Young Victoria: face in the crowd

Two years ago, I "worked" as an extra on The Young Victoria. New readers may like to read my journal of the whole experience by reading the archives here. The film came out in March, but I've only just managed to watch it on DVD. And, as I suspected, the whole day's filming culminated in about three seconds of actual footage at the 59-minute mark. Can I be seen, I hear you ask? Well... yes. But I'm totally unrecognizable and you'll need a magnifying glass to see me. In fact, I couldn't spot myself without studying a screengrab, but maybe the Blu-ray version's a little clear. So, it's a slightly disappointing end to my experience as a film extra, but it helped that I didn't have high hopes. If you're interested, below is a screengrab of the scene, with a handy red arrow pointing me out:

Click for a bigger version.

Interestingly, the ocean backdrop is entirely CGI because there was actually green rolling hills there. It's also eye-opening to speculate on how much that three seconds actually cost. Every extra got £75, just for starters. Then you factor in hiring the location (Belvoir Castle) for a week, the costumes, the equipment, the cast and crew wages, and it's got to be in the tens of thousands. Quite ridiculous, really!

Anyway, I guess that brings my Young Victoria adventure to a close after two years of following this film's progress. I'd still recommend being an extra if you get the chance, but be under no allusions that you're likely to be a smudge in a crowd scene or have your scene cut entirely. I didn't even make any of the extra features about locations and costumes, despite being filmed as part of the documentary at the time.

All Rise For Queen Victoria

So, The Young Victoria is finally released today! The bad news: it's up against the mighty Watchmen, and it's been released far too late for Oscar contention. The good news: reviews have been decent, although the general concensus is that it's solid but unremarkable. Still, great to see Emily Blunt being interviewed everywhere this week (particularly on Jonathan Ross, where she was funny, coy and sexy.) It's just nice to be reminded she's not as glacial as she can appear in some of her screen roles and in photos (see above.) Her sly beauty is a good fit for Queen Victoria, actually.

Again, for the benefit of any new readers, the reason I'm pushing Young Victoria is because I'm in it! Well, in the background. Possibly. In late-'07 I worked as an extra on the film, so if you're going to see the movie this weekend, please report back... is there a scene where six soldiers fire canons, with Victoria exiting a horsedawn coach, to talk to a Mayor (with Miranda Richardson) present, probably set on the Isle Of Wight? If so, I'm firing one of the canons! I don't think I'll be seeing the film anytime soon, but I'll hopefully be able to screengrab my scene from the DVD. Unless I've been cut.

TRAILER PARK: The Young Victoria

I'm not sure how long this has been available, but here's the trailer for The Young Victoria (the movie that I star in as, ahem, "Infantryman #6") Sadly, you can't see me anywhere, but I'll be the one firing a canon in a scene where Victoria (sly-eyed Emily Blunt) visits the Isle Of Wight. Unless it's been cut. In which case, best to wait for this on DVD and check out the "Deleted Scenes" extras, I'm sure you'll agree.

The Young Victoria is released on 6 March in the UK -- meaning it's up against Watchmen, and arrives far too late for Oscar contention. Oh dear. You can read all about my adventures as a film extra back in 2007 by clicking here.

Young Victoria: I am not amused

According to the IMDb, The Young Victoria* is now scheduled for release on 6 March 2009. Unless it changes, for the umpteenth time. I will keep IMDb bookmarked. At this rate, Old Victoria would be more apt…

* For the benefit of new readers; Young Victoria is the costume drama I'm starring in opposite the lovely Emily Blunt (above), who plays the eponymous British monarch in her youth.

Well, "starring opposite" is what I tell strangers at the bus stop or in newsagent queues. It's more impressive than the truth; that I'm standing behind Emily Blunt's left shoulder, next to a canon, dressed like Sharpe, for a few minutes in one scene. Most likely as part of an out-of-focus montage, too, knowing my luck. If you're interested, I kept a diary of my days as a film extra here.

The Young Victoria: Coming Soon

I noticed on IMDb that The Young Victoria has a UK release date of 29 August 2008 (but that seems to have been deleted now.) Oh well, it'll probably be around that time -- late-summer, early-autumn.

For any new readers to DMD, that's the film I'm in -- starring alongside the lovely Emily Blunt and the surprisingly diminutive Miranda Richardson! Well, okay, I'm not really "starring" in Young Victoria, but I am "appearing" in it as a background artiste. Okay, a lowly extra...

It seems like a very long time since I filmed up at Belvoir Castle. Far longer than the 6 months it's actually been. I'd almost forgotten about it! And anyway, you probably won't see me in it, knowing my luck. I'll be a deleted scene on the DVD.

A guy I spoke to on the set said he was in The Da Vinci Code and filmed scenes as a French detective standing 3 feet behind Tom Hanks. He was very excited. But the scenes were deleted from the theatrical cut. Even worse, he didn’t make it onto the DVD extras either. And because you can't take cameras onto sets, he only has the memories of the day and no "proof" for his family and friends. Shame.

But hopefully I'll make it onto the big screen. I'll either be in the distance firing a canon, or standing behind Victoria's horse-drawn coach on guard. Hopefully I won't be too much of an unfocused smudge! I did make sure I was in camera shot, by edging to my right very slowly. Sneaky, I know -- but I wasn't going to stand to attention for 4 hours OUT OF SHOT! Nuh-uh.

So that's an update on that experience. If you haven't read it already, I blogged about my extras experience here -- from initial phone call to the day of filming. Check it out.

Standing to attention for Young Victoria...

Standing up for long periods of time is not good for you. I learned this the hard way. Now outside again, I was positioned next to my canon, ready to lurk in the background as the next scene filmed. As I explained last time, a small tent had been erected over a low stage, next to a red carpet, where a crowd of Dickensian extras were gathered.

As I stared out at the Leicestershire countryside (later to be transformed into glistening water with the power of CGI), other extras were being talked through their parts. Five men, dressed as "undertakers" were on-stage, together with other gentry and the town's Mayor. Miranda Richardson, Emily Blunt and a few other "real actors" were on-stage with them, being positioned by assistants and having chats.

After standing for ages, the scene began filming in earnest once a coach and horses had pulled up beside the red carpet, to provide Queen Victoria with her exit. Then, filming began. Unfortunately, I was facing the other way, but could get sneaky glances between takes...

As with all the filming that morning, it's infuriatingly slow and tends to consist of people doing things silently as a "mime", then will full chatter, before redoing the whole thing because someone's elbow masked someone's face, an extra moved too quickly, or the angle just wasn't perfect on something.

It's easy to see why such care and precision goes into making films, however. I mean, they've rented Belvoir Castle, four horses, a coach, about fifty extras have turned up, numerous costumers and make-up people have been busy preparing for weeks... so you've only really got one day to make the most of it. You'll never have this group together again!

Anyway, time began to pass by and my back began to ache. Not to mention my cripplingly tight helmet was cutting into my forehead now, and some annoying braces were tugging at my shoulders. I have no idea how real soldiers ever cope with this, particularly in Victorian uniforms!

The other extras seemed to be having more fun -- although they were also standing for long periods, their costumes looked snug and comfortable. Miranda Richardson seemed nice, occasionally smiling and sharing a joke some of the extras on-stage, while Emily Blunt frequently stopped between takes to chat with the crowd extras -- particularly any little kids looking cute in their tiny waist-coats and waving flags on sticks.

Anyway, it was time for lunch. Everyone headed back inside, with the extras in the dingy cafeteria. I was just glad to be sitting down, waiting for my grub. The main cast and crew were being fed first, us lowly extras had to wait our turn. Unfortunately, after an hour, we were told we had to be out working in 30 minutes, so there was no time to eat properly! Various plates of "tuna, or sausage?" arrived on paper plates and we scoffed it down, a little annoyed. The Belvoir Castle head chef came in later to apologize, explaining it wasn't his decision to rush our lunch ... it was those pesky filmmakers. Grrrr.

Back outside. The crew were already filming a scene that didn't require any extras. Emily was sat inside a coach, being filmed through its window by a camera on a dolly-track. A few of us gathered around the monitor, watching it being shot. For the first time you could really imagine what the finished product might look our, via a TV screen. Interestingly, the coach never moved off in reality, but the camera slid along on its track -- making it look like it was. Once they add some sound-effects of horses hooves, it should look great.

Anyway, after that, it was time for more back background work. Fortunately, this scene required me to be standing the other way, actually facing the stage! It was a coach scene, where Victoria leaves the gathered crowd. It quickly became the most annoying thing to watch being filmed. Ever. It seemed simple enough: Victoria (Blunt) had to leave the stage, after thanking the townsfolk there, walk down the steps, walk along the red carpet... the crowd cheer, and she just gets into the coach, followed by Miranda and some others. Easy! What could be simpler?!

Three hours later...

Emily's still walking up that bloody red carpet and ducking into her coach! I mean, it seems like madness. I'm in Groundhog Day. It was was done perfectly hours ago, surely! Oh well. I'm standing quite close to the coach, but still not convinced I'm in shot -- so I begin to shuffle to my right, very slowly. Just enough to be able to see the camera. Hopefully I'm now in view for the moment Victoria leaves in the film...

It had begun to rain, producing a massive rainbow at one point, so things seem to be moving faster now. Finally, the coach scene is done and there's a sense of things coming to an end. By now it was about 3:30 pm. Someone starts singing Happy Birthday, and Emily Blunt joins in whilst fussing a little girl -- who's apparently just turned one today. Awww.

After that, the main actors leave for the day...

So now it's just the extras. My fellow artillerymen aren't needed, but we watch the final shots of the day being filmed. More movie magic -- the crowd scene isn't very big and impressive, so they ask the extras to mix themselves around into different positions, slowly edging back on themselves. In post-production, the computer whizzes will mix all these shots together, making it look like there was one, huge crowd -- when in fact it's the same 50 people jumbled up. Ooh, clever.

After that, the day is definitely over. We wander around Belvoir Castle to our waiting minibus, grabbing some Birthday Cake before heading back to the make-up/costume tents. Once there, everyone is relieved to be pulling off their uncomfortable uniforms and slipping back into 21st-Century gear. My shirt and trousers seem amazingly comfortable and baggy!

A few photos, taken by the costume crew, are bluetoothed around to our phones as a little memento... my sideburns are taken off by special solution... I have my payment chit signed by an Assistant Director... and I'm free to go!

It's 4 pm. It seems much later. Mind you, I've been up 12 hours. So there we go. A day in the life of a supporting artiste. It was a lot of waiting around and standing up for hours on end, but it's interesting to see how things are filmed; with everything fussed over, and such care and attention invested into the implest of things. I'm sure it will all look suitably glossy and swish in the finished movie.

But, to be honest, I have a sneaking suspicion this scene will last about a minute, at the most. Maybe even less than that! Or not even make the edit! It didn't seem particularly important to the film --but we'll see what happens. The production crew were preparing to leave for Lincoln Cathedral that evening, for the rest of the week's filming... and I found myself disappointed I wasn't needed, really.

Oh well. It was tiring, but fun while it lasted...

The Young Victoria is scheduled for release in 2008.

On Set at WHAT time?

Have you ever had to wake up at an ungodly hour? I think we all have at some stage. It just completely messes with your head.

On Monday night I had to go to bed at 8 pm, in order to get 8 hours sleep before getting up for my call to the set of Young Victoria. I eventually went to bed at 9, because I'm not a child and can deal with 7 hours sleep. Oh yes.

11:45 pm. Oh no. I'm still awake. My determination to get to sleep is having the opposite effect.

3:45 am. Ooh. Must have drifted off. Damn, don't need to get up till 4:15, so lie awake in bed cursing the day I ever agreed to be a bloody film extra.

4:15 am. I spring out of bed with all the enthusiasm of... well, a man in his 80s. Amazingly, once I have clothes on, have brushed my teeth and washed my hair, I feel a bit better. But one look out the window, at the total darkness, saps my soul a bit more. Yawn.

4:30 am. I have a half-bowl of cereal to keep me going, then leave for Belvoir Castle. It's an hour's drive away from where I live. I need to be there by 6 am, so I'm giving myself 30 minutes of "emergency time", like a puncture or a breakdown. I'm now on the road.

4:40 am. Shit. I'm not convinced I have enough petrol for a 2-hour round trip, so find a 24-hour garage. I always find myself strangely fascinated by the fact society keeps on ticking past midnight. All those poor sods doing graveyard shifts, they're unsung heroes.

5:36 am. Oookay. I'm at Woolsthorpe-on-Belvoir. That sounds like I'm in the right area. Now where's Belvoir Castle. Are there any signposts? Anywhere?! I drive down windy, dark, narrow country roads, seemingly in a circle, for about 10 minutes.

5:49 am. Hooray! Belvoir Castle. This way. Up the road, on the bottom of a hill, is a collection of buses, cars and tents. A bloke guides me in to a car park, then directs me across to a large tent next to a snack-food van.

5:53 am. Oh yes. I'm on time. It's still depressingly dark outside, but inside the tent is quite bright and warm. The tent is divided into three areas: snack area, hair/make-up and costume fitting. I'm the third extra there. In the snack area, I meet some of the other extras and gulp down some coffee.

6:20 am. Still dark! More extras have arrived and we all sit around, small-talking. It seems most people are here for the money (£80 a day), and not the experience. So I feel like the odd-one-out. The money will come in handy, but is nobody just a little excited to be on a film set? Hmm.

Time now gets hazy. A rule of being an extra is keep mobile phones and other such devices off set, so I have stashed my mobile phone away. It must have been coming up to 7 am. I'm slightly irritated that I had to get up at 4:30 when 5:30 would have been fine. Oh well.

It's not long before the snack area is quite full, and I'm part of the first batch to be "processed", for lack of a better word. So it's off to the costume section of the big tent. I get my artilleryman's outfit on, then stand around to be fussed over by costumers -- who fit me with a holster, chest belts, a shiny buckle, etc. There! Off to hair and make-up...

I like sideburns. I get a nice fake pair stuck to my face using "spirit glue". They look a bit naff, really. The make-up lady says they cost £200!! Ahh, but then the magic happens. Once they're attached, you can fluff them out, then blend them into my hair colour. Wow! I now have a month's sideburn growth in under 10 minutes.

Hair next. I'm wearing a helmet, but I don't think the make-up girl knows this, so I just let her get on with it. The Victorian fashion was for front combing, so she basically brushes my hair forward and curls it with tongues. Simple stuff, but suddenly I really do look like a soldier from the 1840s! Cool. Oh yes, and I did have a shave the night before, which makes me look totally different (if you'd seen me the day before, anyway.) It all helps my mind-set, as I now really do look the part!

Back to the snack area for an egg bun, that unceremoniously squirts down by trousers. Shiiit. I spent the next 10 minutes secretly ferrying to the tea urn, to wet some napkins and sponge the egg away. It works. Phew!

By now it must have been 8 am, or thereabouts. People are arriving back into the snack section looking like they've beamed in from a Dickens novel. It's amazing how authentic modern people look in the right costume and make-up. It shouldn't be a surprise, but it sort of is. Movie magic. Only one Victorian gent playing on a PSP gives the game away...

I'd say it was 8:30 when we were called to the set. Just my fellow artillerymen -- six of us in total. We marched out to a minibus, with an Assistant Director, two costumers and... er, two other members of the crew. The bus drove up from the foot of the hill, through winding roads and pretty gardens, slowly ascending, until Belvoir Castle came into view...

Belvoir Castle is nothing astounding, like Windsor Castle or Blenheim Palace, but it's a quaint, picturesque place. Basically, a big mansion in the style of a castle -- no moat or anything, sadly. But there are some peacocks strutting around, rather oddly. There are also lots of trucks, vans, cars and horse boxes parked around Belvoir, with people walk about carrying Victorian props, while others mill about, or chat on phones and walkie-talkies.

We were led into Belvoir Castle, looking appropriately dapper and commanding in our blue-white uniforms, only to sit down in an ancilliary room... to wait again. Yes, the "waiting game" is something you play all the time as a supporting artiste! After a 20 minute wait, we were moved to a dim cafeteria, where other extras were waiting (dressed like Dickens characters), only to wait for another 20 minutes.

A posh military expert called Alistair arrived, who informed us we'd be firing canon in one scene. Cool! He detailed the chronology surrounding this part of the film (which I can't remember now), and told us the outside of Belvoir Castle was actually doubling for a coastal town Victoria visited in her 20s! They'll CGI in the water, I hope.

Anyway, the call came to go outside for a rehearsal of the canon scene, so out we went. The day had only just begun, and by the end... back pain and sores would have killed the novelty value of sharing a screen with Emily Blunt and Miranda Richardson...

Taking the rough with the smooth...

I got a phone call today, confirming I need to get down to Belvoir Castle tomorrow morning for a day's filming as an extra on Young Victoria.

That's the good news!

Unfortunately, I need to be on-set for 6 am... and I live about an hour away... so I need to get up at about 4:30 am. I didn't even know there was a 4:30 am! So yes, I plan on going to bed tonight at 8 pm, 'cos I need my beauty sleep, dammit. Oh, and they definitely want me to shave. :-(

That's the bad news.

Consequently, there won't be any posts tomorrow and the latest reviews for Dirt and season 2 of Heroes will be delayed. But I hope to regale you with tales from the bottom-rung of film making as compensation -- although I can't go into details, as extra's sign confidentiality agreements.

Incidentally, the blog is going from strength-to-strength -- with upwards of 450 people now visiting DMD each day! Seriously, it's amazing (and humbling) to think so many people are reading -- so a big THANKS to all the new readers out there!

And yes, I now expect traffic to drop significantly because I've "jinxed it". Oh, and because I just told everyone there won't be any updates tomorrow.

Damn.

UPDATE: I got an e-mail today from Heroes Info, who pointed me in the direction of 7 Reasons To Watch Heroes Season 2, which should whet your appetite for tonight's US premiere. But a word or warning -- there are big spoilers inside for UK viewers, particularly BBC2 fans.

Hi-diddle-dee! An extra's life for me!

I got a phone call from Universal Extras saying I'd been successful in my application to become an extra for The Young Victoria. My costume-fitting was today at 3pm, so I drove up to the T.A Centre where it was being held...

Inside, an assortment of people were sat in plastic chairs waiting, huddled in groups having a chat, or wandering around dressed in 19th-Century coat n' tails or frilly dresses. And everywhere had that wardrobe-like smell of fabrics and staleness, too...

I was processed by a Nice Lady; who gave me a form to complete and a sheet of info about the film, before I joined a small group of people for a natter. Most of them were apparently "dragged in" off the streets to be here, making my e-mailed request last week seem very posh by comparison!

The form was straight-forward enough (name, NI number, phone number, address, etc) and I was amazed to discover we actually get paid £25 for just turning up! In retrospect, I suppose it shouldn't have come as a surprise, because everyone is giving up their Sunday afternoons, but I didn't expect it.

After about 10 minutes wait, I was led into the male changing room and outfitted by a Nice Bloke who was personable and chatty. My new identity was confirmed. I was to become an Infantryman, part of the Royal Artillery, so my costume looked identical to these men's:


After getting dressed up, I was passed on to Hair & Make-Up, where a Slightly Nutty Guy asked me if I'd shave my facial off. I agreed, God help me. Then he stuck some fake sideburns on me and... voila! I was now a 19th-Century soldier. The Nice Lady took my photo twice for their records, and I was free to go.

The specifics of what I'll be doing, where filming will take place, and when I'll be needed, won't be known until tomorrow. But... the grapevine that afternoon suggested Tuesday at Belvoir Castle (pronounced "Beaver" Castle, tee-hee!)

We'll see...

We'll be in touch...

Hooray! I have the required days off work next week, so I'm able to work as an extra on Young Victoria! I contacted Universal Extras last night and spoke to another nice lady to confirm things:

That's great. Are you also available for the costume-fitting, though? Yes, that's not a problem -- although Friday isn't ideal for me, to be honest...

We now have confirmation there's a fitting on Sunday. Is that more suitable? Yeah, that's much better, thanks.

Okay. It shouldn't take too long. Erm, what's your chest size? Oh. The other guy asked me that on Tuesday. I still have no idea, sorry.

What about your neck size? Sixteen and a half.*

Uh-huh. Is your hair longer or shorter than in your photo? It's about the same.**

Right, okay; we'll pass your details on to the production company. If you're successful, we'll give you a call back with further details. If you're unsuccessful, we'll just e-mail you. Okay, that's fine. Erm, do you happen to know where filming is actually taking place?

No, sorry, I don't. But it is in the Lincoln area. Okay. Thank you.


So now I play the waiting game...

For the first time in my life, I hope I have the look of someone from the 1800s. I can easily shave, if they want. My hair isn't spiked, dyed or otherwise "too modern", so that helps. I think I'd look the part in Victorian get-up.

Some more research on Young Victoria unearthed the fact it's being produced by Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas). That probably doesn't mean Joe Pesci will be making his costume drama debut, though. I don't think the idea is to bring Vic's life up-to-date by making it hip and "street" like Marie Antoinette... not with posh Julian Fellowes writing!

It also seems filming is definitely taking place in Lincoln Cathedral, renovated to look like Westminster Abbey for Da Vinci Code, as I speculated...


* Don't ask how I know that, but not my chest size.
** Are they obsessed with that question, or was she hitting on me?

Extra! Extra!

I had a nice surprise in my inbox today, from Universal Extras Ltd, asking if I'd like to be an extra in a movie being filmed in Lincoln! Of course, work-allowing, I'd love to! So, I e-mailed back physical details they wanted (age, height, inside leg, etc), together with a photo of myself, and received a phone call literally seconds later...

A nice man on the phone wanted to know more details:

Is your photo recent? Yes, about a month old.

Is your hair longer or shorter than in the photo? Erm, it's about the same.

Would you be willing to shave your goatee, seeing as it's a period film? Ooh. Uhh, okay then. Didn't they have goatee's in the 19th-Century? Hmm, okay, I'll do it for my art, luvvie.*

Are you able to attend a costume-fitting for 30 minutes, anytime between 21-24 September? Actually, I'm not sure. I need to check my availability with my boss at work tomorrow morning. I only replied to register my interest in principle, sorry.

What about the actual filming days next week? 25-28 September. Likewise.

Okay, well I'll leave you my phone number, so you can get back to me tomorrow -- once you've checked everything at work. Brilliant, that sounds good. Thank you.

My number is [BEEEEEP]. That's not a number, that's you going "beeeep".**


Anyway, that was something out of the blue, wasn't it?!

A bit of internet research on the project, Young Victoria, unearthed a cast list: The Devil Wears Prada's Emily Blunt as Young Queen Victoria, Keira Knightley's boyfriend Rupert Friend as Young Prince Albert, Miranda Richardson as the Duchess Of Kent, Jim Broadbent as King William, Syriana's Mark Strong as Sir John Conroy and Paul Bettany as Lord Melbourne.

The film's being directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and has been written by Academy Award-winner Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park).

I suspect they're filming in Lincoln because the Cathedral was renovated inside to look like Westminster Abbey for The Da Vinci Code. But the real Westminster Abbey is on their location list here, so maybe I'm wrong. Unless they're doing unscheduled pick-ups, or there are areas of Lincoln that perfectly suit the period, but they were initially unaware of.

Anyway, hopefully I'll get the time off work (fingers crossed), then proceed to do my best Ricky Gervais impression around the set, bluff my way to a speaking part, then impress Emily Blunt with my rapier wit and... well, perhaps I'm letting my imagination run away with me!


* I only thought that.
** And that didn't happen.