I am…an extra

A first for me. I was an extra in a movie. I had to travel to Cameron Park to be in Mama’s Boy the Movie. My girl friend is on the crew and she posted in Facebook that they needed lots of extras for the movie. Their big ask was for individuals in their late teens to early twenties for school scenes. I certainly didn’t qualify to be a student but there were two scenes I was able to be in. The graduation and outside the hospital.

I received an e-mail late the night before changing the time I was to arrive and where to park. I had to be in a parking lot at a church by 11:30 to catch shuttle to location. I was challenged with road construction and yet I managed to arrive right on time. Here is the funny thing we were thinking a shuttle like vehicle would show up when this fellow in a Camry stops at church as driver to shuttle us to location. I was on the first trip over to location along with three others. I guess he gets credit for how many people he carries as we each had to give him our first name which he wrote down on a clipboard. Next step was to stand in the shade as it was going to be a very warm day and wait to read release form, sign on check in sheet, show our ID and leave our email address. Then it was back to the shade to wait. Then they decided to let us go sit by swimming pool under umbrella picnic tables. This is when the real waiting started. They said it looked like they were on schedule and after lunch at 1pm we would start filming. Well, 1:00 went by and we weren’t called. It was after 2:30 before they came and took several people to be part of graduation ceremony. I feel really lucky to get to visit with a friendly group of people while waiting to be called into filming. So this gal comes out and asks us if we have any funny stories from graduation. Then she asks when attending this graduation who would we be? I responded: Grandmother to a student.  Back to waiting and around 2:45 a fellow comes over wants to know if we would like to wait inside an air-conditioned room. To which we all say yes. We follow him and pick up bottles of water and snacks on the way. Big sigh as I walk inside. We knew it was very warm outside but so comfortable when we got inside. Then we offered us the leftover food from crew lunch. They had salad, pulled pork, tortilla chips, salsa and artichoke dip. I had a little salad. Then the call finally came for all of us to follow my friend into the graduation scene. I was directed to stand in a row along with other extras behind everyone who was seated. Then they put a row of four chairs behind an empty row of chairs. Next thing you know my friend tells this gentleman next to me to go sit down. Then she tells me to sit next to him, then Cheri a gal I met while waiting is directed to sit next to me and finally another fellow sits next to her. Here is the fun it turns out I was sitting right behind the lead character’s family. His mother, father and brother.  They came and sat in that empty row in front of us.

After the shot my girl friend said she could see my face framed behind the family so it looks like I will be in the film. We had a short break and then went out in front of the building to be friends standing outside the hospital looking up at room where Kelly the lead character is staying. Some people were given flowers to hold, signs with message like Home Run Kelly, and balloons. I was given two star shaped balloons. One was gold and the other was blue. I was standing on side but gal on a ladder was moving us around and she asked me to move sideways. I moved a little to the edge of a planter where ground cover roses were growing. Being up on a ladder she couldn’t see that I had an obstacle next to me. She asked me to move more to my right which I did but my skirt got caught on the roses for a minute. I ended up standing right next to the flag pole. We rehearsed talking among ourselves, seeing Kelly in the window, cheering and then chanting his name.  We did a couple of takes and they even had crew join the clip so the crowd would look even larger. The director came and stood in front of me along with two other members of the crew.

I have no idea when this movie will be released. There is more filming. The next day Gary Bushey who plays Kelly’s baseball coach will be on set. They only want students for tomorrow so I won’t be attending. Then next week there is a scene at a church in Rocklin CA but I am out of town so will miss that as well.  This was my big day and after lots of sitting around waiting I did get to be part of this movie. One of those first time experiences off the bucket list.

I have heard the comment “Do something new every day”. I certainly accomplished that today.

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