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Wednesday, February 7, 2001 - My first reading part in Love Liza... Because the crew has just gotten back from New Orleans the night before I have no call sheet to tell me what will be going on the next day. I figure the movie crew would start around 7:30 or so. I make it to the Park around that time, but I am early! Only part of the usual entourage has arrived. Some of the trucks are still closed up. I see Horst Sarubin sitting in his truck. Horst is the Location Manager. He arranges for all the set locations ahead of time and draws daily maps showing the route from the crew's motel to each location. He also puts out the bright fluorescent signs directing the crew to each site. He has to pick those up later in the day. This makes for a very long day for him! We shake hands and I find out that crew call is not until 8:30. We talk a bit about the cutbacks. He lost his assistant, Drew Hall, and Horst is not happy about that. I wander over to the Craft Service truck, where Sanford Hatcher appears to be getting ready to do some cooking. He's set up a propane stove and a table. Several plates are piled up with chopped ingredients that make me think that he's about to cook omelets for breakfast. He does not appear happy, so I first sort of look things over. I like to get some coffee, but the big catering truck that is normally set up for breakfast is not in position. I have a feeling it's been cut too, and that Sanford has "volunteered" to do the breakfast honors... That could explain his disposition... And how about lunch?!... Sanford comes out of his truck with a handful of paper plates and grumbles that that's all the plates he can find. "Sanford, do you want me to pick you up some plates? There's a store a few minutes away," I offer. His face lights up. "Would you, Frits? Thanks, guy!" He gives me some money and I head for the nearby Bruno's food store on McGregor Avenue. As I'm driving out of the park, not far away from the parking lot, I spot Scot Broadus' Budget rental truck close to where one of the scenes will be refilmed. He's just pulled up and is getting out of the cab. As I get to him I stop. "Where are you going?" he asks, and I tell him about the plates. "Okay, good. Thanks for being here! I'm just going to unload here and repark the truck later." I find the Bruno's store and buy Sanford a couple packages of one hundred plates each. That'll last him a while!... Sanford is happy. And now I don't feel so awkward as I walk into his truck to fix myself some hot chocolate... When I get back to the truck I help Scot unload the many props needed for the scene; coolers, lawn chairs, a Coleman lantern, blankets, sleeping bags, a couple of small grills, tents, charcoal and the 'hero boat'. This is the radio controlled boat that belongs to boat modeler Buddy Lowe. And my flight box. Yes - my old trusty flight box of ten years is to be refilmed!... We also unload the director's chairs and the props cart containing all his tools and 'stuff'. When we get it all down Scot says: "Let's get breakfast." He parks the truck in the parking lot and we get in the breakfast line. We both order an omelet "with everything but the kitchen sink" in it... As soon as we get our food we head to the set... The heavy equipment has started to move to the set. The electrical power generator is parked nearby. Grips are moving carts and dollies with lighting equipment and reflector screens close to the set. The camera and its associated equipment shows up. "Denny's truck" drives up. (Denny is the friend of Wilson in the movie.) The producers and directors arrive and start milling around. There are many familiar faces. I run into everyone in the Art Department. Steve Beatrice (Production Designer), Tim Cohen (Art Director), Brenna Griffin (she's the Set Decorator, a nice young woman with a striking, red hair color!) and Mark Hanibal (On-set Dresser). Scot tells me that Mark ("Hanibal") will work closely with Props (that's us!). It takes a while to get everything in place. Polaroids taken by Scot, Tyler (we miss him already!), Hanibal and others in the Art Department are used as references to get all objects in the set in the same positions as they were two weeks ago. Slowly the set is turned into a little camping site by the lake. Lisa Rinzler, Director of Photography, calls me. "Frits, what department are you with?" she asks. "Props. I work with Scot." "Oh, good. Do you guys have sunglasses? I need a pair." "I'll go see," I tell her. I rush to the truck and tell Scot what Lisa had asked for. He digs around in one of the drawers of a large tool box converted into a keeper of hundreds of small props. There are a dozen different sun glasses in one of the drawers. Scot picks out a couple. "Here," he says. "Give her these, and see how she likes them. And if she doesn't like them, tell her to..." But I've already jumped out of the truck. I like Lisa - she's the one who looked me over closely and approved me to be an extra in one of her scenes a couple of weeks ago... "Here, Lisa, try these." I hand her the two pairs. She puts one on. "I need a mirror," she says. We walk over to the lighting truck and she looks in the outside mirror. "I don't think so!" she says as she turns to me. She grimaces and takes them off. Then she puts on the other pair. I personally like these. They're the shiny, deep blue-green kind that look like big bug eyes... She turns to me. "No. No!" she shakes her head. "Thanks, but these won't do, Frits." She hands both back to me. "I think that pair looks good on you," I tell her. "And besides, you are on the other end of the camera." But she doesn't like them and she doesn't change her mind... I go back to the truck. I look through the collection of glasses again and find some metal-rimmed ones I think she'll like. "Let's see if she likes these," I tell Scot. "Yeah - and tell her it's her last chance. This is IT!" he says. Well - I'm thinking, I'll make another trip for Lisa if I have to. After all, she made me take off my shirt in a previous shoot, smiled at me and put me in the scene... When I get back to the set, Lisa is busy looking through her camera, talking to Todd Louiso. I wait and when she's by herself I offer her the glasses. She puts them on and looks around. "These are better. Thank you, Frits!" She smiles at me, turns around and starts adjusting her camera. Everything is in place. The actors are called to the set. Wilson (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Denny (played by Jack Kehler) show up. They go through a couple of rehearsals. Here's where they get into an argument after Denny has lost the races. Wilson just sits in a chair, dazed, playing with a boat radio transmitter. He slides the antenna in and out as they go through the scene. Denny is upset and starts to throw all their camping stuff in the back of his truck. He drops some of the stuff, yells and curses at Wilson... While they film this scene several times I keep my eye on my poor old flight box. Denny snatches it up from the ground and shoves it into the back of the truck. As he does this during each of five takes I cringe... Then the camera equipment is changed and they are filming from a different angle, mostly with Wilson in the foreground. They need people to hang around by a bright red pickup truck in the background. Jimi Woods, 2nd Assistant Director, sees a couple of young women sitting off in the distance near the water. He rushes over to them. I can't hear him but I know which classic line he uses: "Hey, girls, you wanna be in the movies?" Soon I see him and the two girls walk toward the front of the pickup truck. He also talks the owner of the red pickup truck ("found" in the parking lot earlier) to stand by the girls and talk to them. They need someone else... "Frits." I perk up as I overhear Lisa mention my name. "Hey, Frits!" That's Sholto and I see him looking around for me. He sees me. "Frits, you want to be in the movie?" I walk over to them. "Follow me, Frits." I follow Sholto to a spot between Wilson (a stand-in is now sitting in the chair) and the three extras standing by the red truck. There is a small round tent and a couple of aluminum chairs. A bag of charcoal and some "stuff" around it completes the setting. "You sit here in this lounge chair by this tent and read something." I can't believe it! There I am again, in another scene! But all I have with me to read is the call sheet I picked up earlier. So while they are setting up, I rush to the props truck and get a RC Modelers magazine. I run back to the set, get into my chair and wait for the word... Wilson and Denny take their positions. "AAAaaand ACTION!" As Wilson and Denny go through their scene, I leaf through the magazine, only briefly looking over to my right as I turn one of the pages. I figured that this would be good acting on my part... After the first take Jimi walks over to me and says: "That's good, Frits, don't be afraid to react to what they're doing. You can glance in their direction as they get loud." Alright! Now we're talking real acting... Scot comes over and hands me a small bag of peanuts. "Here - munch on those while you're reading," he says. Jimi comes back with a blue cap. "Here, Frits, you were a racing judge in another scene last week, so put this on..." I put the cap on. Jimi could have been lying to me. Perhaps my hair is too gray! Film people hate light colors, especially if it takes attention away from the main star. And I am right behind the star! After several takes I get pretty good at reacting. When Denny drops stuff I look in their general direction being careful to avoid looking at the camera. When Denny throws something in the truck (not my flight box, please...) I look up too. And when he starts yelling and cursing in a loud voice, I look at Denny with an annoyed look on my face... This acting is so easy! I munch on the peanuts. They are really fresh. (They are Planters - I make sure the name is turned away from the camera. See, I'm learning...) The chair is so comfortable it almost puts me to sleep... Yawn.... "AAAaaanndnd CUT!" Sholto comes over. "Let me adjust you, Frits!" he laughs and starts tugging at the foot-end of my chair with me in it! "How's that, Lisa?" he yells. She looks in the view finder and gives him the thumbs-up sign. He also adjusts the tent a bit until she likes it. They have changed camera angles again. I look over to the camera and notice that the camera, Philip Seymour Hoffman and I are almost in a direct line, with me slightly over his left shoulder! And it appears that the other extras are out of frame unless this is a wide shot. But looking at the attachment on the front of the camera this looks like a tight shot to me, possible showing Wilson close-up. "AAAnnnd ACTION!" Here we go again... I react to the argument in front of me. This time I decide to add a new twist. After action is called I look over across the lake to my right into the distance, then back to the magazine, I open it and start "reading"... "CUT!" Jimi comes over and adjusts me some more. Scot comes over with a Polaroid camera and takes my picture. "You're right in the shot!" he smiles. "Yeah right! My legs maybe," I say. "No!" he says. "Your head and everything is in there! Right behind Phil!" Wow, cool! Don't screw this one up, I'm thinking... Several more takes are filmed. I know I have been sitting in that chair for almost an hour. Is that cool or what?! My first reading part for Love Liza! This is so exciting! I just know a speaking part is coming up soon... Then it's time to film close-ups of Denny from a different angle. I am not needed any more. For the next scene everyone moves to the water's edge near the boat ramp. Philip is actually going swimming again! The scene that was shot in mid-40 degree water two weeks ago was ruined also, so it has to be redone. The water temperature should be closer to 60 now. But still... I notice the same medic and certified diver that were present the last time are standing around... Lunch was superb, as usual. I have the blackened red snapper, some vegetables and a garden salad. And some lemonade and cake for desert. Really delicious! My wife Carol was supposed to stop by after work. I had called her after my "reading part". I wanted her to come by the set and meet Scot and hopefully at least see Philip's swimming scene. The only boat modeler at the Park today is Willie Dennis from Laurel, Mississippi. He has brought three boats with him and they are set on a table at the boat ramp. I notice that there's an inflatable dinghy with an outboard motor pulled up partly on the ramp. Jimi calls me over. "Frits, we need you to take the three model boats and deposit them around Philip's head. Are you ready to do that?" WHAT? What the heck do they want me to do now? Get into that rubber dinghy and paddle around dropping Willie's boats off? Why isn't Willie doing this? (I find out later Willie can't swim and he declined to do it...) Oh ©®@p - what am I getting into now?!! "Sure, Jimi..." I say. I climb into the 'boat'. Willie hands me his three model boats and I put them in front of me. Jimi gives me a radio. "Here - you'll be able to hear what's going on..." he says. I put it in front of me too... They push me off. I have never steered a canoe or kayak before, but I have watched the last Summer Olympics... I start paddling with one of the oars. First left... Then right - too much... §¶•ª%&*! Left... Not enough... £¢ ¶•ª! More left... Now right... I look at Sholto. He's pointing to the left... Okay! More left... Too much!... The boat spins around... #$•&*! Hard right!... Not enough!... $%^&¶•ª! I remember from one of my physics classes - many years ago - "every action has an equal and opposite reaction"... Wasn't that Newton who came up with that clever law? He must have been in a canoe or a dinghy in the middle of a lake when he came up with that one... But even back then, he knew what he was talking about!... "Drop one there, Frits!" Sholto shouts. I put one of the boats overboard... "Now go on!" I paddle my little heart out, making little progress, but I finally get to where he wants me... "Okay - drop another right there!" he shouts. I drop the second one over the edge. I go a little farther and he tells me to put the third one in the water. I then paddle back to get out of the frame. Whew, I made it! I stop paddling. This is hard work!... I look over to the shore. I notice Philip is standing on the submerged platform that Tim Cohen (Art Director) has set up earlier. He's ready to jump in. Sholto is motioning frantically at me to go farther. &*¶•ª! I start paddling and finally he motions that I'm out of the picture. There is an aluminum pole in the boat and I stick it in the muck about four feet down. I hold on to it and wait... "Okay! Roll sound! AAaannnd ACTION!" I hear Sholto's voice loud and clear over the radio at my feet. Philip dives into the water and swims out about fifty feet or so, close to one of the small boats that I had deposited earlier. He goes through his lines with Director Todd Louiso doing the other part. They do it about five or six times. I notice the medic and the diver are watching Philip closely. Because of the wind direction the model boats drift closer to shore as time goes by, but one of the boats stays close to Philip for most of the takes. After the last take I hear "CUT! Okay! That's a wrap!" Philip swims to the water's edge and gets out... Warm water is poured over him, a blanket is thrown around him, and he soon disappears in a heated tent with the medic. I paddle around and manage to retrieve all three rc boats. I then make it back to the ramp. Someone pulls the dinghy partly up on the concrete platform. "Great job, Frits!" I hear. "Yeah, sure!" I answer. "I don't know nothing about boats! I'm an airplane guy..." I try to explain my rather erratic behavior on the water. "You did fine!" the guy tells me... Too bad my wife wasn't here to see this little episode... Carol does show up shortly thereafter. I wave her closer to the action. She watches with me as they do the scene where an unhappy Denny loses the race and walks back from the boat launching ramp in disgust... After about five takes everyone moves to the next location, back on the hill where Denny's truck has remained parked since the morning scene where I did my reading part... Carol walks with me as I push the dolly loaded with the eight director's chairs to the set up on the hill. The night scene that has Wilson and Denny grilling hamburgers is next... We watch as they go through several takes, and then Carol goes home. I stay to help Scot and Hanibal clean up after the wrap... As we are gathering our stuff up to stow it on the truck, Jimi spots me and says: "Frits! Are you still here? Go home man! - Scot, let this guy go home!" Scot looks at me. "I'm not leaving until all your stuff is on the truck," I say. Scot smiles. Finally it's all done. This has been a busy but great day! We decide to meet at Scot's motel and have a beer. In the motel's lounge Scot talks about his future plans. He has several projects in mind. He tells me in great detail about some small decorator tables he has designed. He would like to mass-produce them. And a couple of weeks ago he told me he'd like to have a palm tree nursery. "Just sit back, watch them grow and when they get big enough you sell them," he said... I have a feeling he'll soon retire realizing one of those projects or both... On the way home I feel really great! What a day this has been! I think about that scene where it was only me and the star Philip Seymour Hoffman! Now how cool is that!? Because of the camera malfunction a couple of weeks ago the scene filmed at Mobile Gardens cemetery has to be redone. It's scheduled for 8:00 in the morning. I intend to be there again for that one... |
