Blogs from our BDEs on the set of the BDM!!!

POSTED BY: Shiny
UPDATED: Thursday, July 15, 2004 17:36
VIEWED: 13204
PAGE 1 of 1

SHINY

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 5:53 AM

Yes this is long, but it's worth the read. Trust me. Thanks to our Big Damn Extras ("Background Players") for taking the time to share their experiences with all Browncoatdom in such detail!

=====

From Saxon, B.D.E.
http://forums.prospero.com/foxfirefly/messages?msg=16601.1

*sigh*
I don't know where to begin...I feel like Dorothy being swept up into the clouds, landing in OZ and then suddenly sent back to Kansas!
Got up at 4 am (at a motel right next to Universal). We (me, Gingi aka Coffeewench & Ewok aka Jessi & Jim) got up and around in time for Rosie to call and say she would be there in a few minutes. 5am, Rosie and Carol arrive at our room...hugs, goodmornings and last minute details, and the 'extras' (oh, sorry, Background) are off!

I send us to the wrong gate, and we have to cut back to the right one, just to see that a BUNCH of cars are backed up at the entrance. We give our IDs to the gal at the gate, she says Jim's and Gingi's are on the list , but mine is not! We have to pull off to the side of the road and use a special phone to get someone to vouch for me. The do, and I get my pass. We park, and are off to find Stage 12. We find it and are told to go to Stage 6 for check-in. I meet Audrey and Sasha. This is the 'holding area' that we will come back to off and on all day. They are serving breakfast and it smelled GREAT! There are other 'background people' there.(Gingi was told not to use the "E" word, as 'extra' is somewhat insulting...Background is more 'professional'!!). Most of the guys are eating already. I was told to go to Wardrobe first to get dressed. I do. Then, I'm told to go to Make up, but the line is very long. So I am then to told to go get my hair readied for my wig. I go into a trailer and the gal starts pin curling my hair to my scalp. Then she puts a tiny little nylon cap over all and pins that to my head/hair. VERY ATTRACTIVE!! *right* I sure don't wanna meet up with anyone I know...or anyone I'd like to know...right? So, of course I see DVD guy Jeremy walk by!! lol! I remind of of who I am, and get back into the make up line. Gingi is there, in her costume talking to other BG (background), one cute gal is a fan/extra, she's doing BG work but is also a fan of the show! It was funny how most of the folks had no idea what the show was, and most didn't care. A few who had heard of it were asking questions though, so that was cool.

The line is really long for Make up, so Gingi says she's going to go see where Jim is, and goes off into the holding area. Just then, who should walk up, all unshaven, bed headed, wiping the sleep from his eyes? ALAN!! He is walking right toward me, looks up after rubbing is face and makes eye contact with me! I say "Hi Alan", and babble something about being a fan, and how great is it to be there, he is very nice and shakes my hand. I mention another fan named Rosie that he might remember from a couple of weeks ago, that he also met her at the LA Comic Con...and he cuts me off and say, 'Oh yes, we took a picture together!', I say, that she says "hi" and that she wanted me to give him some copies of the pix. I say I'll try to find him later and she says 'great' and tells me how nice it is for us to come down and all...so nice...he shakes my hand and says "nice to meet you Saxon" (I guess I introduced myself...I keep forgetting I have a REAL name!!). He walked up to the wagon/trailer where they were making omelettes, while I was all giddy...even with the wig cap on my head!!

Gingi comes back and I tell her all about it...then, since the line is still long, I am sent to get my wig on. I go into the trailer and I am sent to Randy's chair. He was really nice and funny...he checks my wig cap, while I look around...the trailer is full of pix of images that are defining the 'look' they want the different characters to have. There are bits of hair in little baggies on the wall behind me. Braids, ponytails, odds and ends of all sorts. All of a sudden I see the wig Randy has for me!! OMIGOSH!! Now, I'm dressed in a karate type burnt orange gi, with

GRIMLAKIN

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 6:14 AM

Somewhere in the world the casba was just rocked.

SHINY

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 6:16 AM

And in case anyone hadn't already read about Bob's Excellent Adventure as an Extra, you can find his story here:
http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=1566#1566
and the photos (very mildly spoiler-ish) here:
http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=177

"I left my heart in Serenity Valley"

HAKEN

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 6:46 AM

I would like permission to repost this entire thing into the FEATURES section so that it's more visible. Please let me know if it's okay. I already have Wiley's permission. Just need the rest.

SAXON

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 8:41 AM

Hi, I'm Saxon, you have my permission to post my stuff where ever you want! :P

I have the second half of my story if you want it.

***********************************************
Saxon's story, part 2:

Okay, let's see what happened next?
After saying thanx to Summer I think we all went back into Stage 12. I know I had given Audrey the info about getting someone to vouch for Rosie, Ewok, Carol and Wiley to come onto the set. She said she'd see what she could do. I also told her about the cakes being delievered at 2. She didn't know about them. We went back to work, and I was sorry that I didn't take the chance to get Jewel to autograph my drawing and t-shirt...*sigh*...oh well.

When we were on the set, they were doing alot of different stuff, moved the camera angles, had two of the new characters doing some stuff right next to where me, my new 'husband, and Conrad were...and they did it over and over and over...it was fun...except for the smoke!

During one of the 'waiting times' Audrey came over and told me the cakes were there, and asked if I had my camera...I said no, it was back in the holding area...she said, 'oh, well, maybe someone will get a picture of it'...ack! I'd thought about putting the camera in the purse, but it was stuffed with a big towel...so I hadn't! She also asked me for the names of the ones who wanted in, so I gave her everyone's names. We had no idea they'd been there...or had their 'close encounter' till later!

Finally, they let a bunch of us go back to the holding area...and I was so tired that I can't even remember much about that time...After a long while I called Rosie and they told me about meeting the gang and touring the set! It was great. Then my 'husband' Marv told me the wanted us back on the set....but when we got there they told us we were 'wrapped' and could go. I had just emptied the purse out and put my t-shirt, phone, camera and pen in it (the towel was SOOOO heavy), so I pulled my stuff out and returned the purse...I told the guy I'd bring the towel right back over. I went and put my stuff away, and got the towel...most everyone who had been on the same side of the set as me was 'wrapped', so we all made our way back down the process of getting back to 'normal'. I had my wig removed (so my hair looks really terrible in the pix we took afterward!), changed out of my costume and went back to the holding area. Audrey had told us she would give us Browncoats a tour of Serenity! We had to wait till everyone was done though, which was good, since Gingi, Jim, Brian and Jeremy were still busy. I told Audrey how great the day had been and took her pic, I said the only thing I regretted was not getting to talke to Adam and get the autographs of the BDHs I'd missed at the LA Con. She said (and this kills me), "oh, you should have mentioned something, I'd have set something up". By then all the 'stars' had left for the day! We'd seen them on the set before we left, and they were all posing for pix and then were obviously saying bye, hugs, kissed and handshakes! ack!!

After all the Browncoats were back in regular clothes, we heard Audrey getting an intern to show us around. We thanked her for everything, and she left us with Michael to take us back into Stage 12. The lights were down, and the 'ship' inside was pretty dark. When we toured the Angel set, it was really dim, but this, in some places was pitch black!

I'll say this...I now understand what everyone is saying about Serenity being the same, yet different. The changes are so very subtle, but they are there, and for the better! I was surprised how areas looked very small, yet, when we got the pictures back , it looke like they were taken in an open space! I'm always amazed how someone can envision these things and make them appear the way they do on camera! The most well lit area was of course the cargo bay...and it was huge! It looks even bigger in the pictures!

I cracked up when I saw the pix of me...my hair is really whacked...but I have this half crazed look on my face! I was totally excited by this

SHINY

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 3:20 PM

Jeremy (DVD guy and web-master-type-person of fireflymovie.com/serenitymovie.net) posted the first half of his BDE experience here:

http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=2427#2427

[edited to remove text of post at Jeremy's request, please click above link to view]

BROWNCOAT1

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 5:47 PM

Thanks for the updates BDEs (Saxon & Jeremy). Thanks for posting the info here Shiny!

This is all great reading. Makes me feel like I am almost there w/ the BDEs.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

WREN

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 8:20 PM

DamnitGirlie has now left her report at the OB:

From:(DamnitGirlie) 3:26 pm
To: ALL
Hi All
Ok,
To say my time is limited, both on and off line is a tremendous understatement. We are wrapping up hell week on our theater production and shows start tomorrow, plus of course I have no access online. So my account doesn't have its usual finesse. I hope no one minds. I just wanted to try and get some info out as soon as I could before it got too late to even matter, or too jumbled in my mind. Sorry in advance about spelling, punctuation etc. Here goes.
Lets start with Saturday. Saturday morning I called into the line we were told to call for directions, updates etc. I learn my call time was at 5:30 am (ack AM!)Monday and there is a message about hair and make-up. I am supposed to arrive fully made up. I don?t usually wear make up, and with the exception of my wedding (which someone else did) I haven?t worn foundation since high school when we applied it with a spatula! As far as I know I don?t even own any, and chances for getting out to buy some are more than just limited because Saturday is costume-fitting day for our musical theater group and I am costume mistress. I spent the day fitting three hundred people with about seven hundred costumes for ?Annie? So I don?t get home until around 11:00pm. Sunday is our first full dress rehearsal so I spend the day there again and don?t get home until 11ish. (Remember my call time is 5:30!) I now stay up to try some make up I have hunted down, shower and basically be nervous. I finally went to bed at about 1am planning to get up around 3:30 so I have time. This was silly because I spent my time alternating between checking my alarm to make sure it was set, dreaming about missing my alarm, and waking up in a panic to check the time. It was the longest two hours I never spent sleeping! Plus it is still around 95 degrees so it is impossibly ugly to sleep in. I finally get up on time and do my hair and make up. (I think I did ok but it was so hot I am sure most of it melted off before I got there) My husbands (lets call him Snoozeman) time is 6am so we just go together...he does not need hair or make up. We grab breakfast on the way, but I am too nervous to eat more than a few nibbles. Finally we arrive at Universal and check in at the parking gate. We are issued security passes and given vague and inaccurate directions about where we belong. ?Park and follow this road (wrong road) to building #_ . We follow those directions and pretty much take a walking tour of the Universal lot. Big place! But as we walk several others who look like they know where they are going join us. Apparently they thought the same about us. Now if you think we allowed ourselves to diverge from the directions and just go according to the numbers on the buildings you?re a fool! Finally we encounter some signs which say ?Serenity?. They don?t give any directions but at least we know were close. We pass a stage where we can see the but end of Serenity. YEA! We wander passed a line of trailers and see the woman who fitted us for our costumes. We say hi and she wishes Snoozeman luck in the heat with his all black padded suit. And we continue on. We have arrived at the end of the line. Not our destination just where the lot ends! HOLY COW I can see the front of Serenity now! There were some guys working and very bright lights. We continue to wander right up to the door, passing our loveable crews trailers along the way (I just realized I should have taken a picture!) Our little group [of followers just stands there looking at each other as we all realize the people we were following are just as lost as we are. Finally some guy calls down the road and points us in a new direction...pretty much back the other way. We are told to check in at ?holding? where we are apparently to be wrangled with 75 other folks for the day. I check in and I am sent to the costume trailer and from there I go to hair. In the hair trailer I am given a Rita Hayworth long red wig which is then tampered with and enhanced with

THEDUKE333

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 8:21 PM

Hello Haken,
You can use any of my stuff if you want. I think it is a great idea to post all of our stories in one easy to find place. Also, is there a way to attach a picture of each extra in there costume so everyone can spot them in the BDM?

I think you do a great job here...

TheDuke333

LEXIBLOCK

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 8:38 PM

I wanna see the green wig :)

HAKEN

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 9:13 PM

Just post them in the blue sun room, or you can email them to me and I'll get them posted.

TALLGRRL

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 9:45 PM

hey y'all, thanks for bloggin' about your shiney day on the set.
how cool is that to do BG work on something you know and love?
and how cool to be a fan, get yerself a BDT (Big Damn Tour)and chat with some of the BDSs (Big Damn Stars)?
now i have to get back to work, but i'll be reading this post again later, when i can savour your experience vicariously.
thanks again!

"Take me, sir. Take me hard."

SAXON

Wednesday, July 14, 2004 11:14 PM

Hi again...this is only the second time I've posted here, although I lurk a bit. Here is a little website I set up with pix and the blog entry.

http://saxon1014.tripod.com/

SHINY

Thursday, July 15, 2004 2:22 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by TheDuke333:
is there a way to attach a picture of each extra in there costume so everyone can spot them in the BDM?

Saxon:

Rosie (fireflypsngr):

Ruben:

Jeremy (DVDGuy/JAYSEDAI):
[Edited to remove inline image at Jeremy's request. Please click on below links to view]
http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=1980#1980
http://saxon1014.tripod.com/id4.html

Bob (TheDuke):

(Bob's the one on the right) ;)

Erin (DG/DamnitGirlie) and Rick:

Jim and Gingi (Coffeewench):

Let me know if I missed any.

SHINY

Thursday, July 15, 2004 2:42 AM

From Ewok, B.D.E. (or some resemblance or relation thereof at least):
http://forums.prospero.com/foxfirefly/messages?msg=16624.1

Since Blinksgurl and Rosie already told this story, I'll cut past the stuff that happened before lunch.
We had just gotten wet at the soak zone, I saw Rosie on the phone, she was busy talking to someone. When I asked who is was, she said it was my mom. She told us we were gonna meet my mom at he end of the Jurassic Park ride, which is right on the corner where the tour bus goes, and is where the people walk back to Stage 12. We got down there, I was very wet, and the line was very long so we bypassed the crowd and went to an area where super long lines might have gone (this was obviously a very popular ride at one time). Now they have barricades telling you you don't have to go that far...that the line isn't that long today.
All the gates that exit to the back lot say 'alarmed' and one was open, but we resisted the urge to go through it! We ventured on to the curve where the tour goes, and we saw a big gate where people were going through but we stayed at our little corner and just watched any one going by. We saw a zebra-headed lady going into the porta-potty! Also a very muscular 'woman' too!! hehe!
Then my mom called and said she was coming, and I saw a blue haired lady walking up, and I thought, 'hey that blue haired lady is on the phone!"...it was my mom! Blinksgurl started taking pictures. She came up and talked to us for while, but wanted to get back to try to get Summer's autograph.
A little while later the phone rang again, and Rosie smiled and gave me the phone, I heard my mom say, "Summer, would you do me a favor and say hi to my daughter?" and I hear Summer say, "okay". It was so weird! I had my bush-mates tryin' go figure out who I was talking to...listening to Summer talk about how my mom's hair was the coolest hair here, and that was saying alot today! When she asked where I was, I said, "If I say in the bushes will it freak you out?". We talked for while, but she had to go, so she gave the phone back to my mom. She was sooooooo friendly!
After that we waited to see if we could see anyone, 3 guys who were dressed in 'Egyptian mummy type stuff' came up to us and said, 'can I help you? what are doing?'...they were being really snippy and rude...but we told them we'd soon and we'd be sure to check out the mummy ride! After awhile Bryan came and said he'd see what he could do about bringing someone over. After awhile he came walking up with Nathan, we talked for awhile and took pictures, after he left Rosie a couple of happy dances. I told her to be careful that no one saw her, just then Nathan came back with Alan! We talked with Alan and took pix, and while she was busy talking to Alan I noticed Bryan coming back over with Jewel, and when I tried to tell Rosie, she was 'shushing me', then a tram went by and Nathan and Alan waved...suddenly Jewel was standing there! She startled Rosie! So we all took pix again, and Nathan even got my camera to take pix for us! Then they walked off and I was saying how I wished I had a digital video camera, and Wiley said she had one, and Carol said this one has one, and started taking video Rosie, and the phone rang...right when Rosie got the word that we could come on the set!
Audrey came out and we showed her where the open gate was, and we came around. Rosie was following her and Matt and listening to what they were saying, so I was looking around to see what/who I could see...and there was Alan sitting on the step of his trailer and he smiles and waves at us! I tried to tell Rosie and she 'shushed me' again! By the time I got her attention we'd passed him! We got inside and toured the set...we were watching a monitor to see what they'd been filming, but they were stopped so we kept on going. Then we walked through were the infirmary was and I could see the cargo bay, and I saw Nathan and Summer and she was waving at us! I saw other people, but didn't realize that I was seeing set that my mom was on. There was so much going on!! I

SHINY

Thursday, July 15, 2004 3:28 AM

From Lisa (twyliteraine), B.D.E
http://forums.prospero.com/foxfirefly/messages?msg=16601.51

Okay, y'all don't know me, but I was there at the Serenity shoot. I'm a SAG background actor, extra, etc. and I've always wanted to work with Joss Whedon. I'd been to the set of Angel a couple times. Once before Angel was even on the air and again during the 100th episode, but Joss wasn't there. :(
Anyhow, I'd share all my adventures of the Serenity gig, except that Saxon pretty much covered it for me as well. The only thing that I saw that perhaps she didn't was Nathan heading toward his trailer after having grabbed a plate of breakfast from the catering truck. It was about 6AM. Seeing him that early brightened the rest of my day before it had hardly begun.

I've been an extra for about a year and a half. Done about a hundred or so days and still none of them I'd looked forward to as much as Serenity. My first glimpse of Joss was as we were all parading onto the set. He was directing Nathan and the rest of everyone right there in the open door, cargo bay behind them, the ship framing them. It's a moment I wish I could download from my brain to share as a mini-movie.

I believe in the scene, I landed in front of the area where Saxon was. I got to smell that same nasty smoke, too. This was another of those sets where, yeah, I was there, but I don't have a clue what the scene was actually about. My biggest concern was the people tripping as they came off the ramp. They'd covered plywood with gravel and it seemed like everyone slid at least once. Gina tripped pretty good. I was concerned after her slide, but if anything, that just made everyone else really really careful.

I didn't get to talk to any of the cast or crew. Joss sort of directed me, but not exactly. He did like my costume, gloves and jewelry and instructed the cameraman during a short vignette to include my hands in the shot. That was a huge moment for me because those gloves, rings and bracelets were mine. I'd brought them from home and now they're souvenirs! I'm just crossing my fingers that the vignette will be in the final cut. My husband loved Firefly and I'm sure he'd love to see our wedding ring in Serenity.

When everyone else had gone back to holding, I'd stayed behind. Being somewhat experienced, I knew how to quietly hang out without being in the way. Unfortunately, it didn't exactly work in my favor because there really wasn't anything interesting going on at all. Just more watching Joss in action, while wishing I could be more involved. By the time I was wrapped, Nathan was sitting in a director chair by the monitors, talking with the script supervisor. As various extras walked by, he checked out all the costumery. I like to think he enjoyed having all of us there. According to one of the costumers, it was the biggest day for background...75...and they'd all been sort of stressing over it because that's a lot of people to go through hair, costume and make-up. Usually, extras aren't done up quite as much.

Truth be known, I was hoping it'd be an eighteen hour day. Everyone was so great that I didn't want to leave even though I was tired. But Joss knows exactly what he wants and exactly how to get it.

I'm hoping to see him again at Comic-con this year. When I'm not doing background, I write novels...dark paranormal, sci-fi, fantasy novels. My dream would be to get to collaborate with him on something...anything...preferably TV, but hey, for Joss, I'd even put on a Betty Boop wig and a funky futuristic cat suit with a weird skirt over it. Wait a minute...I've already done that. :)

I wish I had more to share of my time on Serenity. If for some strange reason, I get back on the show, I'll definitely post it here. They don't wrap until the end of August, but from what I gathered from the few production people I talked to, they won't be using extras the rest of the time. Or at least not a whole lot. My fingers are still crossed, though. And I'm definitely game for Serenity 2,3,4,5...

Lisa

SHINY

Thursday, July 15, 2004 3:38 AM

BDE Saxon added:
http://forums.prospero.com/foxfirefly/messages?msg=16601.34

I keep remembering little snippets of info...all like flashes of dream memory. Like:

Joss: "Forget I'm the director, I'm just the documentary dude, guy".

"Quiet on the set....unless yer poultry"

BDE Lisa added:
http://forums.prospero.com/foxfirefly/messages?msg=16601.53

Oh yeah, and regarding poultry on Serenity...
Saxon already shared the wonderful line, but just to throw ya'll off in the question about spoilers, I've got another poultry related line. This one from Joss himself as he spoke to the cameraman.

"Fabric and color and hands are good, too, but this shot's all about the ducks. I mostly want the ducks. They are what it's all about."

I was wishing I could've busted out my pen and notebook to write that one down word for word. I'd just been completely upstaged by three dead ducks.

Spoiler? Hardly...the shot probably won't even make it into the final cut.

SIGNYM

Thursday, July 15, 2004 3:43 AM

This is SOOOO GREAT!!!!!

And the pix... WOW!!!

I'm in heaven- and I ain't even religious.

JAYSEDAI

Thursday, July 15, 2004 6:17 AM

Part 2 of my blog is up, read it here:

http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=2455#2455

Jeremy

PS I would appreciate it if you all WOULDN'T repost the entire message here. Thanks! (Yes I'm shamelessly trying to drive more traffic to my site).

JANON990

Thursday, July 15, 2004 6:30 AM

Such a shameless plug

http://www.dvdrentalworkathome.com

SHINY

Thursday, July 15, 2004 2:36 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by jaysedai:
PS I would appreciate it if you all WOULDN'T repost the entire message here. Thanks! (Yes I'm shamelessly trying to drive more traffic to my site).

Original posts edited to require clicking through to your site.

JAYSEDAI

Thursday, July 15, 2004 3:45 PM

Thanks Shiny!

SHINY

Thursday, July 15, 2004 5:36 PM

BDE Saxon added this on behalf of BDE CoffeeWench:
http://forums.prospero.com/foxfirefly/messages?msg=16601.100

I've been trying to get Coffeewench (Gingi) to write up her memories...but she's just hasn't done it. She's busy with work and stuff...and really doesn't know what she can add to our stories.
She told me to just tell what she told me...ack!

One thing I'll say is, she and Jim were RIGHT THERE with the BDHs! She nearly ran into Adam...Jim cut off Nathan when they were trying to do the 'cross over' they'd been directed to do. She, at one point hit the slippery gravel slope and had to steady herself on Adam!

Once, Joss was directing Alan, and said, "here, let's have our own private rehearsal..." and walked side by side with him, telling him how he wanted it to go...then they both hit the gravel at the same time and both slipped!

All I can say is, if my kid is NOT on screen alot, I'll wonder why...they used her and Jim in a bunch of different shots and angles...from one side of the area to the other...they are bound to be in there somewhere!

Edited to add:
I don't think it was my imagination that all the Browncoats got alot of 'camera time'...someone told me that we all had 'fan' next to our names. Chris and Joss and Co. went out of their way to make this special for us!

*smooches to them all!*