More Movie Musings !

     When we last talked about movies I mentioned movie FOOD, I am not talking about the food served to us working on the film, but let me share about that a minute. I have complained about the lack of food and the length of time before meals were provided and I do not want to sound like a complainer so I must even the score, In most of the films I have worked in to date the Meals when provided are exceptional, some production companies bring their caterers with them from the West Coast, some use services available locally.[this is good for our economy and gives the production companies additional tax breaks]. The meals are attractive,well prepared, large quantities and gourmet selections. As can be expected in productions when their are several hundred extras [remember we are "props that eat"] cost is a factor even for big budget films, but Chicken leg quarters and hamburgers can and were prepared well and welcomed. Excellent meals are known to be one of the perks of the movie extra business, and they know we can't work well when hungry even if it is just standing still !
       PROP FOOD- Sometimes the food used in a film is real food used as a prop and some times "something" made to look like food. 
       Real Food- Sometimes you are allowed to consume the food [should you dare take a chance] but most often not. The reason for not consuming the prop food is continuity, you would not think that people would notice , more bites taken out of a sandwich from one scene to another, or the level of beverage in a glass, but there are whole websites designed by people who have nothing better to do than find little foibles in film. In one film yet to be released many of us are "Fair Goers" and are enjoying typical Fair food; Ears of Corn, Cotton Candy, Cold Drinks, Hot Dogs, Sausage on a Stick and something I had never seen before and wanted so to try-PORK CHOPS ON A STICK !!!
       In one of the first scenes shot on the first day ,at the "Fair", one of the lead actors in facing the camera and during the shot he takes a bite out of this beautiful piece of Pork, and, as is common in this business there were many "re-takes" and each time he was given a new chop and the old one thrown in the trash [I shed a tear each time]. His "wife" in the scene is drinking what appears to be a Frozen Lemonade and during the scene she takes sips through a straw and at each "cut", before the next take, her cup is refilled to the exact spot as when she started (there is a "prop" person at a table, off camera, with an Ice chest and Lemonade mix and a blender, making a new batch each time.)  The extras [in this case the props that don't eat] are walking around "pantomiming" the purchasing and consuming of soda, popcorn,cotton candy etc, which was neither eatable or desirable.When we "wrapped" [finished for the day] we threw our prop food in 55 Gal trash cans. { a few years ago when I lived in Arizona I raised  some pigs to whom we fed food scraps from various sources, for any readers who have pigs, find the nearest movie set and ask for their trash, it could be a great savings on your feed bill !}.
     A few days later, in another scene we were given cardboard carry trays, loaded with various types of 'Fair Food' once again, hot dogs, popcorn and drinks, But we caught a break, since the cups were Styrofoam and no one could detect the level of liquid inside, we could sip these beverages ! and eat some of the popcorn as long as the level did not go below the top of the box,COOL, [the popcorn had been popped hours before and the drink cups held NO ice.] When one leaves the set between scenes we place our 'props' on tables with numbered squares and are instructed to remember our numbers so that in the next scene, THE 'PROPS' THAT EAT CAN BE SEEN HOLDING THE SAME 'PROPS' THAT THEY CAN'T EAT !

Next time- it may look like a Duck, it may quack like a Duck, but it ain't always a Duck !