Extra Extra! Read all about it!

You would normally hear the phrases "Extra! Extra! Read all about it!" in the US or Britain, when the main transportation means is through a horse-drawn carriage and when bowler hats were in fashion, announcing the headlines of the news paper so that passersby will purchase a copy. Well nowadays, it's rarely used. You can get your daily dose of news via the internet via your computer/ tablet/ smartphone


Well this is post is not about newspapers. This is about another type of extras. I'm referring to those who appear in TV along side celebrities who most of the time are just walking by in the background. I became one for Belo Essentials "DIVAS" 30s TVC. And I had a BLAST! Check it out on youtube!


It started call from a friend who was working in Belo asking if I was available to extra. Good thing I had suspension from my tardiness from work so I said yes. The thing was, I was under the weather suffering from colds and asthma. Considering the call and opportunity, I decided to grab it (it's not everyday you get a call for a shooting, right?). As I have mentioned in previous post, I have always wanted to be a travel talk show host right? That dream is still alive but I have come to terms that it might just be a dream. So this kind of opportunity should not be shrugged off. 


So on the shooting day, we arrived a bit early at the location. The theater was being set-up: there were lights, smoke machines, mirrors, cameras, props with the director checking every aspect directing minute changes on every thing on the set. I had to stop right there and took a deep breath. This was one of the careers that I was considering to take: showbusiness. HAHAHAHAHA! (i wanted to be an artist/actor when i was in preschool, swear to God!). Bottom line, I wanted to be either on camera or off camera at one point in my life.


We had breakfast first as rest of the my friend's office mates started arriving with their other friends who will be extras for the shoot. It was nice to meet new people and like me, are in our mid 20s and rocking it in their own professional careers. After breakfast, I checked the story board to know what scenes will be taken and found that the two endorsers for the day will be none other than Sarah G and Toni G, two of the brightest young stars of our generation. I am not a big celebrity fanatic but I idolize Toni Gonzaga for being her impeccable hosting! It must be the tone of her voice plus her witty adlibs that makes her a perfect host. Add her superb acting skills, then you have a force to be reckoned with! Sarah G on the other hand has her all powerful voice and sweet charms that got almost everyone captivated by her. I said to myself, it'll be a treat indeed.


The extras were grouped in two: one who will be production people for Toni's shots, the other for Sarah's. I was with Toni's group who were to shoot first. The production director had to give us specific tasks for the shot. I was to pull this rack of clothes after Toni walked passed with the thought of being happy since the concert was over and it was time for pack-up. Fairly easy right? Yes it was but the challenge was repeating it again and again to get that "money shot" as they say. We had a fair number of takes and most of them were good but it's not up to us to decide but the agency as well as the client have the final say if that was the shot. The production director was always saying that we all should have high energy and animatedly talk and interact with each other. We gave him that but doing it repetitively would left us a bit drained. Toni was of course gorgeous. The cuts were mainly because of us the extras and not her. She was really good.


The next part of the shoot was Toni again. This time she was sitting on a chair and speaking lines. What we had to do was just pass quietly (and i mean shush, not a sound or word) in the background. This shoot was more meticulous since there are lines to be delivered. We had to do several takes for this too and it was a good thing that one of my friend belonged to the same group so I chatted with him every time they did a playback. Although there was one instance when I was prancing in the background...


Me: <prancing in the background>
Me: urgh (quietly) <hitting the knob>
<slow motion>
Me: (mouth open as i saw the knob falling down)
<tok>
<tog>
Prod Director: Anyare dyan?(What happened there?) Quiet on the set.


I wanted to poof out of the theater but since I'm mortal, I just smiled and carried on. The director did not say "cut" and we don't stop moving until they say "cut" (snaps with head moving side to side).


We had lunch after that scene. The stage needs to be rearranged for another scene. I honestly thought that being and extra was a means to get paid with minimum effort but I guess i was wrong. It has it's own difficulties primarily because of the repetition that you had to do. Lunch with everyone was really nice mainly because everyone was nice. The fact that we were all of the same age group was a big plus too of us getting along well. 


The next scene will show both Toni and Sarah waving to the crowd behind them, turn around and walks towards the camera as the curtains closes behind them. We were in the background cheering them on as fans with flashing cameras. We were given instructions already on what to do but had to wait for the talents who were taking their lunches so we had a few minutes to kill time. We took pictures here and there and ended up chatting a lot with each other. And it honestly felt like I was talking to friends whom I have known for a long time. 


It was time to take again. With both endorsers on the stage, dressed in gorgeous gowns, I was like "OMG, they look breath taking" with a conyo accent with matching imaginary braces (imagine what it would sound like. i'll try to demo it if you get to meet me). The scene was we are their audience who are cheering them on as the show ended. I can work that. We were cheering and jumping to our feet to the tune of Nicki Minaj's Starships. The scene was easy but our throats were a bit dry after since we were cheering for a more realistic feel on the part of the endorsers. We finished it just in time for another break as the theater is prepared for Sarah's shoot.

More pictures were taken, facebook accounts were opened to add new friends plus there was a need for a seriously good iced coffee from a certain kuya who prepares them. I was having a good time but I had to check on emails so I missed mirienda(snacks). By the time I was through and was able to catch up with the group, they were already on stage with Sarah G and doing their blockings. I figured, I was done for the day but wanted to stay still to finish everything. It was really nice to see the other group work and it was basically the same movements walking in the background but with a different set up. I was carefully observing how everyone was moving from the camera’s angle and saw that this type of profession really requires not just an eye for detail but more of eyes, ears, nose and touch of detail. Basically, all of your senses must work on getting everything right. A tall order in deed but I believe that experience will help you a lot on this.

There was another shoot with Sarah. This was a beauty shot so there were no extras required. We were all hanging out in the theater, looking at the shoot, checking our facebooks (but we are not allowed to say that we were in a shooting). We got a go signal to go the dressing rooms of Sarah and Tony for a photo op. This was it, an up close and personal look on both these showbiz stars. They were really nice and accommodating for pictures even though they were both tired and still had to shoot. After that it was homeward bound for everyone.

Here were some of the pictures taken all throughout the shoot:

This was a definitely FUN experience for me. But I guess the best thing that I got out of it was making NFFs (new found friends) plus a some Belo Essential products that they gave me which I am now using today. It made my hands soft as per my mother. Her exact words were “parang ang lambot na ng kamay mo..kaka-Belo mo yan no? (your hands seems softer. From using Belo products?)”. In my head I answered, “Only Belo touches my skin. Who touches yours?”

10 Years From Now

10 years from Now

I have this set of friends whom I have known for more or less 7 years now. Yes, 7 years. I honestly just discovered it while I was making this entry. And I am just happy to say that we are, in the strong essence of the word, intact. We still have those get together dinner, movie nights, videoke sessions, coffee’ til the break of dawn, tennis games, road trip, overnight swimming and other forms of tambayan modes common to those of barkadas.

We were 16 all in all, composed of two sets of student leaders who  served the College of Business Administration of De La Salle University – Dasmariñas from 2005 to 2007. Right now, we are all working stiffs busy with our respective professional careers. Some have colourful lovelives, but majority are still single.

The first 8 was officially gathered inside a jeep in 7-11 in front of the main gate of DLSU-D around December 2004 bound for Naic, Cavite to undergo through leadership training and group deliberations under our political party. Afterwards, campaign started. We won as we had had no contenders and was followed by one entire year of student service: implementing projects (events, seminars, structures, and the likes) for the betterment of the College Business Administration students under one thrust: Service Oriented Leadership Initiating Development a.k.a. as SOLID (positive double meaning right?). Add one crucial person as our adviser to complete the mix total 9. We had our trials and triumphs during that year together. After the term ended, two graduated while the remaining six to finish their respective degrees. From the six, two rose to the University student council plus 1 from CBA. One has to focus on academics. The remaining 3 got re-elected after being joined by 5 new faces plus the same advisor totalling 9 again. Serving with a new thrust: Fuelled by Passion, Driven by Excellence, Gearing towards Quality Student Service(no acronyms but it says it all)   Now based on that statements, we have 15 (yes, that is the correct answer! Read again if you did not arrive at the same number). Although two have graduated and three are in the USC, there was still some form of connections that linked us still to each other. The 16^th one from the roster of those supposed to be seated for SY 2007-2008 but due technicalities, was not proclaimed (if you were not able to follow, just email me so I can explain, OK?).

As with all students, there came a point where we all graduated and started work on our respective professional careers. After graduation, communications got blurry. I would know as I was most of the time, the event organizer of the group as was most probably never been absent in a get together. Two  went abroad: one for good and one who goes home twice a year but is in constant communication. One focused on family life. One had and still have issues. One busy with MBA. Two have busy schedules. So basically, the attendance is just about 50% of the original number more or less. They have valid reasons though but as the organizer, it’s somehow  frustrating to not get the entire 16 person set in one place at one time. We’ll I tried but maybe there are just people do come into your life then drift away after leaving an impact. That’s the way it is so goes Celine Dion’s song. Maybe it just is.

And yet again, one is leaving for abroad soon. As in soon. Alas, that’s the way it is. But I believe that the remaining 50% have established bonds that can’t be severed by distance. I strongly believe that.

During the part 2 despedida and birthday bash overnight swimming and videoke party, there was this moment where I just looked around and saw everybody happy and enjoying each other’s company. It would be best described as a panoramic sweeping picture depicting each of our faces either with a smile or a wide open mouth of a big laugh as we sit around in a circle by the munching on delish home-made brownies, left over liempo and a bag of cornik opened last month while playing People Connect (I just named it that). And, I couldn’t help but wonder, will we still be like this 10 years from now?

By that time, we’d be ranging from 34 to 37 years old. There is a big possibility that we’d look the same with minor variations like bigger tummy or bigger muscles, false teeth maybe, more gray hair otherwise hidden under color, some piercings or tattoos.  The remaining group of eight might grow to around 20 factoring in partners and children plus yayas (yes, there might be yayas). The venue might not be the same resort but on a private island or a hotel which one of us owns. There will be this big screen with  webcam where people from abroad or those who can’t be present can check in on the happenings and just be “there” although virtually. Food will most probably be the same comfort food that we are familiar with. Children would need to be in bed before the alcohol is brought out. The discussions would most probably by about business, politics, travels and so on and so forth. There would be most probably a lights out time to get some shut eye. After the over night, we would drive to our homes. No more walking out the streets and waiting for tricycles. The might not even be the text advise or BBM that would read “ just got home. Thanks for the time and see you soon..”. This practice is slowly fading away...

I had to stop my dream sequence right there and bring myself back to that moment where everybody was laughing and enjoying and said to myself, “Enough with dreaming of things that may or may not happen ‘cause you might miss precious moments of the now.”