Night Shoot Commerical Recap

So much to talk about, so much. I'm going to split it up into multiple posts to kind of keep the topics (commerical, Second City/Groundlings, and STAR WARS!) related so it doesn't go on-and-on.  It takes awhile to put one of these together (pics, links, editing...which still doesn't catch everything) and I want it to be an interesting read to those that are interested in living vicariously through me (as a number of people have shared with me over the last several weeks), or for those that have no clue about what it's like out here...it's a learning adventure for all.

So, let's begin with my night shoot for The General Insurance, and it appears that I'm still the only one that doesn't know what that is. The young people (young...meaning college students as background extras) had heard of it and could describe the commercials. I still don't remember seeing them. I guess if I didn't DVR-blast through the commercials, I mentally clock out and stop paying attention while they're on the screen...or that gives me a chance to head to the kitchen. I now have some added incentive to pay a little closer attention going forward.  The director said that he'd send me the "cut" (final version) when it gets done. I'll post it to the blog when that happens.

The story line sounded to me a lot like the Geico commercials where "you can save 15% or more by switching to Geico"...see, those are memorable.  This commercial is made up of several vignettes (short scenes). I think I overheard that it ultimately will be a 60 second commercial...my segment is 10 seconds, maybe...and probably 5 seconds of screen time...based on what he was saying last night.

For those that missed my earlier posts chronicling the process up until this point, this was the commercial that a few weeks back I submitted electronically my headshot/resume/acting reel, and they sent me an email wanting me to send in a video submission online. So, I set up a camera, shot a few takes, editing them down and sent off the best one. A week later, they emailed and said they wanted to do a personal interview, which ultimately was an audition. That's the one that I almost didn't go to in Sherman Oaks because I had my family in town, and we were heading to Anaheim (DISNEYLAND!). I went in before my call-time, and they squeezed me in a half hour later, I did the same reactions/expressions that I did in my video for three guys in a room...and mid-week the following week, I had a voicemail telling me that I had it. So, from start-to-finish, it was around three weeks from my submitting to shooting it.

 

It was a night shoot because the restaurant had to be shut down. It was a sports pub with a ton of pictures and trinkets on the walls, and a heavy dose of Chicago sports stuff too. So, that made me feel a little closer to home. It was located in Mission Viejo, CA, which was about 20-30 minutes south of Anaheim (Disneyland) if you take Interstate 5 south out of Los Angeles.  I got there over an hour early, which I've started doing while out here...let's see if I can keep that going when I get back home. I doubt it, but it is nice, there's no stress in the driving since you know you have time. You can relax a bit. Plan things out and things roll smoothly...thus far at least.

Ironically, I got there right at 10 P.M., and everything was closing. EVERYTHING. I couldn't believe it. Yes, it was a Monday night, but I have already become used to LA where everything is open really late, and most things never shut down. So, I ended up at Taco Bell. Not really a sacrifice, but Subway had sounded good to me. I killed an hour, and then went to the shoot.

 

I was welcomed warmly by the crew, and the casting director introduced me to my co-stars. Everyone was very polite and smiling.  We chatted throughout the night, and a handful of people asked about my history and I told them about my story concerning this summer, and their first reaction was "Your wife is awesome and so supportive!" I (of course) agreed with them, and then they asked if I had any luck. I told them I've electronically submitted a ton, and only heard back on 5-6 things, and I had two auditions, which I was fortunate enough to book both of them. They couldn't believe I got this commercial so quickly. Lucky, I guess. They said, "Really, two bookings so quick doesn't happen." So, that made me feel good.

Early on, everyone seemed to have a lot of energy. I had just driven 90 minutes, and sat at Taco Bell for 60 more, so I wasn't that bubbly. I kind of wondered if anyone had taken a nap, and/or how long those smiles and bubbly attitudes would last. Cut to the end, the actors kept it together very well, while the crew was getting a little punchy. I'm sure everyone has experienced "too tired to think straight" but these people still had to shoot an expensive national commercial on budget, and on time. So, it got a little heated a few times...let's just say "passive aggression" is huge out here. They'd say something and I could just feel the vibes.

 

The crew started setting things up at 11, getting the lights/rigs hung up, staging the set, etc. We didn't get the cameras rolling until 2 AM. Before then we had makeup, wardrobe (which they liked what I was wearing, so I just kept my red shirt on), and we had to do paperwork. 

The paperwork was a first for me. I knew I'd have to fill out tax papers (W4), but it was cool looking at how we were to be paid. I signed away my rights to the commercial being used for one-calendar year. If they want to re-up, or re-use it next year, they have to re-pay me my fee for shooting it PLUS a 25% increase.  So, if you see it a hundred times, I'm not making money on each viewing...a royalty, or commission, nothing like that. I've given away my rights for one year, and really forever with this commercial, because as long as they keep paying me...and increasing the rate...I'm cool with it.

So, it was finally time to shoot. They were in the finishing stages of setting up the lights, and altering them with the talent (that would be me, and my co-star) situated on the set. Once we were ready to go, they took light measurements to make sure things were good.  The funny thing was that I was sitting with my back against the glass, so you could see outside the restaurant from the cameras point of view. It's pitch dark outside, but they rigged up lights and reflectors/bounces to brighten up the patio outside the window. It looked like high noon. It was crazy how natural it looked when we watched the playback of the scene.

The camera was set up to get our reactions to the waitress coming up to take our order. The weird component of the commercial is that she is wearing an army helmet...which is an allusion to her just getting The General Insurance coverage...a lot like "switching to Geico can save you...blah blah blah."

So, we were all ready, everyone was quiet on set, and ACTION! We did the scene...and then we did it again, and again, and again.  We had about thirty takes in all. It was neat to see the evolution of just a few lines over the course of so many takes. A little different inflection here, a different gesture there, etc. The first takes were nice and solid, I thought at least, but obviously the director (and ultimately, the editor) want more to work with in post-production. I'm glad we did so many, because the ones at the end really stood out.  After getting the last take, they were ready to move on. It turns out that I was wrapped, but no one told me...probably no one thought about it...so I hung around for another hour or so.

 

 

While they broke down the set to reposition the camera to get the other actress in frame we had a chance to get something to eat. Ironically, they had some Subway and other little things to snack on. So, I sat for a bit and ate and talked to the other actors. Then I sat and read a book for a few minutes. About 30-45 minutes after we stopped shooting, they were ready to get going again. Everything was repositioned and relit, and then boom...knocked it out in 8-9 takes. That's a wrap! (Which of course I heard Admiral Ackbar in my head going "It's a TRAP!")

We were done, and the actors bolted out of there. We were told we were going to help load the trucks up if we hung around, so I took that as my cue and I left. I looked at my watch and it said 4:40 AM, so I made my way to I-5, got to the speed limit and hit the cruise control.  I wasn't necessarily wired like after a performance on stage, but I wasn't very sleepy. I hadn't pounded any caffeine since Taco Bell. However, when I hit the outskirts of Los Angeles, and with the sky starting to lighten up...the realization that everyone was waking up and I hadn't been to sleep yet hit me pretty hard, and I started getting pretty tired.  I made it back without incident (thankfully), and I crashed at my friends place around 6 AM.

As I drove back to Los Angeles, I realized that this could realistically be my last film experience out here this summer. As I've mentioned before, these things take a lot of time from electronically submitting and auditioning to shooting the actual spot. In both experiences for me, it's taken roughly 3 weeks. I'm not out here that much longer, so unless I find something online that is a "rush casting" for the next day, or in the next few days, I probably am done out here. I still get a 100+ emails of possible submissions daily that the subscription sites think I'll be good for...really, it's just that I'm aged in a certain range and I'm white. Based on those characteristics, if there's a posting that calls for my characteristics, I get an email shot to me.  I'm still submitting where I can, but as I think I mentioned in a previous post, a lot of the films/shows/etc. are shooting AFTER I return home, so I don't submit for those.

As the sun was coming up on my drive back...or at least the sky was getting lighter, I was reflecting on how my sun is setting out here...and probably pretty quickly too.