Viva Las Vegas Set Visit
This is an account of a set visit by TheWBAndrew, whoever the crap he was.
I am guessing he was some kind of correspondent or announcer on the WB
because this account was originally posted on the official WB site.
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INT. VEGAS CASINO - CRAPS TABLE Scene 24. Final shooting day of�Roswell�- "Viva Las Vegas." The script called for 130 extras, including 4 waitresses, 10 dealers, 8 "very pretty girls", 75 gamblers, and 10 "Asian" gamblers. Asian gamblers? With that, I jumped at the chance to make my network television debut as an extra on�Roswell.�Some may wonder what it's like to be "atmos" (short for atmosphere). The truth can now be told. The schedule began at 9am. Arriving in a tailored sportscoat and suitpants, I met with Costume Supervisor Debra Beebe. She advised that today's scene required I appear more hip and wild. Fair enough. While I normally cruise Vegas casinos with a style somewhere in between Jon Favreau�(Swingers)�and Chevy Chase�(Vegas Vacation),�I was flattered to be dressed in the latest fashions. With a Versace shirt in hand, I quickly transformed from TheWBAndrew to Asian Gambler #1. The 2nd A.D., Karen Reinhart, introduced me to the key people on set. The UPM (Unit Production Manager) Christopher Seitz kept an eye on his watch and made sure everything ran on schedule and within budget. Louis "Lou" Race is the 1st A.D. who keeps the show going, instructing the crew after Director Bruce Seth Green determines the plan of attack. As a newcomer, it's amazing to observe the precise teamwork and camaraderie of a highly professional film crew as they complete each shot, ensuring every detail is authentic and true to a Vegas casino. Since I didn't appear in the first set-up, I instead watched Shiri Appleby and Emilie DeRavin perform their scene. Each set-up gets filmed numerous times to cover all characters, allowing the director and producers many options later in the editing room. Most extras spend time reading or chatting when they're not required on set. A few others, including myself, used our downtime to observe the process. Not only is it a learning experience, but you can also truly appreciate the hard work required for each frame of every shot of every scene in any show. After Shiri and Emilie finished up, the Craps Table scene was put together. Enter Max Evans, Michael Guerin and Asian Gambler #1. Me. Asian Gambler #1 was also in the company of his girlfriend, Very Pretty Girl #1 (my new friend, Sydney). Lou, the 1st A.D., instructed us how to act during the scene. Jason Behr and Brendan Fehr were eager to learn the basic rules of shooting dice. By 2pm, after completing the master shots (where everyone appears on camera), we broke for lunch. Swordfish, chicken, assorted vegetables, rice, and chocolate cake flanked the menu. Then it was back to work. Without giving the story away (people who avoid spoilers should skip two paragraphs), Michael and Max are big winners thanks to their alien powers. The pit bosses get suspicious and absolute mayhem follows (read: big fight scene). The stunt coordination would make the WWF green with envy. Brendan experimented with variations on what appeared to be Jeet Kune Do before deciding on a classic head butt. Unfortunately, the Director overruled Brendan, recommending he strike the pit boss with a good old-fashioned right cross. Apparently, Jason and Brendan perform all their own stunts. During a break between set-ups, I met Ronald D. Moore, co-Executive Producer of�Roswell.�He told me about his upcoming Pilot based on Anne McCraffrey's�Dragonriders of PERN�(another story altogether). Admittedly, I found myself awestruck. Ron also wrote some of the best episodes of�Star Trek: TNG�and penned�Star Trek: Generations�uniting Kirk and Picard. Had I not been called back to set, I would have given him the "Wayne & Garth" treatment, shouting, "I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy!" After shooting different angles of the same scene, Sydney and I realized by 10pm that the life of "atmos" is hard work. Imagine standing in the same place for eight hours next to Jason, Brendan and Majandra; getting fed gourmet cuisine while gaining an understanding of how the Hollywood machine works... wait a minute. In all seriousness, the work is demanding on every level - from the writers, the actors, the crew (especially wardrobe, hair and make-up), the cooks... everybody. In Hollywood, time is money, and this crew works hard to capture the best shots on camera while keeping an eye on the schedule and dollars. Thanks to all the producers and staff of�Roswell�who made this experience possible. Don't forget to watch�Roswell - "Viva Las Vegas"�Monday, 9/8c - I'm the guy in the crazy black shirt standing next to Brendan at the craps table. Copyright 2001 The WB Television Network |
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