An email was sent to me - was I available to be filmed on the American airbase at Bentwater Park Rendlesham? I knew the area fairly well as I had performed in a show there previously. Once confirmed, I discovered it was to be a 1950s theme - military style.
It was a Saturday, 9am when I landed at Bentwater Parks. On my way in I passed somebody I knew, Jon, a lovely man that that I had worked with on several occasions including X Men. I parked up and wandered over to say Hello and we walked around the outside of the Control Tower looking for anyone connected with the filming. Eventually a car pulled up outside the Portacabin and a couple of people walked inside so we followed. Fortunately they turned out to be the costume people so we were in the right place after all.
We had been asked to come dressed in uniform type clothing so I wore a plain shirt with a black skirt. black tights and black shoes. However, we all had to look vaguely similar so blue shirts and ties were issued out. At this point a car pulled up and out got another person I knew - Luke. In the end there were seven men and me - I was happy! Usually if there is only one woman then there is something expected of them... I was about to find out what! Once everybody had arrived we were taken over to the Bentwaters Museum. We stepped through the doors to the words "Cast on Set!" and were taken to meet the Director and the crew. An ex-officer from the original air base was also there to brief us as to what the control room would have been like when in full operation. Inside the Operations room was a long high platform like a stage.
"Felicity, you're up there."
I clambered up and put on some headphones grabbing a white board pencil as I went. Behind me was a huge board with a list of Pilots names. I was warned not to touch certain one as they had been left from when the operations room was last used during the war. That made me very nervous! However, I could write on the board once filming started and could make up names etc plus tick off various boxes. Well, as I didn't know anything about what i was doing, I was more than a little anxious about the impending improvisation when "Action!" was shouted. I only had minutes to study the boards befoe vocalizing what I was doing to camera!
Name of Pilot...
Fuelled....
Crew list....
Fortunately I can talk away to the camera endlessly which was just as well as the camera was centimetres away from my head. Next to the camera was a photographer taking pictures - all this whilst I 'listened' to my head set (which was totally silent) and wrote on the boards making up names and ticking off whether they had fuelled, ready for take off etc. At some point a bunch of files were given to me so I had to include these in the scenario as well.
I must say I quite enjoyed it, being put on the spot because I never know what it is I'm going to say but somehow my brain gets itself into gear for 'play' mode!
Luckily the Director turned round and said, " That was really believable - I really thought we had planes taking off!"
Lunch was called and we all trooped back to the portacabin. Everyone expected sandwiches but a beautiful hot meal of pork in tomato sauce with potatoes followed by apple crumble and coffee was swiftly provided.
Back on set I was given a white coat and a torch. I was now a Doctor and had to frisk one of the pilots (I know, I know, it's a tough job but someone has to do it!) find out how the pilot was feeling and then get him to follow me to.....well, just off set acturally!
It's at time like these that I think how lucky I am to do this job . It's not every day that adults get to play act and to be someone completely different for the day. I mean, what other job could offer such a variety?
We had been asked to come dressed in uniform type clothing so I wore a plain shirt with a black skirt. black tights and black shoes. However, we all had to look vaguely similar so blue shirts and ties were issued out. At this point a car pulled up and out got another person I knew - Luke. In the end there were seven men and me - I was happy! Usually if there is only one woman then there is something expected of them... I was about to find out what! Once everybody had arrived we were taken over to the Bentwaters Museum. We stepped through the doors to the words "Cast on Set!" and were taken to meet the Director and the crew. An ex-officer from the original air base was also there to brief us as to what the control room would have been like when in full operation. Inside the Operations room was a long high platform like a stage.
"Felicity, you're up there."
I clambered up and put on some headphones grabbing a white board pencil as I went. Behind me was a huge board with a list of Pilots names. I was warned not to touch certain one as they had been left from when the operations room was last used during the war. That made me very nervous! However, I could write on the board once filming started and could make up names etc plus tick off various boxes. Well, as I didn't know anything about what i was doing, I was more than a little anxious about the impending improvisation when "Action!" was shouted. I only had minutes to study the boards befoe vocalizing what I was doing to camera!
Name of Pilot...
Fuelled....
Crew list....
I must say I quite enjoyed it, being put on the spot because I never know what it is I'm going to say but somehow my brain gets itself into gear for 'play' mode!
Luckily the Director turned round and said, " That was really believable - I really thought we had planes taking off!"
Lunch was called and we all trooped back to the portacabin. Everyone expected sandwiches but a beautiful hot meal of pork in tomato sauce with potatoes followed by apple crumble and coffee was swiftly provided.
Back on set I was given a white coat and a torch. I was now a Doctor and had to frisk one of the pilots (I know, I know, it's a tough job but someone has to do it!) find out how the pilot was feeling and then get him to follow me to.....well, just off set acturally!
It's at time like these that I think how lucky I am to do this job . It's not every day that adults get to play act and to be someone completely different for the day. I mean, what other job could offer such a variety?
