I'm going to be in a movie! (Update: follow-up scene trip report - post #35)

[1992casey]

Oh, one other funny thing. Inside the locker was an ID badge with my face on it and the name "Clay Tweel." My character has a name!

 

I actually Googled it later and found out that's a real person - he has worked with the director on some films.

Naming characters after writers, crew members, etc. is pretty common practice.

 

You'll have to make sure you're credited for playing Clay Tweel in the Internet Movie Database. If you're not listed in the film's actual credits, you'd simply mark the entry as "uncredited." If the scene ends up being cut, I believe there's still a way to enter the fact that you "appeared."

[kalle8]

can Clay Tweel play shortstop?

 

awesome story

[dlk9s]

I (I mean Clay Tweel) was a lefty shortstop in Little League. I was pretty solid, too.

[endaround]

See, really should have gone with Clay Tweel played SS at a juco but then tore up his ankle leading him to transfer to USC.

[dlk9s]

But then I'd be lying. Clay Tweel can pitch.

[Thurston Fluff]

Cool story. If nothing else comes of it you still have an all time great experience to share with family and friends later.

 

I did two days of filming as an extra last year and made about $150 before taxes.

 

You got paid. That makse you a pro. You can now big time local theater people and sell autographs for $15.95 each. Congrats.

[dlk9s]

Just got my paycheck. $8 an hour. Next step: $20 million per film.

[rluzinski]

Neat story. Gratz!

[pitchleague]

Very cool to read about, indeed.

 

By the way, every time I see the thread title in the list of topics, "Hey, A Movie!" from "The Great Muppet Caper instantly pops into my head.

[dlk9s]

Finally, finally got to film my follow-up scene this week. I was scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, but I didn't do anything until around 8:00pm Tuesday night.

 

It was pretty crazy for a guy like me who has never acted or anything. I was the very last extra there - even the actors had all left for the night. They had set up a fancy executive office set for me and pretty soon after walking in, there were about a dozen people in this tiny room getting things all set. I was decked out in my suit, sitting at the desk with a box in front of me. On "action," I opened the box to find the suit Jason Bateman's character stole from my locker and an apology letter. I opened the letter, pretended to read it, and then held up the suit slightly. That was it. For some takes, they had me walk to the desk with the box first.

 

There was a camera directly in front of me and one that came in on tracks to my left. That second camera zoomed in on the box's contents - I had to angle the letter and suit to give it a good view.

 

I almost panicked for a moment at the beginning because they were about to start rolling for rehearsal, but I had never gotten an instruction. Fortunately, I stopped them and they told me what to do. They still never told me if I should do anything with my face or whatever, so I tried have some sort of reaction look (it's really hard when you start thinking about what you're doing). At one point, I asked the director if I could mouth something (I didn't have any lines) because I figure that would be natural. He asked, "What did you have in mind?"

 

"How about, 'What the [fudge]?'" I said.

 

"Sure, go for it."

 

So I mouthed that for a few takes and then the director asked me if I had been doing it because he didn't hear anything. I told him I was just mouthing the words and he told me to actually say them.

 

omgomgomg...was I going to have a line in the movie? And an f-bomb at that?

 

Well, no. I did it once and he decided it wasn't a good idea. In hindsight, I don't think I did it that great and have since thought of a line that would've been better ("Ho-ly [something]"), but I have a feeling he just preferred it silent, as written. Maybe he nixed it because I sucked, who knows. He also told me a little bit later that I was making some sort of perplexed facial expression when looking at the suit and to just play it totally straight. It was tough to try to figure out how to act when I wasn't really, truly "acting."

 

According to the call sheet, this scene was "Epilogue #2," so it looks like it might be shown during the credits.

 

I got to keep my character's ID badge, but unfortunately, I did not get to keep my glasses (even though they're mine). They needed to hang on to those in case they need to do retakes and then there's some policy that because they bought me replacements (and new lenses in the ones I wore in the movie) and spent over $100, they are now "assets." Kind of sucks - I was hoping to get my glasses back, even though I like the new ones I bought.

 

All in all, a hell of a lot of fun. Hopefully my performance was a good one. I can't wait to see the film next year.

[Paul77]

I forgot to mention this a few weeks ago, but by pure chance, I was flipping through the channels one day and come credits were flashing on tv as I passed one channel to the next and the name "Clay Tweel" was listed. I quickly flipped back a channel, saw what was playing, went online and find that J. Clay Tweel is director, cinematographer, editor, jack of all trades type in the movie industry.

[dlk9s]

Yeah, I Googled the name last month and found out he was a real guy. He's married to one of the co-producers of the film. I hope I'm better looking than him so he's not insulted when he sees my mug next to his name!

[milwaukeesportsfan]

I just saw the preview for this movie. It looks like it has potential to be hilarious.

[LouisEly]

Of course, we need a .GIF of you opening the box and holding up that suit...

[pitchleague]

Resurrecting this old thread (sorry) because I finally saw the movie last night. I saw you're scene in the locker room. I did not see the epilogue scene. Perhaps, because this was a recording off a HBO Free Preview or something.

 

Anyway, nice job. The movie kind of stunk, though. I was expecting a lot more humor and I sat on the couch pretty emotionless the whole way through.