As "Everybody Loves Whales" ended a second week filming in Anchorage, a consensus began to emerge among the onlookers, extras and hired hands orbiting the $30 million movie production.
Drew Barrymore is smaller than you'd think.
But the flock of workers that follows the production as it moves from location to location across the city? The entourage of trailers and equipment carts? Bigger than expected.
"It's almost like an anthill," said Amy Anderson of Anchorage, who is working as a medic on the set. Only when the cameras roll does the commotion stop, she said. "The entire ant farm just freezes in time."
My daughter is one of the ants. She is working as a production assistant and is helping to build sets and move props from one location to another.
I wish I could tell you really cool stories about drama happening behind the scenes, and which actors were really cool and which ones were prima donnas, but my daughter signed a non-disclosure form so I am being kept in the dark just like everybody else. Well mostly.
However I can share the fact that my little girl is working her ass off and really raking in the dough, which is GREAT news because she stills owes me a rather large chunk of change for paying to have a new transmission installed in that RV of hers.
And I am going to need that money pretty soon for........oh yeah, we have to wait for that announcement.
By the way here is some footage from 1988 of the three trapped whales that inspired this film.
I sat behind Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman at US Open tennis match..
ReplyDeleteThey were MIDGETS... they were so small in person.
I thought today was announcement day?! ;-) I have an idea of what it might be and if I'm correct, I'll see you there!
ReplyDeletekudos to your daughter. She's working hard, but learning a lot and having fun.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to your daughter. Is this her first movie? Will her name be in the credits?
ReplyDeleteHey Gryphen, if you are gonna' be in DC for the Stewart rally- I'd love to meet up with you on the Mall.
ReplyDeleteI'm in Mpls and going to DC on a chartered bus out of Chicago. Will only be in DC from about noon till 5pm but would be happy to exchange numbers and find a place to meet.
Read your blog each day and it's always nice to meet someone like-minded. Guess DC will be a great experience in that regard !
bwilder
Oh boy, I wouldn't go here, if I were you, Gryphen. Shhhh, you'll wake the Kraken...
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot of rural village discontent about this film production and a ton of schmack-talk about those ladies tasked with casting.
These silly women completely lack either skill or professionalism. It's a high school popularity thing - their motivation on every film shoot that comes to Alaska is to get the production companies to hire their family and friends.
They make themselves look stupid and misrepresent Alaska talent. Over and over, film companies go away disappointed and find someone from the Lower 48. Too short-sighted to realize that they'd do themselves well if they promoted actual skilled trained motivated Alaska Natives looking for opportunity in the film industry.
No offense meant to your daughter, and I'm sure she deserves the job, but that's exactly what you'd expect.
There's a small contingent of contemporary Alaska Native actors who tried to find a way around the Olruns and "Cupik Warriors" to submit headshots/resumes through someone else and audition elsewhere. Willing to travel to Seattle and LA for auditions, but couldn't get past the Alaska gatekeepers.
Deborah Schildt could do it so much better if she'd quit with the sidekick thing.
It's just distasteful that these women feel that they own Alaska Native talent as exclusive property in the film industry.
Too bad.
Some how I expected there would be NO big announcement today......This has happened before...
ReplyDeleteIf your announcement is that you're going to DC...NO big deal..millions of other people are, too. My son and friends are headed there as well.
I'd rather have an announcement with a "gate" attached to it !!!!
I DO hope the Rally is a great success............God Bless President Obama !!!!!!