Day 4 -- October 10, 1997
Call time 5:30pm. Still daylight so I ran through what I guess could be considered "the routine," if only a two-day routine. I dressed mostly in costume, got some make-up slapped on me, and went up to the BBQ grill. There I commandeered a turkey burger AND sandwich and wrapped them up for my midnight snack. Once the work-day rituals were behind me, I set about readying a batch of postcards for mailing.
This is where the getting to know people comes in. While in my trailer, a couple of extras, Andrew and Kristen, came by to hang out and chat. That was cool. And before heading up to the set, the father, Richard, and I talked at length about school and sports and camp and random stuff. It's a lot nicer to know the townsfolk, if you know what I mean.
We congregated on the set very shortly after dusk had begun to settle. Spirits were lighter, frustrations had somewhat melted away, and Mimi gave me a very nice hello. We had but five shots remaining. Just pound those out and we'd finally be all wrapped up with the bus scene. Piece of cake, no? Well, kind of no. It took a long time to get the first of these five shots, nearly an hour-and-a-half, and so that seemed to suggest we were in for another doozy. But the machinery kicked in and we got through it without too much of a hitch.
The highlight of the evening, as far as I'm concerned, was the coverage of the Young Lieutenant. My opening moments were finally caught on film. I guess I knew they eventually would be, but until that camera was planted in front of me, I didn't want to assume anything. I got the same note a couple of times -- "Be firm." -- so I don't know if I was accomplishing everything she wanted. Four takes for the Young Lieutenant and moving on.
Actually, moving way on. That was it for the scene, for the night, and for me, for the whole movie. I was wrapped by 10:30pm and home by 11:00. Lots of friendly good-byes and a good feeling that I had done a decent job. Yes, there were troubles and moments of doubt, but I think I turned in something I can proud of. Now I just wait until next year, like everyone else, to see how it all comes together.