my little fishface is a movie star!!!

After Smitty and Mary left, Laura and I were looking at possible movies to watch on TV.

I happened to mention that the movie I worked on was airing on Netflix...

and she and Tony have that premium channel...

so she pulled up "Pain Hustlers" and we watched it!!!

Remember me talking about that movie?

That was about two years ago - no, wait, I was on that shoot August 23rd and 24th of 2022, so more like 18 months ago.

Remember me saying that WJCL had its camera on me for almost two minutes?

I said, "they must think I'm famous!", and it sure felt that way.

(smile!) 

I've wanted to see the finished product ever since I found out it was available.

Sadly, I didn't know anyone who had Netflix, or so I thought.

I'm so glad Laura was open to watching it!!!

Tony even came in and joined us for most of it.

(smile!) 

I think that's because I kept pointing out my car!!!

In the opening scene, I was sure that was her, in that parking lot, even though I didn't recall ever driving her to that site.

However, when it came time for all the scenes in the motor court, that was game on!!!

I knew exactly where my fishface was for every scene there, from the ones near the film's beginning to those near the end.

Oh, yeah!!!

Like in the above shot, there's my Saturn, stage right, in the middle of two other cars but standing out because of the silver tape across her trunk.

This was supposed to be in a cooler part of the year, so that's why the lead actress - Emily Blunt!!! - was clad in a pullover with long sleeves.

It was all so exciting, even on those 13-hour days of filming!

(smile!)  

 

Every time I spotted my car, I'd shout, "there she is!", and Laura would pause and rewind so I could snap my camera!

This was the definitely the longest, continuous, scene that my little blue fishface had.

I like that she had a full body shot.

No other cars blocking the camera from her!

Isn't she just gorgeous, highlighted there on the right?

And isn't it interesting that Emily Blunt's character is standing there, just watching the tow truck as it hauls off her car?

Let me tell you, that's not how that scene went originally.

They made the change after shooting me.

Here's how it all happened.

During the major scenes with Emily or Chris Pine or some of the other well-known actors, they would shoot little clips for background with some of us there.

See where my car is?

I was to walk from one of the rooms there, straight across the motor court apron, as if I were going to the soda machine by the office.

As I was walking, the tow truck was to head toward the street, as it's doing in the above scenes, and I was to notice it and pause my walking, rather than cross in front of it.

That's what I did, too, as they shot the scene three or four times...

but I added a little bit extra for my character.

I kept my eyes on the tow truck as it neared me, as it passed me, and as it went into the street, then I continued toward the soda machine.

After all, I knew if I was living in that motor court, I'd be interested in anything different...

and having a tow truck hauling off a car would certainly not be an every day occurrence...

so, I'd be keeping my eyes on it the whole time, until it was gone...

then I'd return to my humdrum life.

Right?

If that scene had been kept, the photo here shows the profile of me that everyone would have been able to watch, with me in that faded plum top and my dark green skort.

It wasn't there, though.

However, my action in the scene was adopted, just not with my character.

I remember hearing the director, or someone, say "She's watching the truck."

They hadn't told me to do that... nor had they told me to stop doing it.

They must have realized that it would be a natural reaction.

In any case, they have Emily doing as I did: watching that tow truck until it was gone.

Very nice!!!

(smile!)

There was a scene that I thought I might be in, as we were watching the movie and I was scanning the entrances to the rooms there in the motor court.

Montana Maniscalco, the wrangler for the background actors, had me change into one of their tee-shirts, to dress me down.

Then, she staged me to stand in one of the doorways and talk as the woman outside the door watered the many plants on the stand. 

So, when I noticed that woman in the background on the movie, I had Laura back up and zoom in, to see if I was there, too.

I was not, but it was pretty cool to have that memory.

(smile!)  

What a Christmas gift this has been!!!

(smile!)