Getting some more Leverage

Sunday afternoon saw me downtown in the Lloyd District, dressed in a suit complete with tie. I joined a group of about thirty others of similar attire. Aside from our clothes, we were a diverse crowd: men, women, young, old, tall, short. As random a subset of humanity as you are likely to see anywhere, but we were all of a common purpose: to be anonymous.

Ah, the mostly glamorless world of being an Extra. This would be my sixth time performing this little hobby. The fourth specifically for Leverage. This time we were a group for business professionals walking about the street.

The Leverage crew had taken over most of the Lloyd District with the exception of the mall. It was a like a 10 block section of town, just so we could cross streets unmolested. Most of the work was pretty tame compared to what I've had to do in the past.

It started with simply walking across a parking lot, as if we are just arriving for work. We cross the lot, back to beginning, cross again... Then they decided that we were a little fast forward. I had been walking from "my" car (with my Prop Cup-o-Coffee!). The reset had me most of the way to the building. What does that mean? That there is enough time to turn me around and send me back to the car in the same take. Like I got to the building and said WTF?! I'm at the wrong address!

I always try to have a little story to my part.

In the next scene I had to walk into the same building, but from a different direction, and I had a walk partner, Lynn. She, even in her fabulous high-heeled boots, was shorter than my son (sorry Lynn, I'll love you forever!), so I had to walk at "a measured pace". Nothing too fancy here, just walking toward one of the stars of the show (we're probably over her shoulder when you watch the episode).

Then we broke for lunch. Guess what? We are filming the last episode for the season. You know that means? A very fancy meal. They were serving lobster tail! But our handlers said "You guys won't get to eat that fancy food, just stick to the middle table and the salad bar." Just before heading over, they hammered in the point: "Fancy food: not for you." Then as soon as we get in line: "Oh, yeah, you can have fancy food."

But I don't eat giant sea bugs. It has claws. A lobster is a giant, underwater, scorpion with no stinger. It's anatomy is the same as most of the things we squash around our house, only much larger. It's like a caricature of a roach. I can't believe that anyone eats anything so low on the evolutionary chain.


Anyway... I had the filet mignon. So I was satisfied.


Later, the handlers were looking for the person with the shortest hair. Currently, I need a haircut, so didn't qualify. I was pretty much willing to shave my head, but I think they were kidding when they asked who would do so... maybe. Anyway, someone else got the job: here, put on this police uniform. Then he got to get in a police car, with a STUNT DRIVER. Color me: jealous. They did a small stunt of a screeching u-turn to chase down a getaway van. 


Next, we had another outdoor scene of people just walking about. But I got to cross the street! Why is that special? Because the stars of the show were standing on the island in the middle of the street. I walk touching distance from them in the shot. I'm bound to be super famous after this, I'm sure. 


For the final shot of the day, everyone stands in a line to enter a "theater" for a showing of Macbeth. Guess who's taking tickets? Your's truly, of course. 


In the end, I had grabbed way more than my fair share of Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Granola Bars from the "Crafty Cart", was more liked than the Korean dude (who was getting on everyone's nerves, including mine), and stood in line behind Timothy Hutton at the fancy food line at lunch. Victory all around.