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The Inside Thank You from the Crew.
The Inside Fake Program.
The first picture is a promo picture from the Official X-Files Site. The next two pictures are snappies from the episode.
Me with Tex Cobb. He plays Zupanic the Titanic.
Me with Rob Van Damn. He plays Death Angel. He was very nice and chatted with my friends and me for a while. He even signed autographs for us.
It is such a thrill walking up to a security guard or a PA and saying, "Hi, I'm here to be an extra on X-Files." No matter how many times you get to say it, it's always awesome. Anyway, Friday was very, very long. We shot for 16 hours. Much of that time was spent cheering (silent and aloud) and dodging popcorn that kept flying through the air. Some guy three rows in front of me kept letting the popcorn fly every time he cheered. The rest of us groaned when the Props Manager handed him several bags of popcorn and said, "Keep it up!" We couldn't believe he was encouraging this mess. By the end of the evening, the popcorn was so thick on the ground it was ridiculous. When the crowd breaks into fighting, we were slipping around as if we were fighting on an ice rink. They finally put some kitty litter down which helped a little.
The fighting was fun. The PA's kept saying "Safety is no accident" and we all had a great time pantomiming our fights. Apparently not everyone heard the motto because somebody broke a finger.
We shot the fighting several times from different angles so we had plenty of time to perfect our moves. After one take, one of the Assistant Directors told me there's a great shot of me punching an old lady in the stomach. A fan who was also in attendance said she actually saw the shot on the monitors so hopefully I'll end up on camera again!
Friday was pretty relaxed because David and Gillian weren't there. Their stand-ins (Steve and Michelle) were there though and it was hysterical listening to people debating whether or not they were David and Gillian or their doubles. Kathy Griffith was also there, as were Tex Cobb, Rob Van Damn and two female wrestlers I didn't know. Tex was taking pictures with crew members so I took the opportunity to get one myself.
I was impressed with the female wrestlers. At one point, filming took place in the stands against the wall and the wrestlers were simply background. Yet they still wrestled and body slammed for each take. Here's the scene that took place in the stands:
Titanic was watching the meet when his manager (?) approached him and said:
"You said you'd get my money."
"It'll be here."
"Titanic, I will call off this fight! I will have the crowd cursing your name"
At this point, Kathy runs up to the two of them with a shopping bag of money and says:
"Burt, I got it!"
She hands Titanic the bag who holds it open, looks inside and laughs maniacally. The manager smiles and yells, "Let's get ready to rumble!"
During this scene, Kathy stood on a box like Gillian does to make herself taller.
Monday April 10, 2000
The first scene we shot was David walking down from the crowd and approaching Kathy Griffith. Two of my friends and I had prime seats. We were sitting in the front row on the aisle that David walked past. We had one practice rehearsal, pantomiming our cheers then we were ready to shoot with David. David looked right at my friend and me and laughed while we rehearsed. She is convinced he knows who we are because we've been on set so often and have this staring contest with him every time. I personally hope he doesn't remember us because we've had so many interesting encounters with him. Who knows!
Anyway, as David walked to his starting position, he walked right past us so I took the opportunity to say, "Hey David, your new movie is really funny." Several people in the crowd agreed with me and he looked at me and said, "Oh thanks!" He then commented about the level of enthusiasm we had and then said, "Just wait till ten hours from now. You won't love it as much." I informed him, "We were here for sixteen hours on Friday." He looked surprised and said, "Really, and you're back? The same people?"
Resetting for the next take, David had to walk right past us again. This time he stopped to read the sign my friend had been given to hold. It read "Death Angel is a Saint." He looked directly at us again and smiled. He then continued walking to position and said, "Would someone please tell me what the script is about!?" I answered with, "Anytime, David!"
In-between takes, David showed his comical side. When told by the director to start back by the stairs, David asked, "You want me to come up?" The director answered, "Ya." David then turned to walk down the stairs leading out and said, "Okay see ya later."
While resetting for the next take, a friend of mine who was down on the floor came up and told us that he could see us on the monitors when David walks past us. Yeah! Maybe I'll be on camera twice for this episode. Who cares that I'm in different spots, this episode is about doppelgangers right!? ;-)
In the next scene, Kathy Griffith approaches her doppelganger and this conversation ensues:
"What are you doing here?"
"He's mine!"
"Over my dead body!"
David then picked up Kathy's body double and carried her away over his shoulder. What would you give to have been her right then!?
After they had that scene, they shot it again this time with Kathy and her body double switching places. I thought it was interesting that the script supervisor said the lines instead of the body double. Anyway, this time David picked up Kathy and carried her away. During rehearsals Kathy yelled at her twin, "I'm gonna kick your ass, bitch!" For the actual take, she yelled, "I'm gonna kick your butt from here till Tuesday!" and variations on that line. At the edge of the ring she grabbed the corner pole, changed her tone to speak to her boyfriend Titanic who was wrestling and said, "Hey, baby! You look good."
Notable moments throughout the day:
- DD was in a suit but his shirt was untucked.
- Being silly, instead of putting Kathy down after a take, he held her like a football and ran back to
position with her under his arm.
- Tex kept trying to talk to DD from the ring but DD never heard him.
- During a break, David and Tex chatted and laughed.
- Tex kissed David's hand (!?)
Throughout the day we got to fight several times. We were of course stage fighting so we never got hurt. However, just before Gillian showed up, my good friend jammed her finger through my eye. The irony here is that we were not fighting at the time. She tripped and my eye broke her fall. If that wasn't painful enough, half of my contact came out. While I was trying to find the other half of my contact swimming around in my eye, Gillian showed up. The roar was enormous. At this point, I didn't care if I couldn't find my contact and I was half-blind, I wanted to see Gillian.
The AD asked the crowd if we liked Gillian's episode the night before and the crowd went wild.
She only filmed one scene but it was entertaining. After one shot, the Assistant Director said, "Gillian you're off your mark." With such a large crowd, the AD was using a mike and often it was hard to tell where he was. Gillian agreed because she responded to him by looking around and saying, "Who are you!?"
Then it was time to shoot the scene. I must say Gillian was very brave because she stood in the section where all the free people were sitting and while she was there, the crowd breaks into fighting. It looked pretty out of control and after reading several other peoples accounts of their day; it apparently was out of control. I've read that people were sore and bruised. Stage fight people!!
Here's the scene: Gillian walks down the stands with Titanic's doppelganger in chains and a bodyguard. The doppelgangers see each other; the one with GA breaks free of his chains, hits the bodyguard and runs to the wrestling ring. The crowd breaks into fighting while GA and DD stand and look at each other.
Once during filming, Gillian apparently couldn't get through the fighting crowd because the director said, "Action Gillian" three times. Every time after that he said, "Action Gillian" very loudly. :-)
All too soon Gillian was done and ready to leave. She took the mike from Bear (the AD) and addressed the crowd. She said she had to leave but before she did she signed autographs for a bunch of people. Instead of pushing through the mob scene, I waited for Gillian out by her trailer. She changed into a little white shirt, black capri pants and tan sandals. She looked very cute. As she walked to her car there were about five fans waiting for her. Someone said, "Awesome episode last night." She turned from walking to her car to come over to where we were and said, "Did you like that?" She seemed very pleased and willingly signed autographs for everyone waiting. When she came to me, I asked to get a picture with her. She said, "I don't do pictures anymore. They always end up on the net." I told her this one wouldn't but she said no. I can't say that I blame her. I've seen people on location shoots snapping pictures like mad. Knowing how Gillian feels about the paparazzi and merely out of respect for privacy, I've never taken any pictures of celebrities without their permission. Of course, I'm still kicking myself thinking about the numerous chances I've had to get a picture with her but didn't ask.
Anyway, I went back inside to finish filming and after one more scene we were done. I stopped to get an autograph and a picture with Rob Van Damn then headed home. Driving with only one contact was rather terrifying but I made it home safely. An hour and a half later, I found the other half of my contact still in my eye. Those of you with contacts understand the agony of losing a contact in your eye. All is well though, my eye is healed and I can see again. Although, I'm seriously considering getting one of those laser eye surgeries.
Hope you enjoyed the summary and pictures. Let me know if you have any questions I could answer.
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