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Companionship is the most important part of being part of a crew. The demands of the job are such that going it alone just doesn't make much sense. And you learn a lot from your friends. Greg and ZZ were especially good at film plotlines and history; Sal at the process of making (and getting into) movies (Sal also does zombie movies under the name Abner Zombie); and Latif in developing a professional persona. Crystyl and Jessica were real good at that, too.
An early crowd (tents were packed when everyone arrived) But the crew is important for other reasons; such as staking out a table each morning. Because of the crowding, it was always best to grab a spot at the end of one of the tables on the main aisle. First member of the crew in the tents would grab a chair, and spread coats and packs on neighboring chairs. Part of group would also defend table position while another part went later for forms, food or bottled water. One night, some neighborhood boys pushed into four or five of the seats
of several adjoining groups. They all had exotic hair styles, thin braids,
and leather jackets decorated with graffiti art or metal studs. One comment
didn't dissuade them. Or two. But after three or four little remarks,
they decided it was time to move. They came back the next night as extras,
hired from the line at the tent's "front door." It's always
good to have neighborhood involvement. One of the surprising features of this extras group was the number of older actors. People in their seventies, and probably eighties. How did they have the strength to hold up? I asked one woman, who answered that she was acclimated to the cold -- she had delivered newspapers door-to-door earlier in life. And older Einstein bundled up, and just kept moving. Everyone kept an eye on him, offered him a seat, or asked how he was doing, but he always seemed okay. A few NYC actors also showed up on set. Perhaps one would have the role of Ben Cortman. Ben was central to the novel, "Omega Man" (an earlier adaptation of "Legend"), and the Protosevich screenplay, but the role has not yet been announced, as far as I can tell. |
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There were rumors in mid-2006 that it might go to Johnny Depp, but those rumors were squelched. Maybe one of the NYC actors had the role? I think RD would be great for the role, but it's not my money! Wednesday night we streamed down Dover Street. Will Smith was in the
shot, and this sequence primarily showed evacuees approaching the barricades
in front of the pier leading to the barge. Dover Street was blocked, with
cars provided by extras. On "Action," we streamed forward, while
the occupants in the cars abandoned them, and joined the rush. Some kids
in the apartments above decided to add some extra flavor, and blasted
their speaker systems with load rock. That got shut down pretty quick.
We were released at two, but it was the most chaotic night of all for
check-out. So by the time I got out, to the hotel, and showered, it was
already 4:00 AM.
Thursday and Friday got really cold. Thursday it was 11 degrees Fahrenheit,
with a strong breeze from the East River. It was more action scenes of
the crowd moving down the chutes to the pier and barge. The Blackhawk
helicopter circled, landed, then took flight again. Also a red Coast Guard
helicopter, and a NYPD helicopter. I'm sure it will look like a whole
lot more in the movie. At one point, I was standing behind a fence at the edge of the river,
and each time the helicopter flew in, it threw up a wash of water from
the river, and blew it into our faces. I only did that for so long, before
I rejoined the rest of the crowd. Then, just when it seemed that a revolt
of the extras was about to occur, Will Smith grabbed a microphone, and
set up a rap on "Summertime." I've got to hand it to Smith,
he may have had a trailer the size of an aircraft carrier, but he was
on set every night, and with his daughter Willow, and dog (let's just
call him Fido). He may have had a double for the set-up, but he was always
in the money shot.
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