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Jeffrey Spolan's on the set... Working with Woody |
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Jeffrey Spolan's on the set... Working with Woody |
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"The Summer Project" You cannot make this stuff up. A well known fact in the film industry, but perhaps of some informative and/or amusement value to those who are "civilians" and not privy to such things is Mr. Woody Allen chooses to name his films when he is good damned ready... Indeed, the project may have a title, but like some Classical Deity: only HE knows and HE ain't telling or as they say in Spanish: "No preguntas. Solo Dios sabe y no esta hablando." Anyway: It all gets worked out in the end... This is all a part of his well honed mystique or technique, depending upon one's point of view - Over the years both groups have come behave in a manner just short of religious awe, when Mr. Allen makes his appearance on the set. It is not unfair to say: he earned it. It is equally fair to point out one is either a true believer or a skeptic when it comes to cult worship... Currently, Mr. Allen is working what has come to be known as his "Summer Project." And in the sweltering heat of a July morning in New York, over 125 people (including actors prepared to act like people) (and a few people disguised as actors) arrived at 7 A.M. for the purpose of behaving as if they were going to have a wonderful time, attired in formal evening wear and dark clothing... inside the Guggenheim Museum. Not without a sense of irony, I must point out, that the location chosen for the scene being filmed this day, at the rumored cost of $25,000 per day (discounted from $40,000!) was directly in front of the entrance to an area which was named in honor of Ronald Perleman, a major benefactor of the Guggenheim.
The humor of the situation {also classical} between the character's Mr. Grant and Ms Ullman were portraying was: that obviously, they were on a date obviously they were from different "classes" and obviously they didn't belong together. Not that either character wasn't struggling to have a good time... but that’s the point... I leave the reader to draw their own conclusions concerning the gestalt of the all this. A SHORT DISCOURSE ON PRETENDING TO BE REAL During the preliminary set up before the filming begins, it is customary for the actors who will be supplying the ambiance to be placed properly in a tasteful mass thereby enhancing the illusion to be captured by the camera. Unbeknownst to most, but being privy to such things, I will share a little known secret about this day’s event. Two couples were there as "extras" on the set, because they had paid for the privilege of appearing in a Woody Allen film. Actually, THIS film in particular. Normally speaking, and I use this term very loosely, this kind of work is admittedly not very glamorous. Yet strangely enough, these "civilians" were in attendance because they had children who went to a very nice school that was raising some money. I will venture no further as to explaining which school or who else’s children might or might not be enrolled therein. It is enough to say that they "bid" on the prize of being in a Woody Allen film... and won. And for the price paid, which I will not venture to guess at, they got to stand around for over eight hours along with everyone else and wait for something to happen. They were unamused after a few hours of such activity. The fact that they were being compensated at the typical non union rate of $75 for a day’s work was far below the newly-acquired- through-difficult-union-negotiations rate of $105, being forked over to their supposed "peers" in attendance. (A $3 raise over the old rate, I must also point out.) I cannot say what these couples might do with their paycheck, When the day was over, the highly paid "extra actors" would retire to their rent controlled or rent subsidized apartments via public transportation, while these folks had to fight traffic all the way back to whichever posh suburb they came from in their late model whatever. Another inequity! Nevertheless, good to his unspoken words, Mr. Allen placed the couples in question prominently in one scene, so as to be captured for eternity on film... and when the unnamed project hits the video market, I am guessing these couples will purchase a few copies so their grandchildren can have a record of Grandma and Grandpa acting like they were actors. Such is the lure of immortality and good intentions
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