Bollywood

Text: Are you available to be a posh restaurant diner in a Bollywood movie? I have to admit that I was a bit anxious on this one as I had heard both good and bad reports from various people. However, one  thing I have learned is that other peoples perceptions about what  is bad can vary enormously! I confirmed that I was free and the job was mine. We all had to take several changes of clothes, all cocktail types for changes throughout the day to show day time and evening. This was a nightmare. The only place to change was on a bus and there were an awful lot of us to get changed and the costume people were seriously fussy. Eventually it was decided that I should wear a red dress with stilettos and off I went tottering around in my fur coat. Now I know that a fur coat nowadays is not PC but this is one my late mother gave to me over thirty years ago and I have never had the heart to get rid of it. The only time I wear it is on set and thankfully, so far no one has minded including the very lovely David, a vegetarian who was to be my partner in a further day of filming. We were sat in groups or in pairs round tables whilst the main actors did there bit at the bar and in the restaurant. I am sure that one of the reasons that so much Bollywood is done in this country is that we have no idea who the actors are and therefore, do not fuss round them or become starstruck. It was only later when hoards of people turned up at an outside shoot that we realised that the main couple had the same kudos as the Beckhams. The crew were very polite, not only to us but to each other calling the director Sir and always using the word please to everyone. There isn't a specific person allocated to look after the extras on these shoots so sometimes it can be a bit awkward when one crew member tells you to do something whilst another tells you to do something completely different! 

We all had plates of food  put in front of us and told that under no circumstances were we to eat it as it could be hazardous to our health!! The place itself was beautiful.  It was a restaurant at the top of an office building right in the city of London and the view was amazing. Finally, lunch was called and we all got back into mini buses and arrived back at base. This was the bit I was looking forward to the most - the food! However, when I arrived at where the curry was being cooked I was turned away - it was for the main cast only.....

Over to the catering van where a very nice roast pork with all the trimmings was being dished out but it wasn't quite the same!

More filming was to follow with everyone changed in to evening wear. More inedible food was served and more grape juice poured in to the wine glasses (now come on, you didn't really think they'd serve alcohol on set, did you?). It was a long 12 hour day but we had been well looked after and the food, although not quite what iIexpected was plentiful and filling. Everyone got on well together which always makes the day seem that bit nicer and that bit shorter. Sadly I can't tell you the title of the film as it only has a working title - production 45 but as soon as I know I will pass it on. Having ventured to dab my toe into the Bollywood films - would I do it again? Yes and I did but more of that  to come later....

A very patient patient!

Mobile rings: Can you be a patient in a hospital for 5 days?

Let me see, can I sit round, do nothing and get paid for 5 days? Yep - job confirmed!

It's always a strange place to go to Elstree Studios as you have Eastenders on one side and Holby on the other and never the twain shall meet! Turned up for my first day (BTW this is the only job that doesn't provide food unless you want crisps, biscuits or fruit) but you get a lunch allowance paid to you after the job is finished. I walked down the corridor with my ridiculously heavy bag - wasn't sure which PJ's they'd want or slippers or bath robe....to find my lovely friend Kathy who I'd appeared in Cardinal Burns with. Excellent! We got changed into out lovely hospital gowns - mine was huge so I was stapled into it - then went to meet the others. We were a mixed bunch of young and old - some were nurses, patients and visitors. There was one 'comedian' who was telling us all about his adventures on set, many of which seemed to revolve around pubs! Sadly, he didn't last long as he liked to muck about on set, such as falling out of bed which although raised a smile to us, didn't endear him to the director. One  girl was a professional dancer and about to take on a job as a dancer on a cruise for six months -  how lovely! Another was a DJ, someone else an actress - it's always interesting to find out what people actually do.
I was asked if I could look very ill. Actually they meant dead! I had to lie in bed very still whilst a nurse checked my pulse, sounded the alarm then the doctor and nurses started to resuscitate me. There was a lot of laughter as people grabbed things in a hurry to help and then realised they had picked up suppositories or pile cream!
Another day I had to lie on a stretcher bed and be pushed around which is a very odd feeling. Not only are you not in control but when the ceiling starts passing by it does start to make you feel really ill! Sometimes you get to interact with the main actors - always exciting.
After five days it was  time to go and leave Holby behind. THere was lots of hugging  each other and it was all very emotional to leave one another. It is an amazing feeling at the end of five days as these strangers have turned into  good friends. After all, there really isn't a lot to do there  except read and talk so we probably found out more about each other in those few days than possibly their own friends knew about them. I am glad to say that I am still in touch with all of them and I will be more than pleased if ever our paths get to cross again. Holby City - what a legend!

Camouflage

Received an email asking if I would be available to return to 'Coming Up' to make another film. Fine by me. Didn't get a confirmation email back  so I assumed the job was cancelled and made plans to visit friends for the weekend. I arrived at 9pm really looking forward to spending time with good  friends, good food (of course) and good wine. I noticed that my phone (still on silent after driving) had a message. It was from Simon from Coming Up.

"Haven't heard from you. Still OK to film tomorrow? Have sent out another email."

Oh my goodness! I did the quickest turnaround ever and headed back from whence I came!

Arrived nice and early to the studio and costume decided that I would do as I was. I was supposed to be a passerby so wasn't really expecting any major problems regarding wardrobe. Make up and hair were fine so it was off down the road to a pub for breakfast. Actually, we weren't actually in the pub but in their back yard which housed an old fashioned red bus which had been turned into a restaurant!  On this particular  shoot there were only five of us so we quickly got to know each other very well. It's always lovely to be part of a small shoot and you very quickly find that you become part of  a temporary family. 

After breakfast we drove off in the minibus to Deptford High Street where filming was to take place at a greengrocers. I was summoned to the front.

"We want you to be a grocery shopper and react to the main character."

No problem. I had no idea who the main character was (I still didn't when he appeared but soon found out when a crowd  started to assemble) but I am always happy if some acting is incorporated into my day.  My role was to take vegetables from the shop keeper, say "Thank you" then turn round to face Ashley Walters and say "Excuse me, please." 

then I was asked,

"Can you continue talking to the grocer?"

Me? Talk to the camera?  Of course I could! Getting me to stop would be the problem! Actually it was very easy as the grocer had fruit and veg that I had never seen before. I mean who knew about pudding fruit?!

This took most of the morning due to people shouting out Ashleys name or stopping to stare at him. On the way back to where the green room was situated I asked Ashley if he minded people interrupting him when he worked.

"No, you have to remember that these are the people that watch the films." 

He spoke to everybody who wanted a word with him taking  time out from filming to make sure that he gave his time  to those that wanted it. What a man!

The rest of the day passed by without us being used any more although it was expected that we would be used inside a restaurant but instead we were outside freezing our bits off without so much of a snifter of a film crew!! We broke for lunch at 4pm where we were told it was a wrap. Long day but as I was with some fabulous people, it didn't seem as long. On to the next job but what it could be and where is anybodys guess!

Chavtastic!

I received a text asking me to be part of a TVC (TV Commercial) for a well known betting company. The brief stated that one smart costume should be worn plus one other that was more tarty. Thankfully the Cancer Research shop came to my rescue over the tarty one!

The venue was Sandringham Race Course on a very cold, snowy and frosty morning. I had just arrived when one car started to slide backwards with no driver inside and was headed straight for a brand new van! Fortunately the owner of the car managed to fling open the drivers door and pull up the handbrake and steer the  car round. Phew!

I headed  in for breakfast (you know me) and met lots of people I knew - it was a bit like a reunion - fantastic! The day had a staggered start and I was in the early section - 6.30am start. I like early starts and am definitely a morning person which helps in this business when early starts are the usual. After a cooked breakfast we headed out into the stands to watch an invisible race... I was summoned over to stand on a box with a hat from the costume department complete with feathers. To be honest, it looked like a pigeon had crashed into my head at speed! Fortunately, it was decided that I was a bit on the small side and they needed someone much taller so I managed to escape the hat. 

We weren't quite sure what was going on as nobody had explained the advert to us. However, the words 'Chav' and 'Transvestite" seemed to be banded about....In the next shot, one woman had to stand on a Chav!  We were moved around the stands and around the racing area when the Chavs started to walk up. Now I feel I must mention one lady here - Lula. Her costume was amazing complete with corset and bowler hat - fabulous!

After a very quick and hurried lunch we were back to filming again, this time at the racing enclosure. There were a couple of blonde ladies, dressed to the nines, as chavs, shouting,

"Go on gel" 

"Put some welly init!"

From behind them, a man looking every inch the country gentleman fired a tranquilizer gun hitting one in the neck and one in her rear end. Of course this was all staged but it was really funny to see it all happening. Looking around we began to notice that there were some new arrivals - women who certainly weren't 'all woman'. A lot of time was spent trying to discover - man, woman or ? 

There was an awful lot of hanging about for this job and just when we thought we'd be let go, they decided that we should all go to the bar and continue filming up there. Eventually at exactly 6.30 we (the early shift) were let go. Here's the link to the ads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XZ5MOB3nww

Is there a Doctor in the house?!

A StarNow advert caught my eye. People needed for a short film: paramedics, passersby, doctors for a hospital scene. It was fairly low pay but it was on a Sunday and for once, I had a free day (unusual when you're a mother and I don't care how old the kids are!) I applied and a couple of days later I received an email - could I be a doctor - uniform supplied. Well, I've always fancied myself in a white coat so thought why not? 

It was a lovely sunny January day and I arrived to find people already seated round a table. I was suited and booted ( always need a suit in this job) and as soon as wardrobe knew who I was a white coat was given to me. I was to be the only doctor (later a consultant) amongst the paramedics, nurses and the hospital visitors. 

I started chatting away to a lovely man called Raymond who made most of his money by being a Supporting Artist (always a Supporting Artist darling, never an extra) in Spain. He had some really interesting tales to tell and most of us were, of course spellbound by his narration of his past. A woman next to me, Tracie, also spoke Spanish so the two of them nattered away whilst the rest of us listened almost like watching a duologue!

We were sent outside to look up at the top of a building where people were standing and we all had to react to the situation: astonished, shocked and relieved. I wont give the plot away but look out for Chanel 4 series of short films "Coming Up" and 'The Postcode Lottery'.

Air Pollution!

 For my next job I was asked to consider the post code before confirming that I could take it on. It was to be in a place called Bentwaters. This was  an area I knew well as I had performed in a play for 3 weeks there two years before.

http://www.bentwatersparks.com/

Its an  old USA military base with several building such as Bomb Stores, Aircraft Hangers, Control Tower and runways. It also has it's own museum and church - worth visiting if you ever get the chance

 http://www.bcwm.org.uk/

Now, as I said, Bentwaters is a series of aircraft hangers which are not all that well marked, so on arrival I asked  a man, standing outside a hanger, if this was the right place. It was. I parked the car and proceeded to tell this man about how I knew the place and about the play I'd performed in. It wasn't until later that I realised I'd been talking to Sean Pertwee! This was a corporate for an electronic cigarette.

I was in smart business attire again and within no time at all, myself and fellow S/As (Supporting Artists) were freezing in this unheated aircraft hanger. We were sent off down a runway (you can't help but look behind you when walking down a runway!) to a small cafe on the base. Having finally thawed out we were summoned back to the hanger where there was a green base ready to be walked on. We took off our shoes and had to move around in selected groups after Jon had presented his set piece to camera. The movements were very specific and we were moved to various positions but had to always remember the previous positions. Most people were concentrating but somebody couldn't stop chatting away even though the Director was trying to give us direction. I have no objection to anyone having a chat EXCEPT when the Director talks. Looking round, I discovered that it was an elderly couple who were, to put it mildly, showing off to some younger, inexperienced S/As. Eventually, one chap said to them

"You are missing your direction"

This was a little too polite for my liking so when they just ignored him, I found myself shouting

"Shut Up!" whereupon, they finally got the message!

Everybody else there were very professional and because we all pulled together (after the talking had ceased) we wrapped at 2pm having started at 10am. What a perfect day!

Coffee Time!

"Can you do a Vox Pop for a Corporate?"

Now a Vox pop is where you are asked questions in front of a camera and it all looks very real and off the cuff. In reality, you either have a script, given an idea of the questions or as in this case, the questions sent out the night before. I had previously performed a  couple of these the previous year AND for the same Director so I was very pleased to be asked again. This was to be about a certain coffee brand.

It was a freezing cold but beautifully sunny day in January and was to take place in Covent Garden. The actual address was a little, shall we say, on the fluid side so I headed for the actors church (St Paul's) in Covent Garden which is set in a  central position. It wasn't long before the other  two actors joined me. We stood in the foyer for a while listening to some chamber music being played inside.  The Verger came over and told us to use the premises (without  filming)  as our own. Eventually, it dawned on us that although we were here, the crew weren't - where was everybody? We went outside to the front of the church and soon spied the camera, mic and crew. We introduced ourselves to the crew and to the representative from the coffee brand. We were then asked if we had seen the latest advert. Oh dear...well, we had but none of us could remember much about it and actually, it could have been any coffee brand because none of us could put the brand name to it.

Of course, having a camera crew in the middle of Covent Garden attracts a lot of attention especially from the resident busker who was more than a little vocal about sharing his spot with us...  We moved on to just outside the transport museum instead. The first guy was up and running - what coffee did he like? Name a special moment that included coffee. What did he think of the advert etc etc. I was up next. Now, it's simply no good putting me in front of a camera and telling me to start talking. I can talk for England. It's getting me to stop that's the problem! I seemed to have to do a lot more than the previous guy but I chatted away whilst looking at the advert via an iphone and browsed through the paper despairing of other adverts that were very art directorish but mean nothing to the general public. I spoke about family, silly anecdotes, special coffee moments...well, they were all made up but surely that's the life of an actor!