The day began at 4:30AM and two security checks, a wardrobe check, and a tram-ride later (I got lost on the Warner Bros. lot), I was on the set of ER. During the first part of the day I was a gown patient- which basically means I acted like I was dying in a hospital bed. I had a front row seat to the filming of a couple scenes with some new actors, but I also got to see a scene between characters Frank and Sam:
Later on, I changed wardrobe and played the role of a visitor. I was in a shot with Parminder Nagra and a re-occurring actor that I didn't recognize while they did a hallway scene. I also met Scott Grimes during some downtime:
Although I did not have the chance to see or meet John Stamos, aka Uncle Jesse, I look forward to that day. Hopefully I will not be wearing a hospital gown when I lock eyes with the man that topped the charts of mullet madness in 1988. Now that's something to put on your resume.
It was quite interesting to observe the whole scene of a TV set. A part of me felt like I was working with a bunch of junior highers; everyone seemed to want to show off, whether it was a main actor or an extra. Many of the extras were ridiculous in their boasting...no offense but I don't really care if you played played George Clooney's hand twin in 1995. I also found many of the conversations around me to be quite interesting to listen to. Throughout the course of the day I heard several people talk about their views on God, most of which spoke from a non-Christian perspective. I came to realize something quite obvious: this is the real world. The base of my community and context has been largely Christian for the last 6 years, both at SPU and at Fuller, so it was a reality check for me today...and it was somewhat refreshing to have that. Although most of my time today I was quite content reading my book (today it was The AIDS Crisis by Meredith Long and Debbie Dortzbach...good stuff), I know real engagement with real people will happen regularly as we sit around waiting for our scenes; I anticipate that with a mix of both excitement and fear. I'm excited because it will be an opportunity to learn from others and grow in my own understanding of how others see the world. However, I fear that I'll be like a child learning how to walk, messing up and struggling to figure out how to live as a Christian in the very dark world of entertainment. Really, my goal is to be a learner and listener in these types of situations more than anything else.From another perspective, the whole time I was on the set I felt this sense of emptiness. It's difficult to explain, but it was a heaviness I saw in others, this feeling of trying to prove yourself, not only as an actor, but as a person. Even while I was there, I felt that tug at me a bit, which is weird because I have no desire to do this long-term. I left my first day as an extra with a bit of a cloud over my head as I realized that this is really life for most of the people I worked with. Life is the entertainment business and whether or not that's something they wanted out of this industry, it has become the foundation of their worldview, which is manifested in the conversation, actions, and attitudes. I don't say these things with judgment in my tone, but somehow I'm just filled with sadness. I guess I somewhat expected to find these things as I went into my experiences, but lately I am finding that the things I've expected are often pushed aside by hopes of things being different than they actually are.
Before I expand my rant and psycho-analyze my experience anymore, I will sign off for now. Even with the strangeness of today, it was a fun experience.
If you're an ER fan, look for me in episodes 6 and 7 of this season. Stay tuned for more adventures.
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