Now I know ....

why it takes sooooo long to make a movie.

Monday Jenn got to be part of a movie that is yet to be titled - a Nancy Meyers project. Now she was in 1 scene - and that is all they shot all day.

We had to be there by 7:30 (and with the traffic around here and NYC that meant leave our house by 5:30).

We arrived at check in before 7am, where we were hoping it would warm up soon if we had to be outside all day. After getting her "wardrobe" for the day - we moved over to holding where she could also get breakfast. At 7:30 she was on set, and being "advised" as to what they would be doing for that part of the scene. Now there were quite a few background actors involved but seriously how many times do they have to walk through the scene before the director felt he (or was it they) had "gotten" it. I counted 5 times! seriously they had to walk in a graduation procession ....... and most of these kids had done this very same thing within the past 12 months for themselves. They got a break for lunch at 12:10 - where they were told they had to be ready to be back on set at 1.

Now they didn't actually get back on set until almost 2:30 - not exactly sure WHAT they were shooting from 1 to 2:30 - where it was more of the graduation scene. No not diplomas handed out or anything like that - it was more sitting, waving, standing - cheering on others. As well as one smaller group that did more "walking". This went on until they called it a "wrap" at 5:30., then she had to return her wardrobe and get all her paperwork filled out (they get ya there - all the forms not there or not signed - no pay). This was the only picture I could get with my cellphone (I just knew I should have brought my little digital - darn) - but this is the "afternoon part of the scene. As you can see they didn't really overwork them. Jenn's in there somewhere but God only knows from this picture.

Now she did get to see Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin and John Krasinski while they did their part of the scene - so it wasn't a total nothing day and she had a good time with the kids she was with for the scene. They did tell everyone that they could NOT absolutely could NOT take any pictures when the actors were doing their scene, but it didn't keep some of the kids from going up close to watch - no pictures but they could watch up close and personal.

But holy moses 10 hours to do 1 scene? How many scenes are in a movie? I'm thinking months and months of work just to get all the things they want after they cut hours of work and leave it on the floor. No wonder it costs so much to make a movie ..... no wonder it costs so much to see a movie - those movie ticket prices have to pay for all this.

I will say that even though she was exhausted (up at 4am leaving the set around 6:45pm to get home at 8pm), she said she'd do it again......she just wishes it wouldn't be quite so cold the next time. And she did admit she was glad I made her wear the heavier sweater instead of just her leather jacket.

Look at this face - couldn't you just see her doing something in print? So if you know of anyone that is in need of a background actor - or wants to give a young adult a break ....... tell them you know of someone - she'd love it.