ITW day 1

My first day working in a movie!

We were out at Diablo Canyon, just north of Santa Fe and Las Campanas. I arrived to find large white tents set up beside the parking lot. I found my way to the one to check in, filled out the paperwork, and was sent off to wardrobe to get a costume that would make me look like an Irish railroad worker. After wardrobe, I went to the “dressing room,” which was really a crowded tent full of other men changing into their costumes, too. When I was in costume, I was sent to hair and make-up, where they made me look dirty, like I’d been working on a railroad (of all things). They also greased up my hair some. I see that showering before I come to work in this film is a waste. Then I went back to wait and got to eat some food they had for us for breakfast.

A van took us up to the set, probably another couple of miles up the road into the canyon. One of the first people I saw when I got there was Fidel Moreno. He was working as a Production Assistant (P.A.). All day he kept pointing out to people that I look like John Malkovich and telling them that I'm a “preacher.” It was good to have someone I knew there, though.

They took us out to where they had a lot of tents set up and some railroad tracks and began to place us. My place was by one of the tents and some cook pots over a fire. The fire was great because it was quite cold.

As I talked with the other guys between takes, I learned that some of them had already been working quite a bit in the movie – and in different roles. Maybe I'll be able to work more, too.

Most of the rest of the day was a lot of carrying wood repeatedly, crossing from here to there repeatedly, and waiting. Toward the end of the day, the Director, Michael Watkins, began selecting people by playing games. Whose birthday is closest to today? Who played third base for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1959? Other than Cletis, what was the name of Ken Boyer’s baseball-playing brother? That’s the one I won. I was the only one who knew Cloyd Boyer. Because I won it, I was given a nearly front row spot in a scene they were shooting and promised a close-up in the movie.

That scene involves the workers watching some Chinese workers place dynamite on a mountainside. There’s danger, so we have to look concerned and then relieved/celebrative when the man is rescued. I think I did a good job of expressing those feelings. We’ll see what I look like on the screen.

One more thing to note: Great food!! They definitely fed us well.

We worked about a 12-hour day, and then they sent us home. I loved it, and when they asked who could work next week, I jumped at the chance.

When I got home, I immediately called Antoinette. She was eager to hear how it had gone. I appreciate her support.
MJG