Lexington, KY - After a five-year absence, Hollywood returned to central Kentucky this fall. Thanks to a new tax credit recently passed by the general assembly, the Disney film "Secretariat" moved its production here from Louisiana in late September and early October.
Other movies filmed locally have paid tribute to real ("Seabiscuit") and fictional ("Dreamer") horses. But Secretariat was the gold standard, and it's only fitting that his story finally be brought to the big screen.
Once again, I applied to be an extra. A week went by, and I became convinced that I wouldn't be chosen. But then the phone rang. I had been selected to be one of about 25 mourners in a funeral scene. So for one amazing fall day, I got to hang out at the Pisgah Church cemetery and be a part of a little Hollywood magic. Here are some highlights of my day on the set of "Secretariat:"
A little dab'll do ya: The wardrobe department made sure the mourners were all dressed in funeral attire appropriate to 1969. The men wore dark suits and skinny ties, and the women were decked out in black dresses and broad-brimmed hats. But there was one more touch to make the guys truly authentic. Armed with a big tube of Brylcreem -
the classic hair goo from the '60s -
the makeup gal squirted a generous glob onto each head to give us that period plastered look.
Randall Wallace is a class act: At the beginning of the day, the extras were escorted into a meeting room in the church. The film's director, Randall Wallace (screenwriter/director for "The Man in the Iron Mask" and "We Were Soldiers" and Oscar-nominated screenwriter for "Braveheart"), introduced himself, prepared us for the scene and reiterated the rules regarding interacting with the stars (don't). On a movie set, extras are referred to as "background," which gives you an idea of where they rank on the food chain. We're basically the scenery -
the potted plants -
against which the real action takes place. So for the director to spend some time and chat with the extras -
and do it in a pleasant and respectful way -
was very gratifying. Wallace came across as a genuinely nice guy.
The stars come out: Our first setup was to gather in a circle around the gravesite for the funeral service. Assistant directors rearranged us repeatedly to get just the right combination while the crews set up their cameras and lights. Once everything and everybody was in place, you could feel the energy on the set ramp up. Suddenly the stand-ins quietly moved away and the actors took their places. We quickly discovered that almost every major actor in the film was in this scene-Diane Lane, Scott Glenn, Dylan Walsh ("Nip/Tuck," "The Stepfather"), Amanda Michalka ("Aly and AJ"), Dylan Baker ("Spider-Man 2 and 3," "Revolutionary Road"), Margo Martindale ("Million Dollar Baby"), Nelsan Ellis ("True Blood") and, towering over everyone, Fred Thompson (former Senator, presidential candidate and perennially recognizable actor-"Law and Order," "In the Line of Fire"), who plays legendary local horseman Bull Hancock. The only major stars missing were John Malkovich and James Cromwell, who apparently appears later in the film. It was a heady experience to be rubbing elbows with all of them.
Diane Lane is the real deal: She may have built her career on being an alluring romantic female lead, but Diane Lane is more than a pretty face. As Penny Chenery, Secretariat's owner, she takes center stage in this film. And based on the brief time I saw her at work, she is an accomplished actress. Without giving anything away, let's just say the scene required that she convey honest and heartfelt emotion. And she delivered. If it comes across just as effectively on screen, it should be a very moving scene in the picture.
Margo Martindale is a hoot: You may not recognize her name, but if you saw "Million Dollar Baby," you'd know her as the cold, heartless mother of Hilary Swank's character. In real life, she's a warm and funny lady, and it was a pleasure to stand next to her during the scene.
Let the rains come: Our second scene involved the mourners leaving the grave, walking slowly up the hill and getting into some beautiful vintage 1960s-era cars. The weather, which had cooperated up until that point, suddenly changed. Rain started to fall. Rather than halt the shoot and put the production behind schedule, Wallace made the decision to make the rain a part of the scene. So umbrellas were distributed, and we walked under them as we left the cemetery.
A long day's journey: The off-and-on rain, changing light conditions and other technical challenges made the afternoon go well into early evening. By the time the cry went out for the "martini" (the last shot of the day), darkness was approaching. When we were finally released, it was 8:30 p.m., making it a 12-hour day.
The scene we worked on all day may end up being two or three minutes on screen, if that. Welcome to the world of moviemaking. For some, that may sound like a day of drudgery. But for me, it's fascinating.
Despite the long hours, an extra has the luxury of watching the cast and crew do the real heavy lifting (literally, in some cases). You can't help but come away with a profound appreciation for the hard work and professionalism of the people who put movies together. It's arduous work to get even the simplest scene on screen.
Being an extra also changes how you watch movies. It opens your eyes to the whole scope of the screen. You're much more conscious of the entire frame and the army of nameless people like you who give the scene its depth and realism.
"Secretariat" is tentatively set to premiere in October 2010. How will it turn out? Only time will tell. But for all of us in central Kentucky, it will be a thrill to see the finished product -
and once again see our local community and local sport celebrated on screen.