Escaping the Courtroom.

"Putting you up for a member of the Jury in a courtroom - are you up for it?"

This sounded easy - sitting all day long listening to actors and being paid for it? Yes please.

It was a nightmare of a journey and at one point I thought I was going to be late but just managed to get there on time. From where I was on that day, the journey involved a two hour drive, a seventy minute journey on the tube then a fifteen minutre walk so all in all I didn't think I did too badly.

Once inside the building, the person looking after us took us to where the tea and coffee were and we were told to help ourselves but no drinks were to go upstairs where the main filming was going to be.

There were some lovely people on this job thank goodness, so the morning was spent chatting away with each other, with everybody swapping stories on either the horrors of filming or the comedy of filming - and usually the comedy of errors that always seem to appear during the day!

Lunch was an outside catering affair but the food was good and plentiful. I am always astonished at the amount of food some people can put away within an hour. Platefuls of salad followed by a roast dinner followed by sponge and custard followed by cheese and crackers - these would be the very people who would complain about lack of food in just a few hours too. I do try to have a lightish lunch as otherwise I find that by three o'clock I just want to lie down and go to sleep.

Eventually, a few of us were called in to the courtroom and in to our places to begin to listen as a jury.

The main actors were there but of course most of their speeches had been filmed earlier in the day without us. Some of the lines were said - enough for us to react to. We were moved around and placed in to different positions and eventually I found myself on the end right where the Foreman of the Jury would be.... A tap on the shoulder "Could you say Not Guilty when its needed?" That was it. No direction. Nobody saying when to say it - nothing! At first I said it far too quickly but managed to do it for the second take. This was all very interesting to me as I have never been in a court room before so was trying to rack my brains to see if I could remember court room scenarios from the TV.

Eventually we were wrapped  in the early evening and I set off to find the AD to get my chit signed. To my surprise I got extra money for saying two  words - how lovely - that would cover my petrol so all in all a very good day indeed!

Monkeying around

Text MSG: Advert - can you play a business commuter?
I'm never thrilled to be asked to do  adverts. It's very rushed and there's a flat rate of pay for the day.
However, work had been short so I agreed to take part.
We met inside a pub where we all sat down and started chatting to each other.  There was no breakfast and neither was there going to be any lunch but we would get an envelope with some cash in it for lunch.
We were to  film on Marylebone Station at 9am with either suitcases or lap top cases or anything else that may look business like such as umbrellas, newspapers, brief cases etc. Having met up with some people I'd worked with on previous productions I thought this would be a brilliant day catching up with news and sitting around drinking tea....not a chance!
We were soon called to stand on the platform. There was nowhere to sit at all and eventually people began to sit on the floor. People were called forward by the half dozen and were told to walk up and down the train platform with various people being told to board the train. One couple were told to kiss and cuddle up and I later found out that they had been seen doing this on a previous occasion  even though they were married to other people!
Sandwiches arrived - thank goodness for that - and passed us by for the crew. Nobody asked us if we were thirsty, hungry or anything else and it quickly became clear that nobody cared either. Even more annoying was when the sandwiches were put in to a bin because the crew had eaten their fill and didn't want anymore. Several people were outraged and asked the person filling the black bag why we couldn't have the sandwiches.
"Just doing what I've been told." came the reply.
Several of us got together and watched out for each other as we went over the barriers to buy something to eat and to drink. We hadn't been told that there was no break for lunch so it did feel very awkward and the person who was supposed to be looking after us (and couldn't care less about us) had disappeared.
Still, not to be deterred, lunch was found and drinks bought with the money given to us in the envelope when we first arrived. The rest of the day carried on with just a few people waling up and down and others, including me being filmed going through the ticket barrier about twenty times.
Of course, nobody was recognisable in the end as we were all blurred out except for that puppet....!

Another funeral...

"We need a funeral mourner - can you do it?"

There must be something about me - I must have the ability to look miserable because certainly the jobs that occur most for me are as a mourner! I think I can relate to it because I used to be a member of a Church choir that also sang at funerals and even if the deceased person isn't known to you it can still often be a sad time for yourself as it brings back memories of others not with you at the time. This was a fairly early call in Surrey for 6.30am but at least there was parking so no trouble trying to get there. Breakfast was served although I didn't get to eat much as I was whisked off to make-up and to have my hair done. I rarely now  leave home without breakfast for a period drama as it often happens that breakfast is missed due to being in make up or in wardrobe.

I hadn't been for a fitting for this period drama and when I did turn up the gentleman sorting out the costumes took one look at me in my huge coat, flinched and said

"I don't think you will fit the costume - we'll have to see if we can safety pin you in to it". 

He was very surprised when I eventually came out of the trailer wearing the costume provided. My coat does make me look two sizes bigger!

I met up with a lovely Canadian lady called Lorraine and as this was my first period drama, she began to enlighten me on what I should bring next time. Her advice has been very useful! Always pack a pair of flat shoes as costume shoes can be painful to wear (and yes, I have found that to be totally true). Always carry something to keep you warm, e.g. a small hot water bottle or hand warmers and always bring thermals and wear them if you can. 

We were shown to a mini-bus and taken off to a cemetary which was interesting in itself as rumour has it that Freddie Mercury was buried there. The ceremony was to be outside and had an American feel to it with chairs in rows beside the coffin. At this point we had no idea of the story or who was supposed to be in the coffin but the 'Vicar' said  a few words and we all managed to look tearful. The day was freezing cold and our noses were running so we did look the part! I was asked to move to the front and to stand next to the main actor - I expect it is my ability to look upset that gets me moved - if its a funeral scene I can usually be found somewhere at the front.

Fortunately this wasn't to be  a long scene and it was just before lunch that we were released and, thank goodness, able to warm up! 

And here are a couple of photos of the finished product:

The Missing Person!

I was asked directly from my website if I would consider taking on the role of  a Foster Mother. This would be shown as an adoption film for Tower Hamlets. I was delighted to be asked and confirmed the job. The day  before filming I packed a couple of outfits, planned my route to Barking and went to bed happy in the knowledge that I had done everything needed. However, once more I had to do this journey from Suffolk. This was another two hour drive and then several tubes to Barking. Of course the trains were delayed and I ended up at the station at my call time. In a panic I turned left and began walking. It wasn't long before I discovered I should have turned left. Once on the right route I marched along as quickly as I could not realising that I was actually getting more and more lost. My phone began to ring "Where are you?" I explained that the train had been delayed and I was in the vicinity and told them exactly where I was. Two minutes later a car turned up to pick me up. If only it had turned up at the station to pick me up 15 minutes earlier...However, I got to the flat where the filming was to take place. No time for a drink so straight outside to walk with a young girl who was playing the part of the foster child. She was quite excited as her school had given her the day off but managed to contain herself for the filming pieces amazingly  well. She was accompanied by her mother who did a very good job of keeping her daughter on task. A few shots later and then we were inside to film the arrival of the prospective adoptive parents. We made up various scenarios regarding conversation getting the attention of the young girl to acknowledge these prospective parents. It took quite a while for her to get the right amount of enthusiasm but  eventually all was done and we were on to the last scene for me which was simply to show the prospective parents in to the sitting room to meet the child. The filming was finished by lunch time and the film crew went one way whilst I went another. It had been quite a strange day and I was pleased it had eventually gone well as I looked forward to yet another four hour journey back to Suffolk where I was needed for a dress rehearsal for some rehearsed readings and scripts that evening. I could only thank my lucky stars that my part of the filming had been over and done with so quickly!

Mating Season

"Are you available for tomorrow to be part of a couple?"

Yes I was but I was still in Suffolk with the plays that I was doing - they were rehearsed readings. Fortunately, I had that day off so thought why not? 

A suitcase of clothing had to be packed as costume had requested several changes of clothes so a flurry of activity soon followed as I tried to match different pieces of clothing together to be part of a couple. Not much help that is it?  At least they could have given me a better description! Anyway, the following day with  my suitcase packed I headed off down the A12 towards London and the bright lights of Victoria Park. There was no parking offered so yet  again I had to take the underground to my destination. However, once I had arrived at the park, there were no location signs, no evidence of filming and as I walked around the park of course the weather changed and it started to rain....

Luckily I had a contact number so gave it a ring. Everybody was in the pub down the road and I should have received a text telling me that. Of course I hadn't but it didn't really matter as I was an hour too early anyway and the call time wasn't until 4pm. Once inside the pub I was directed upstairs where several tables and chairs had been laid out for us. As we each arrived we were all asked if we would like tea or coffee and this was presented to eachperson with a milk jug and sugar bowl. I only mention this because its quite unusual for somebody to run round providing all this - normally it would be one of us running around finding coffee. Magazines were also given to us and we were told to relax and costume would come and sort us out shortly. There were about eight of us altogether and we had all been paired up with somebody. All of a sudden  a lady grabbed my hands and began to file my nails and to paint them. Could this day get any better?! Apparently we had been chosen to be body parts...my scene was to hold hands  with my paired up other half and thats what the camera would be focusing on. Costume called me in and handed me a bundle of clothes...great - I had struggled down with this suitcase which was not needed. Having dressed me as an older woman complete with flat shoes and rain coat we sat down to wait for darkness to appear so that filming could continue. Dinner arrived in the form of pizza so we wolfed it down as quickly as possible as nobody was quite sure which couple would be called first. Luckily it was to be us so off we went down the road to hold hands walking up and down with our back to the camera. By this time the rain was really pouring down although it didn't matter much as our faces weren't going to be seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy76PHa-fug