I had the pleasure of experiencing my one and only role as a movie extra. The movie was "Prefontaine", starring Jared Leto and R. Lee Ermey, to name a few.
While sitting with a group of potential extras, most of us military personnel, I was summoned to meet someone. I was lead out of that room to meet what happened to be director Steve James. What a shock! Mr. James introduced himself, and asked "Do you think you can do this?", then proceeded to have me watch the well-known and actual footage taken of the masked and armed Palestinian terrorist on a balcony during the 1972 attack on Israeli Olympians in Munich.
Overwhelmed at the situation and after watching the video, I told him that I'd gladly give it my best try. Steve gave me the head's up to play the role. He was a very pleasant man.
The entire experience was quite a learning experience. So much goes into the most simplistic looking scenes. I felt like I was letting the crew down with the several "takes" they did to have me do everything to their liking, and told them so. But I was later told it was completely normal, and that I has less "takes" done than most.
Steve wanted me to enter the scene a certain way, hold my weapon a certain way, look a specific direction, move at a specific pace, and cut the flag down with a specific aggression.
I found that making movies involves a LOT of down time, and doesn't have the grandeur some might think. Just a lot of talented people with many jobs working hard.
I'll never forget talking and joking with the late R. Lee Ermey. That man was a common Joe, friendly and as nice a person as can be. There was no ego working in that man. A group of us military folks had a grand time with him. We all became so close that he invited us to eat with him, and also gave us his personal address and phone number in CA. Told us to come visit him anytime. I miss that man!
Then there was the perk all of the extras had before the movie came out. We went for a private, premier showing at the Seattle Cinerama theatre before it went to the general public.
All in all, a great time in all regards.
If anyone has been a movie extra, please share your experience!
While sitting with a group of potential extras, most of us military personnel, I was summoned to meet someone. I was lead out of that room to meet what happened to be director Steve James. What a shock! Mr. James introduced himself, and asked "Do you think you can do this?", then proceeded to have me watch the well-known and actual footage taken of the masked and armed Palestinian terrorist on a balcony during the 1972 attack on Israeli Olympians in Munich.
Overwhelmed at the situation and after watching the video, I told him that I'd gladly give it my best try. Steve gave me the head's up to play the role. He was a very pleasant man.
The entire experience was quite a learning experience. So much goes into the most simplistic looking scenes. I felt like I was letting the crew down with the several "takes" they did to have me do everything to their liking, and told them so. But I was later told it was completely normal, and that I has less "takes" done than most.
Steve wanted me to enter the scene a certain way, hold my weapon a certain way, look a specific direction, move at a specific pace, and cut the flag down with a specific aggression.
I found that making movies involves a LOT of down time, and doesn't have the grandeur some might think. Just a lot of talented people with many jobs working hard.
I'll never forget talking and joking with the late R. Lee Ermey. That man was a common Joe, friendly and as nice a person as can be. There was no ego working in that man. A group of us military folks had a grand time with him. We all became so close that he invited us to eat with him, and also gave us his personal address and phone number in CA. Told us to come visit him anytime. I miss that man!
Then there was the perk all of the extras had before the movie came out. We went for a private, premier showing at the Seattle Cinerama theatre before it went to the general public.
All in all, a great time in all regards.
If anyone has been a movie extra, please share your experience!