Independence Day

Independence Day

     My calling service contacted me, and said I was booked, on a film, called “Independence Day.” They said I could dress casual, and it was ok to wear blue jeans. When I arrived at set, I discovered that we were working in front of a blue screen. A fine example of missed communication between production, casting, and my calling service. I was wearing so much blue, that if they had filmed me, against the blue screen, you would have only seen my hands, feet, and head. A lot of people got the same message I did, so the wardrobe department was frantically trying to find clothes, for everyone, who was wearing blue. Luckily, for me, I had brought other clothing, so once again, I endeared myself, to the wardrobe department. 

     We were shooting, at the old, “Hughes Aircraft,” hangars, in west Los Angeles. We were all supposed to be stuck, in a traffic jam, inside the 3rd street tunnel, in downtown L.A. We had to abandon our cars, and run for our lives, from a large fireball, that was fast approaching us. The fireball was sent by alien, “Locusts,” from outer space, who had come to Earth, to kill everybody, and consume all of our natural resources. Production placed the blue screen, at one end of the hangar, and parked cars, facing outward, in rows, away from it. We had to run between, all the cars, to try and get away from the approaching fireball. We ran from one end of the hangar, to the other, all day. We came back, the next day, and repeated our performance. It did not matter. All the extras burned to death.

     Production built several different sets, in, or near these hangars. One resembled the White House, and another was supposed to be “Area 51.” I did not work on the Area 51 set, but I did work, at the White House. I was a protester, when Judd Hirsch, and Jeff Goldblum drive up, to warn the president of the United States, that the aliens are going to kill everybody. Of course we ignored them, and once again, all of the extras, burned to death.

     While I was working, at the White House, one of my friends, who was booked as a scientist, at Area 51, came and got me, at lunch. “C’mon man!” he said, “Now is our chance!” I had no idea, what he was up to. “Chance for what?” “Trust me. I guarantee you will like it.” He took me over to the Area 51 set. He, and I, climbed aboard the alien spacecraft, that production had built. 100% fake, but still pretty cool! We were not seen by anyone, we know of, because everyone was at lunch. Including set security. I think I worked 3 days, at that location.

     A few days later, I got called, to work on “Independence Day” again. This time I was at L.A. International airport, or LAX, as it is more commonly known. I was booked as a camera man, on a news crew. We were there to cover the story, of the government’s attempt to communicate, with the aliens. They had a very large helicopter, carrying a large bank, of lights. When the lights were flashed, at the aliens, they destroyed the helicopter, and burning debris, rained down on all the extras. Before we started shooting, we got a safety lecture, from a guy wearing a bright red jump suit, and a full coverage helmet. He told us how the rotor-wash, from this helicopter, was capable of generating a 150 mile per hour breeze. That is some breeze! Like an EF2 tornado, or maybe an EF3! We were told to pay attention, to the helicopter, at all times, and avoid getting to close. The first time, it lifted off, everything seemed to be going smoothly enough. When It landed again, the pilot dipped his tail, causing the rotor-wash, to come, right at us. We all beheld the safety guy, rolling down the tarmac, like a bright red tumbleweed. He should have listened to his own advice.

     My final day, on “Independence Day,” was in downtown L.A. I was on the roof of one of the skyscrapers. I think it was,” Cal-Plaza 2,” but I am not real sure. At night it has a green stripe around the top. Other extras occupied several of the skyscrapers, downtown, We got a pay bump, for being willing, to work, on the roofs, of these buildings. The first thing they did, after they got us up there, was give us an earthquake safety lecture. Yeah, right. I am 800 feet, in the air, and I am gonna be safe, if an earthquake strikes. They said to lie flat, on the roof, and stay away from the edges. No s**t? I never would have guessed that! We were there, to welcome the newly arrived aliens, hovering above us. They blew up the building, and we all burned to death. I got killed 4 times, in that movie. Cannot see me, at all.