Catch me if you can

Catch Me If You Can

     When films are made in America, time, and money are very important. Especially if you are shooting in an expensive place, or a restrictive place, like downtown Los Angeles, during rush hour. This happened when we shot, “Face/Off.” I bet a lot of people were pissed, because the closed streets only added, to the traffic jam. As a result of all kinds of various circumstances, films are shot out of sequence. I have heard rumors about how some productions, shoot the ending first, just in case, one of the principle actors, dies. Sounds cruel, but it also sounds like something a Hollywood movie company, would do. 

     I do not remember which scene I worked on first, so I will start with the airport in Ontario, CA. At the time, it was a couple of hours, travel time, from my house, depending on traffic. I do not remember if we got a “pay bump,” for mileage, or not. It was not long after 911, so according to the rumor mill, shooting movies at LAX, was either really difficult, really expensive, or not allowed, at all. I was told this, by another extra, when I asked why somebody with Steven Spielberg’s money, and connections, would shoot a movie at Ontario airport, instead of LAX. Maybe it is true. Maybe shooting in Ontario causes less headaches. It was certainly less crowded than LAX, would have been.

     We spent most of the daylight hours, working outside the airport, which was dressed to look like Miami International Airport. We were shooting the scenes where Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, “Frank Abagnale Jr.,” attempts to leave the country, to avoid going to jail. Tom Hanks character,  FBI agent “Carl Hanratty,” is hot on his trail, and closing in fast. We never really find out if the FBI followed Franks fiancée, to the airport, or if she betrayed him, but he outwits everyone looking for him, by walking right through the airport, amid a bunch of very pretty girls, all dressed in “Pan-Am” uniforms. Everyone was so busy checking out, all the pretty girls, that they did not notice Frank. I played a passenger, both inside, and outside the airport. The wardrobe department let me wear, my own suit too! 

     I do not know if we shot all the airport scenes, that day, but I ended up with 16 hours, and my friend, Mario, who was booked as a baggage handler, got a half hour of, “Golden Time.” According to my best information, at the time, whenever a SAG extra works over 16 hours, in a single day, he or she qualifies for golden time. Golden time is equivalent to your base pay, for 8 hours, paid for every hour worked, over 16. So, if your base pay was 100 dollars, for 8 hours worked, and you reached 16 hours, on the same day, you would then get paid 100 dollars per hour. Nice money, if you can get it! I don’t know if Mario got the full rate, or not, for only a half hour, but I hope so. By the time I got home, and went to bed, I had been awake almost 24 hours, so for me, it was a very long day. 

     I also worked in Louisiana District Attorney, Roger Strong’s office. This part was played by Martin Sheen. When Mr. Sheen arrived on set, he went around, to everyone there, shook hands with them, and introduced himself. When he got to me, I said, “I have worked with you before, in the “War Room,” of the White House.” He put his finger against his mouth, and said, “SSSSHHHH! Nobody knows about that room.” I smiled, and shook his hand, and he said, “There are a few others here, who worked with us before, on “The West Wing. Thanks for all your hard work.” There are people in Hollywood, who understand that movie work is not easy. It is difficult, for everyone. Like everything else, if you want to produce something good, even now, hard work usually wins out over money. Sometimes people say “Thank you,” and we wonder if they are truly grateful, or just being polite. I like to think that Mr. Sheen is truly grateful. 

     When Martin Sheen arrived on set, I had already been placed. I was at my “One,” when we spoke. Leonardo DiCaprio, and Steven Spielberg were also there. Martin Sheen shook hands with everybody. Cast. Crew. Extras. EVERYBODY! Shooting will not start, until Mr. Sheen has met everyone he is working with, or near, today. Period. I love it! “So you are Steven Spielberg. You are Leonardo DiCaprio. So what! I am Martin motherfucking Sheen! I hacked Marlon Brando, to death, with a machete, b*****s! Now I know we aren’t going to have any problems, with me being sociable. Are we?! I have this thing that I do, whenever I work. I’m surprised you didn’t know about it. Whenever I arrive on set, I meet everyone. My extras know about it. That’s why they cheered so loudly, when I got here.” Sounds good, to me. Maybe Mr. Sheen is a Hollywood celebrity, who is also a nice guy. Mr. Sheen put everyone, on set,  at ease, with what he did. It was like, “I don’t know how you feel about all this, and it really does not matter. I am just glad to be working with you today. Outstanding!

     I did not speak with Steven Spielberg, or Leonardo DiCaprio, but Leo had worries, of his own. Remember the screaming girls, the night Ed Sullivan said, “Ladies and gentlemen, The Beatles!” We had a gang of screaming young girls, across the street, from the set, screaming for Leo, and they were loud enough, to be noticed. I think Leo was both flattered, and embarrassed, by them. The price of fame. Sometimes it was pretty funny. At one point, Martin Sheen said something about remembering the good old days, when the girls did that, for him. We all applauded, and someone yelled, “They still do!” A good time was had, by all. I did a few crosses, sat at a desk, and sat in a waiting room. The wardrobe department let me wear my own suit. Again.

     Finally I worked in downtown Los Angeles, at Union Station. They had dressed it to look like Miami Mutual Bank. Again I was wearing my same suit! So far, I had wore the same suit, at 3 different locations, in the same movie! This kind of thing, usually did not happen. There was only one logical explanation. I was invisible. Just like my job description. 

     I started out the day, standing in line. I was a customer, waiting my turn, to see a bank teller. Later, one of the production assistants, came to me, and said, “Sir, could you come with me please?” When somebody from production, says this to you, it is a toss up, as to whether it is going to be a good thing, or not. We were now going to shoot the scenes, where Frank Abagnale sweet talks a bank teller, for information on check cashing. I followed the production assistant, to a location, behind the teller windows, next to a camera, mounted on a crane. I was behind the camera, on the crane, and out of frame, to the other cameras. “OK, on action, I want you to count to 3. Then I need you to walk all the way down, to the wall, at the other side, behind the tellers, pick up a file, and return here with it.” He led me through the set, and we rehearsed my action. I noticed that the camera, at the other end was very close. Less than 10 feet away. I assured him, it was no problem. So, on “Action,” I counted to 3, and did as I had been instructed. When I got, “back to one,” the production assistant said, “Take this file back, and look for another. Pick one, and leave again.” I did as he said, but the scene still wasn’t over. So the P A said, “Take this file back, to where you got it. Return here, to this desk, sit down, and answer the phone. Talk to someone, on the other end, but make sure you pantomime.” We shot this scene, at various points, and camera angles, all day. Then I went home. 

     When the film was released, the only scenes, I am visible in, are at the bank. The high point, for me was when I answered the phone. It was an old style 1960’s office phone, with a row of buttons, at the bottom, indicating different phone lines. In the background, a phone is ringing, and it stops when I push one of the buttons, and pick up the receiver. It looked to me as if they matched the sound, to my action! There was no phone ringing, the day we filmed this, so it had to be done in post-production. I loved it! Do I sound selfish? Good! I have worked on 5 different Steven Spielberg movies, and for me, this one was the most fun. The money was nice too! Besides, it is a good movie. Who doesn’t love a good chase?