Exciting news!

[South-east boy]

Well, at the beginning of February I saw some local ads where they wanted film extras for the new Les Miserables musical film. I enjoyed the film and have a cinema pass, so always go to the cinema a lot when I can. So I went along before the time they said to find a massive queue! It was freezing cold and I must have stood outside for nearly 3 hours with parts of me going numb (that was the day it started snowing!)! Anyway, I got seen and they took my details, measurements and photos. Reports said that around 3000 people turned up and a lot nearer the end of the queue were turned away as there was no way there would be time to see them! That was just the audition at Chatham! There were also auditions in Portsmouth, London, Winchester and somewhere else I think.

Recently I still hadn't heard anything so thought that was it! Then last Friday I received a text asking if I was available for a fitting next Tuesday or Wednesday and filming on Friday. I replied I was and they phone me. They said they would let me know on Monday. I still hadn't heard anything by late Monday afternoon, so I phoned them and they said they would let me know soon. I later received a text saying I wasn't needed and thought that was that. Then on Tuesday afternoon I received a phone-call asking if I was still available?!

So today I went to Chatham dockyard for the costume fitting and I'm going to be a Policeman! Filming will be tomorrow afternoon and evening.

Some of the cast are Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Siegfried (from Mama-mia musical film), Helena Bonham-Carter and Sasha Baron-Cohen! It's meant to be released in December.

More info about it here:
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct...ZaoRhIqeQd1CHQ

[imagine]

its a fair cop well done

[lastlid]

[grahamw48]

Hey... well done !

Could have given me and Dedworth a ring...we're naturals for Les Miserables.

[Terpe]

What a great experience eh

[South-east boy]

Hey... well done !

Could have given me and Dedworth a ring...we're naturals for Les Miserables.

Cheers guys! Will probably end up being cut out or barely seen! But at least it's an experience!

[raynaputi]

wow! good for you Tim!

[fred]

Good work!!
Bugger that for an interview scenario though!!

[stevie c]

[zaxy]

how much they paying you?

[South-east boy]

how much they paying you?

Not that much, especially by the time tax and national insurance is taken off but I would have done it for free because of the experience!

Anyway, I went to the costume fitting on Wednesday morning, then for the filming I had to be there at 5pm. I then got into my costume and they did the make-up-colour and wax in my hair + colour on my hands & nails and on my face so it looked a little dirtier and older! We then sat around for a while, then we all had out costumes checked and they took us in a mini-bus to the canteen area. Had something to eat, then stood around for a while, then sat in a table & seating area in a lorry, then stood outside for a while and then back to canteen are for a warm drink! After that we walked over to the mini-bus again where it took us nearer to the film set and we waited there for a bit. Finally came the time at 9.45pm!

I and the other policeman had to go to the dock-side edge, get our swords, truncheons and lanterns, then climb up and down a ladder, then carefully walk down these concrete steps which were covered in seaweed and mud closer to the waters edge! There were quite a lot of crew with various people controlling lights, sounds, cameras and I dont know what! A lot of them were standing in the boggy mud and getting half-stuck and nearly slipping! Then when they were nearly ready Hugh Jackman came down the steps (who is the main character Jean Valjean) and went and slipped right in front of us! So after being helped up he went down into the mud as he was meant to be hiding from us in a little tunnel underneath the steps!

For the 1st take, we walked up the edge of the steps holding our laterns out as if we were looking for him. They then decided that we wouldn't hold them out as if we were looking and wanted us to walk up quicker. Now this wasn't easy as as I just mentioned Hugh had already slipped over and we were wearing long thick coats, nearly to the ground, were wearing boots with no grips on the base and the sword in the belt was also nearly to the ground! On some of the takes we ended up treading on our long coats or the sword hit or stuck in the ground as we were climbing up the steps! It was also so cold that at times, my nose would hardly stop running (was probably worse than normal as I was just getting over a cold)! Anyway in the scenes, we are walking up the steps, then Hugh starts singing and slowly comes out from his hidey-hole and climbs up the steps behind us and then out of shot stands next to me at the top of the steps! Finally the scenes was finished after 11 or 12 takes!

Then we went over to the next set which we were not in, but were able to watch. We watched a young girl pratice the part were after Fantine dies, she is picked up and dropped into a cart, then has lime thrown over here. Once they had got things right, Anne Hathaway came out where she was the proper person to do that scene. Then they did a few close-ups.

The next myself and the other policeman were in + 2 other policemen who were higher ranking. Then this guy came over and said follow me guys, once we stopped I realised that it was Russell Crowe! He asked us our names, then shook our hands and said "I'm Russell"! He was playing Javert, the police inspector. He was leading, the two higher ranking policeman were either side of him, then myself and the other policmen were behind either side of them. We had to run along with our lanterns and truncheons our, then spread out at the bottom and Russell starts singing. Each take we did, we started further back from in a tunnel and it wasn't easy running with the sword knocking about, holding the lantern and truncheon, plus trying to keep the long coat flowing behind! Think that one took about 6 takes.

Finally we were finished, went back to get our costumes off, make-up off (or what we could get off) and had finished at 2.15am! I got home at 2.30am, then had to wash my hair to get the colour and wax out & was finally in bed at 3am! There was a lot of waiting around, and was very cold at times, but very interesting and great to see and be in the same scenes as Hugh Jackman & Russell Crowe! It's meant to be released in December so keep an eye out for me if you ever see it!

[Terpe]

Fascinating stuff SEB, very interesting.
Nice experience.

Sort of thing I would also do for nothing

[grahamw48]

Wow ! Fascinating !

I'll remember to look out for you.

[raynaputi]

Lucky you Tim! Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe & Anne Hathaway..all great actors and actress!

[RickyR]

That sounds great Tim, fantastic. Will definately watch it and look for you!

[Arthur Little]

Congratulations, Tim ... well done you!

[Arthur Little]

Once took part in a ITV commercial for the Clydesdale Bank. It was back in 1993 ... at which time, I was an amateur actor with Perth Drama Club. Although my onscreen appearance lasted no more than a few seconds - with even fewer words to speak - I received £80 for it.

Sadly, 'EQUITY' - the Actors' Union - vetoed the use of amateurs shortly afterwards.

[Dedworth]

Once took part in a ITV commercial for the Clydesdale Bank. It was back in 1993 ... at which time, I was an amateur actor with Perth Drama Club. Although my onscreen appearance lasted no more than a few seconds - with even fewer words to speak - I received £80 for it.

Sadly, 'EQUITY' - the Actors' Union - vetoed the use of amateurs shortly afterwards.

So that's two thespians we have on the Forum - are there any other luvvies around ?

Well done SEB sounds an interesting experience ! Not far from us is an old manor house often used for film locations.

[grahamw48]

I've been in loads of movies in Hong Kong...playing everything from police inspector to university lecturer to drunk yankee sailor to new york gangster to speed boat driver, and the list goes on.

A few in the Philippines too...mainly I seem to remember ... playing drunks...or is that just because I WAS drunk.

[andy222]

Well done mate. We are waiting for our premier tickets.