's my name. I step onto the "landing" and Stanley stares at me from the bottom of the stairs. I know those blue eyes. I have seen them a million times. First step down and I am wondering if he has really calmed down. By the third step that feeling is gone and I don't know if I should run to him or stand, so I just saunter to the bottom step. He stares at me a moment and falls to his knees, grabbing my waist and burying his face into my stomach. It's alright Stan. I'll neer leave you baby. I almost cry myself, but I hold it back and just hold him. He stands, kisses me. Wow he's strong. He picks me up, twirls me around, takes a deep breath...
...And holds up his script to read the lines he hasn't memorized yet. I nearly laugh at the jolt back to reality, because going from totally in the moment to even a little out of it can be REALLY jarring, and I take him through the "door" into the "house" and the director stops us. I shake it off and we read through it again.
Welcome to my world. It's crazy, mixed up, and I love it. Catch you when I can breath again.
As always we start with the film shoot. Is this it. Great show! Fun Cast! Can't wait until we are done and the series is up online on May 5th.
To save some cash, Allen and I spend the night camping on the beach. We get there late on the 13th and rather than just staying with the director we decide to rough it and drive to Carolina Beach. At the very north end is a state park where you can drive your 4 wheel drive vehicle for a fee or put up a tent. Allen hefts a massive tent down the beach and we manage to get it up in the dark, thanks to a couple who was right next to us offering us a lantern. We walk to the bar and have a drink, walk to the end of the pier and it is already 11:00pm. Close out the tab and walk back to the tent to climb under some blankets and spend and entire night trying to get warm. You wouldn't think it would get REALLY COLD at the beach, but it was freezing and I barely slept while I tried to huddle in a mass of blanket and sleeping bag under a beautiful night sky.
We get up, dust the sand off, drive to Director Dan's house and shower before I climb into my clothes and we go through yet another weekend of filming. This finishes season 2 in record time.
Also I have to drive down to South Carolina and film Distraction, a TV pilot. I have almost no lines and drive 4 hours for no money. On the positive side I do have the hope that a specific production group, who shall remain nameless, will pick up the series and I will have a major role as well as a permanent job. Actoring. Being paid well. Two of my favorite things. The atmosphere of a pilot episode set can be very stressful, mostly because it is so strictly scheduled. You have to do a great job in hopes that the show is picked up, and even more important, you get to maintain your role. Lets be honest, if they do pick it up they could replace you with a bigger name. You don't want that to happen.
I am playing a police officer in a small town. I get there 30 minutes early, well over the mandatory 15. (When working on films you are always at least 15 minutes early) When I get there it is around ninety degrees and I am sweating. Then it really gets hot when the crew get there. I am given my costume and I run upstairs to pull on black pants, bullet proof vest, shirt and under-belt. I then go downstairs where they put on my badge, gun (yes it was real), pepper spray, taser, handcuffs, nightstick, and radio. I am now in an extra fifteen pounds of armor and weaponry. I feel awesome. We quickly step outside and are given lines and the guy playing our leads runs by. We say them quickly. Cut, do it again. The second time he trips. We try not to laugh. Oh it's hard. One more time. Cut, switch angles, film again. This goes on for about two hours in the heat. Then we get to step in, rehydrate, and eat while the lead is being "beaten" by a large man.
You can't help but sit back and watch in excitement, until the break is over and we have to tear the big man off the poor kid...several times...for the camera.
On top of my filming schedule I am also rehearsing for a great Tennesee Williams piece, A Street Car Named Desire. I know what you're thinking. No I am not Blanche. I am STELLA! Yes, in my mind, every time someone says it I hear Brando. So every day after work I am driving from Greensboro, NC to Raleigh, NC to work in a freezing cold room.
Theater people are from a very different planet from film people. It's quite refreshing. I am giddy with excitement. We sit and talk about all the little character choices, read through three acts of dialogue, block. You don't get to see what the set is like because at the start it is just tape on the floor. Here is your dresser. Here is your bed. This chair is going to be your refrigerator for right now. You don't question, you just go with it.
The last scene we rehearsed is the one everyone remembers. I love rehearsing the famous scene where Stanley is standing at the bottom of the steps crying for Stella. Howling at the moon as it were. I can't contain a huge grin because I only have action, and I love just moving. I don't entirely know what's going to happen. I watch Jason, who is playing Stanley, walk past the taped area marked "bathroom" and into the area designated bedroom. He looks frantic. I cover my mouth to hide the fact I am theater geeking out here. It's amazing to watch. He has a few words with Mary (Eunice) and she throws a binder on a table to signal she just slammed the door. He starts calling out, Stella. Time to go.
Everything goes soft focus and totally clear at the same time. Stell-. That's my name. I step onto the "landing" and Stanley stares at me from the bottom of the stairs. I know those blue eyes. I have seen them a million times. First step down and I am wondering if he has really calmed down. By the third step that feeling is gone and I don't know if I should run to him or stand, so I just saunter to the bottom step. He stares at me a moment and falls to his knees, grabbing my waist and burying his face into my stomach. It's alright Stan. I'll neer leave you baby. I almost cry myself, but I hold it back and just hold him. He stands, kisses me. Wow he's strong. He picks me up, twirls me around, takes a deep breath...
...And holds up his script to read the lines he hasn't memorized yet. I nearly laugh at the jolt back to reality, because going from totally in the moment to even a little out of it can be REALLY jarring, and I take him through the "door" into the "house" and the director stops us. I shake it off and we read through it again.
Welcome to my world. It's crazy, mixed up, and I love it. Catch you when I can breath again.
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