Wednesday, December 14, 2005
The Professional
With my money dwindling and tons of free time on my hands, I decided it was high time to earn a little cash. Naturally, my first choice was to live out my dreams and become a professional actor. So I did just that!
This story goes back to September when Scott and I went to Cafe Absinthe for the first time. In the restroom I found a flyer for a film looking for "Caucasian males." They needed dozens of white people to play German soldiers in World War I in a Japanese/German production. I was instantly intrigued and contacted them for more information but every time they were filming, it was either a weekday (which meant school) or a busy weekend. Since my school commitments ended on Friday I e-mailed them again and asked if they still needed extras. They quickly replied and asked if I could come to the studio in Kyoto this morning by 7:20. That's AM, by the way! I winced at the prospect of waking up at 5 and traveling for over an hour by train but I had to give this a try or I'd be kicking myself for the rest of my life.
The studio turned out to be Toei, probably the only Japanese movie studio I have actually heard of. Walking onto the lot (there was virtually no security) was a crazy feeling as I could see dozens of sound studios where who-knows-what was being filmed. Actors dressed in period clothing and hairstyles were casually strolling about, smoking cigarettes and wearing winter coats over their kimono (it's still quite cold here). I was quickly ushered to receive my uniform which was quite similar (and actually warmer) than my own clothes: a long grey overcoat with tan pants and a shirt. Once I changed I was taken to hair/makeup where they determined my hair was short enough to pass for a soldier so I was passed along to the waiting room.
The other extras were from very mixed backgrounds with lots of Europeans and Australians present. Most people looked a little old to be soldiers in my opinion but I suppose you have to work with what you've got. We spent quite a while just sitting and waiting before boarding buses to head to the location around 9. Somehow I knew that waking up that early would be a waste of time and I was right. I could have easily slept until 6:30 and still arrived in plenty of time to get on the bus. It's not like we were receiving important directions or anything; we were just sitting and waiting.
The bus ride took forever (as every car trip in Japan does due to tiny streets and perpetual traffic) but we made it to a very lovely hillside near Kameoka. Here we received the all important accessories like boots, hats, belts, rifles, and those bandage-like things soldiers used to wrap around their lower legs. We also got our first glimpse at the "enemy," in this case the Japanese extras. They all had bayonets while we had barely any. When I noted this to a fellow extra, he said "Well, that's why we lost."
The hillside was covered in fake guns, fake barbed wire and fake fortifications. The earth was "scorched" with some kind of black liquid and smoke billowed from little cans filled with charcoal and fanned by people I hope really enjoyed their jobs. The first shot of the day featured all of us lined up and surrendering. We all walked down the hill holding our rifles over our heads and then throwing them into a pile. I was pretty far back in line but by the end of the shot I was definitely in the frame, so there's a decent chance I'll be visible in the final product.
The subsequent shots were all of casualties, including guys carrying wounded or dead soldiers on stretchers. I wasn't needed during this sequence so I had some bread and tea and just waited. It was a pretty nice day, despite the chill, so I just did my best to enjoy the experience of watching a movie being made. We broke for lunch shortly after noon which they provided: a bento full of unfamiliar foods. I ate everything without hesitation and I'm proud that I'm adult enough to do that now.
After lunch they decided that they didn't need most of us to stay any longer as they were going to focus on the casualties shots, close ups, etc. I was paid 9000 Yen for my acting services and I got on the bus to return to the studio. They encouraged me to return for more filming this weekend but we'll see about that. I need money but not as much as I need Mako!
Oh yeah, I almost forgot: the name of the film is バルトの楽園, The Paradise of Bart. Whether or not that title sticks or if the movie ever sees the light of day I don't know, but either way I am now a professional actor. No one can dispute that!
A dirty job is still a job...
This story goes back to September when Scott and I went to Cafe Absinthe for the first time. In the restroom I found a flyer for a film looking for "Caucasian males." They needed dozens of white people to play German soldiers in World War I in a Japanese/German production. I was instantly intrigued and contacted them for more information but every time they were filming, it was either a weekday (which meant school) or a busy weekend. Since my school commitments ended on Friday I e-mailed them again and asked if they still needed extras. They quickly replied and asked if I could come to the studio in Kyoto this morning by 7:20. That's AM, by the way! I winced at the prospect of waking up at 5 and traveling for over an hour by train but I had to give this a try or I'd be kicking myself for the rest of my life.
The studio turned out to be Toei, probably the only Japanese movie studio I have actually heard of. Walking onto the lot (there was virtually no security) was a crazy feeling as I could see dozens of sound studios where who-knows-what was being filmed. Actors dressed in period clothing and hairstyles were casually strolling about, smoking cigarettes and wearing winter coats over their kimono (it's still quite cold here). I was quickly ushered to receive my uniform which was quite similar (and actually warmer) than my own clothes: a long grey overcoat with tan pants and a shirt. Once I changed I was taken to hair/makeup where they determined my hair was short enough to pass for a soldier so I was passed along to the waiting room.
The other extras were from very mixed backgrounds with lots of Europeans and Australians present. Most people looked a little old to be soldiers in my opinion but I suppose you have to work with what you've got. We spent quite a while just sitting and waiting before boarding buses to head to the location around 9. Somehow I knew that waking up that early would be a waste of time and I was right. I could have easily slept until 6:30 and still arrived in plenty of time to get on the bus. It's not like we were receiving important directions or anything; we were just sitting and waiting.
The bus ride took forever (as every car trip in Japan does due to tiny streets and perpetual traffic) but we made it to a very lovely hillside near Kameoka. Here we received the all important accessories like boots, hats, belts, rifles, and those bandage-like things soldiers used to wrap around their lower legs. We also got our first glimpse at the "enemy," in this case the Japanese extras. They all had bayonets while we had barely any. When I noted this to a fellow extra, he said "Well, that's why we lost."
The hillside was covered in fake guns, fake barbed wire and fake fortifications. The earth was "scorched" with some kind of black liquid and smoke billowed from little cans filled with charcoal and fanned by people I hope really enjoyed their jobs. The first shot of the day featured all of us lined up and surrendering. We all walked down the hill holding our rifles over our heads and then throwing them into a pile. I was pretty far back in line but by the end of the shot I was definitely in the frame, so there's a decent chance I'll be visible in the final product.
The subsequent shots were all of casualties, including guys carrying wounded or dead soldiers on stretchers. I wasn't needed during this sequence so I had some bread and tea and just waited. It was a pretty nice day, despite the chill, so I just did my best to enjoy the experience of watching a movie being made. We broke for lunch shortly after noon which they provided: a bento full of unfamiliar foods. I ate everything without hesitation and I'm proud that I'm adult enough to do that now.
After lunch they decided that they didn't need most of us to stay any longer as they were going to focus on the casualties shots, close ups, etc. I was paid 9000 Yen for my acting services and I got on the bus to return to the studio. They encouraged me to return for more filming this weekend but we'll see about that. I need money but not as much as I need Mako!
Oh yeah, I almost forgot: the name of the film is バルトの楽園, The Paradise of Bart. Whether or not that title sticks or if the movie ever sees the light of day I don't know, but either way I am now a professional actor. No one can dispute that!
A dirty job is still a job...
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HohohoHAAAAAAA, I love it.
Love it. In other movie news, I just helped Bill Murray's brother Andy burn a CD on a Mac: a powerpoint presentation for some shindig at the Golf Course he manages...called "Caddyshack". Hehe.
Booya. Dan, the pic rocks, I've always told you your the most photogenic person I've ever met.
Love it. In other movie news, I just helped Bill Murray's brother Andy burn a CD on a Mac: a powerpoint presentation for some shindig at the Golf Course he manages...called "Caddyshack". Hehe.
Booya. Dan, the pic rocks, I've always told you your the most photogenic person I've ever met.
# posted by 
: 15 December, 2005 14:31
: 15 December, 2005 14:31
Thanks for the nice comments, everyone. Hammer, I think I'll take your advice and use that picture, it's a good one. I took it with my phone!
Trout: I'm just starting to accept your opinion on that, even though I am still repulsed by my own image sometimes.
For those who know him, don't you I look like my father? Weird that it would take a soldier's uniform and a dirty face to make that resemblence...
Trout: I'm just starting to accept your opinion on that, even though I am still repulsed by my own image sometimes.
For those who know him, don't you I look like my father? Weird that it would take a soldier's uniform and a dirty face to make that resemblence...
I think you look great in the picture, but you make a terrible Nazi. You're more suited to portray one of the good guys.
Thanks Mystic, although it should be noted that there were no such thing as Nazis in World War I. Hitler was just a cartoonist/soldier at that point.
Yeah, two of our (three) white guys went and did that movie too, one is still doing it. Shame you didn't hear about it earlier, you could've skipped a LOT more school.
コメントがあります？ Type something, please. It's less work for me.# posted by : 16 December, 2005 13:19
: 16 December, 2005 13:19When leaving comments, please don't remain Anonymous. Click on "Other" and pick a name!
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unpaid advertising...I'm no sell out!
