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Saturday, January 27, 2001 - Filming in a local office building. Another day that required neither one of the planes in the scenes being filmed today. So I decide to take the day off! Scott Gayle stops by around 11:30 AM. He gives me one of the muffler screws off of his Thunder Tiger engine to give to Scot Broadus to replace the one I had lost somewhere over Ambassador Plaza's parking lot the day I flew there. We go to HobbyTown USA to buy some parts that Scott G needs for his Spectrum airplane. We have some lunch and decide to swing by the Love Liza movie set, as this is their last day of filming in Mobile. Tomorrow, Sunday, the whole production crew will leave for New Orleans, continue filming there - with Oscar winning actress Kathy Bates - and return to Mobile on the 4th of February. Filming would then resume here until February 13 or so. Filming has been going on all morning inside an office building on Hillcrest Road and I'm not sure where it is. But I have found out that the crew is easy to find once you know the general area. Just look for the big trucks and motor homes! We find the location and we look for the props truck. There it is! Scot and Tyler are busy as usual. Tyler can't chat long and rushes off to the set, which is set up in several areas inside this computer company's office building. Scot is trying to locate a black computer tote bag with shoulder strap - with the computer inside - that movie character Wilson (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman) has used in previous scenes. He can't find it on his truck! I saw the thing earlier in the week, on the back of the props truck, but I can't remember which day. The bag and the computer - a crashed one turned into a prop - will be needed in future scenes... Scot had better come up with it! It's in the script, plus it has been "established"... We decide to leave Scot alone with his problem and I tell him I'll probably come back to visit later in the evening. "Okay", he says. We probably have to work late today, until 7:00 or so. Come on back later and hang out." he says. Scot Gayle drops me off at my house. I have a couple of hours to do some more writing on my computer! But first I fix the rudder on the No. 1 trainer plane. I didn't do that this morning as planned! I also look forward to spending some more time with Isabella, my granddaughter. Later in the evening, I call Scot up. "Scot, wouldn't you feel better if this plane is in your truck with you, in New Orleans, just in case it's needed?" I ask. (In his position, I would be...) "What if something happens to the one you have - the backup plane?" "Yeah - you are right! There is one scene where the trainer plane is used." He's referring to one scene where Kathy Bates (who plays Wilson's mother) tries to drive the plane around in her back yard. "Go ahead and bring it when you come over." "Who's going to do the taxiing for her?" I ask. "Well, Tyler or me." Hmmmmmm... "Just be careful and hold the throttle down to keep it from taking off!" I tell him. Neither Tyler or Scot have ever taxied or taken off and landed a radio controlled plane, although both had one training flight on it with me on a "buddy box" a couple of weeks ago. "Perhaps put in more down-elevator trim to keep it on the ground." What else do they need? He and Tyler didn't buy an engine starter. "How are you going to start the plane?" "With a stick or something..." Scot says. "No! Forget that! I will bring my electric engine starter. And also a spare glow driver and my battery checker so you can check the receiver batteries." "Thanks, Frits! I'll see you later then." Later I load the airplane and all the stuff I promised to bring, and head for the set's location. It's dark. Filming is still in full swing when I get there. Scot is straightening the truck up. He's stowing all loose items, trying to make it all fit again.... He tells me to put the plane on the ground for now. Tyler shows up. We chat briefly and then Scot tells Tyler and me: "Out of my truck. OUT! Go to the set. Frits, stick with Tyler." He's trying to pack the truck securely for the long trip to New Orleans. I stick close to Tyler and we go inside. Interior sets are always crowded! Cables run everywhere. Equipment stands around in several places. The offices are a mess! The Love Liza movie production has taken this building over! I follow Tyler into the conference room. Philip Seymour Hoffman and another actor are standing near the front wall, facing it. Rapidly changing computer images are projected onto the wall, and are playing over the actors' backs. The second actor is Tom Bailey (played by Steve Tobolowsky), who plays some computer big shot. We are just in time. I sneak in and stand behind Jimi Woods, 2nd Assistant Director. Sholto Roeg says "Rolling... And action". "Action" Jimi echoes. The assistants outside the conference room and the lobby repeat "Rolling!" to warn people off the set to stop making noise. The actors start their dialog. Here Philip has to deliver two long lines that are tongue twisters! I'm sure Philip is not a computer guru and here he has to talk like one, and in rapid-fire fashion at that! His line is full of terms and words that are familiar to me, but then, for the last 16 years of my 28 years at Chevron I worked with computers. Wilson and Tom start to deliver their lines. Philip starts rattling the tongue twister line. After he gets going things are fine for several seconds. But he ends with "... and I can toss in a half dozen firewalls and bluhhh, bluhhh, bluhhh, bluuuuhhhhh." He flubs his lines!... "Cut!" "And again... Action!" They do it again and this time all goes well. It IS crowded in the room, and I go back to the lobby. Bingo! There is the snack cart! I open the cashew container and get me a handful. These are large and obviously high-quality nuts... I start nibbling on them as I walk around the lobby. I freeze when I hear "Rolling!" Producer Jeff Roda is also in the lobby. During a break between takes I walk up to him. "Hi, Frits!" He shakes my hand." "Hey, Jeff." I thank him for allowing me to be on his set. I tell him how great an experience this has been for me, and that I have enjoyed every minute of it. I mention that Scot and Tyler have treated me exceptionally well. "No problem." he says. "We appreciate your help." "Rolling... Quiet!" We get interrupted and I freeze. I have to smile as Jeff silently walks off to the snack cart hunched over with arms partly raised and hands drooping, cartoon-fashion, and gets him some more cashews. During one break I run into Tobin Yelland, Love Liza production's Still Photographer. "Hey Frits, you still want to read that script?" he asks. "Yes I do, Tobin!" He pulls it out of his camera equipment caddy and hands it to me. It's the first movie script I have ever laid my eyes on! It's about 3/4 inch thick. Not at all what I expected! They're just single-sided photo copies. But there it is. The Love Liza script, written by Gordy Hoffman, Philip Seymour's older brother. "Just bring it back next week after we get back from New Orleans, or you can send it to my home address." He writes his address on the back of the last page. I thank him and immediately lock it up in my truck. After the final wrap, several crew members gather in the lobby and eat the food that has been set up for them. I help them... Scot had told me earlier to get some, but I did not want to be the first one, so I have waited until everyone else starts eating. It's roasted chicken, roast beef, potato salad, baked beans, coleslaw and rolls. I have a little bit of everything. Well, actually I have a lot of all of it! I help Scot and Tyler finish loading odds and ends in the truck and then I follow Scot into the building for one more "idiot check". This is to make sure nothing that belongs to the props department is left behind. Tyler comes back and asks: "Frits, you want to grab a beer, dude?" I tell him I'll meet him at his motel lounge. I get to the lounge early. Some people are sitting at the bar, but they must not be movie people. I don't know them... I seat myself at one of the tables. After a few minutes the whole Wardrobe Department comes in: Jill Newell (Costume Designer), Liz Staub (Wardrobe Supervisor), Andrea Sweet (Wardrobe Assistant). Liz suggests we pull some tables together. I help her. A tall, balding man with dark-rimmed glasses walks up and sits down across the table from us. Liz introduces him to me. "Steve, this is Frits" "Frits, this is Steve." We shake hands. One of the production assistants comes over with a box full of Chinese food and sets it in front of Steve. He's not sharing... He turns to talk to someone behind him, and I take this opportunity to ask Andrea who this guy across the table is. "He's the actor who just played in that scene in the conference room." she whispers. Steve starts to talk to the women and he's funny and very expressive with his hands and face. He appears to be a hit with these women! 1st Assistant Director Sholto Roeg sits down in front of me. He and Steve start talking about movies. "I've worked with you before." Steve tells Sholto. They figure out which movie it is, but I forget the name now. Steve also acted in Mr. Magoo and many others. Sholto looks at me. He appears to be very tired. "Hello, Frits!" "Hi, Sholto. You look tired!" "I am," he says. I find out he hasn't had much sleep in several days. I take the opportunity to thank him for letting me hang around the set. I tell him I have enjoyed "working" with the props guys. "No problem - Scot and Tyler love you! They are a great team." I tell Sholto I have enjoyed watching him in action on the set every day. He provides some humor on occasion but to me he always seems to be in control of everything. "Well, thank you! That's very flattering." he says. In case I haven't mentioned it, I was told by a couple of people in the crew that Sholto's father is a well-known and highly regarded film director. Mark Hannibal (On Set Dresser) sits down on my left and then Lisa Rinzler (Director of Photography) and Martina Rawan (1st Assistant Camera) come in and sit by Mark. A second actor (I never got his name) sits down across from me. I'm blocked in now! Even though I have been accepted by all these movie people, I still feel a bit awkward when Tyler and Scot are not around. Finally Tyler and Scot show up. I get up and squeeze behind Mark and Lisa and walk over to Scot. I almost bump into an attractive lady who I recognize from the first day of shooting downtown. It's Sarah Koskoff, who plays Maura in the movie. I walk over to Scot and start talking to him. I mention to him what Sholto had said about him and Tyler. He smiles. "Yes - we ARE a good team." We start talking about New Orleans. Scot mentions that Kathy Bates is supposed to taxi the trainer airplane around in her backyard in one of the scenes. "Are you going to do the taxiing?" I ask him. "Maybe..." Then Scot tells me he may get me to do that scene... "I may give you a call." he says. I tell him to call me if he needed me and that I'd be there... "Okay," he says. "I'll call you Monday and maybe I can let you know something. We shake hands and I tell him bye, then I walk over to Tyler. "See ya', Tyler", I say. "Have a good trip." "Are you going to New Orleans?" he asks. "I don't know. Scot may call me, he said." "Okay, dude! Maybe we'll see you there." We shake hands and I head home. I had already told Carol that there was a slim chance that I was needed in New Orleans. A few days earlier Tyler had jokingly told me: "Come on to New Orleans with us, dude, and you can sleep in the truck..." When I told Carol what he had said she told me: "YOU can sleep in the truck. I'll get a motel room!" I feel a bit sad now. It was like saying goodbye to good friends. They WERE friends. I wonder if Scot will call me. I hope they won't have any problems with the plane in New Orleans. I hope he doesn't accidentally take it off and crash it! If Scot doesn't call I will just have to wait until they come back from New Orleans and continue my movie stint as a local RC Consultant... After all, after they get back to Mobile there's still one more scene to be filmed that will have me flying the No. 1 trainer plane... I hope he needs me and calls me soon. If he does, Carol and I are going to New Orleans! Stay tuned! |
