Camera-Lights-Action!

Well, I didn't sleep all too well but knew I'd still be okay this morning for my "movie role" in Pool Hall Master as the three alarms I had set starting going off roughly about 8am. As I curled the ends of my hair, I decided to wear it down. I put on foundation (hadn't worn that in over a year and almost forgot how to use the darn Bare Minerals brush, lol). I put on the outfit I had decided to wear from my "try outs" on Thursday night and away I went - still out the door ten minutes later than I wanted to.

I head down 410, get behind some construction trucks and then see a sign too late that says "freeway closed ahead." So, I'm REALLY cutting my time short to get their by 9am. I zoom up Nacogdoches Rd (luckily I'm from San Antonio and so I know the city well) and I take a short cut to the pool room. I get there right at 9am and only the "waitress" is there. Turns out I think she really is a waitress. She was reading a Playboy magazine in her car while I listened to the radio in mine while we waited. The Director/Producer, Joe Santos, calls and says he's on his way. Sylver Ochoa, "Michael," shows up at the same time Joe does and the camera man is there. Breakfast tacos are bought, and the scene is set up with cameras and lights. Sylver, 2007 Texas Open Champion, and the main character in the movie, sits with me at a table and we shoot the fat about all sorts of things while we wait. Eventually he sees a vending machine and grabs some CornNuts (Chili Picante flavor) and I slyly say, "good thing we don't have a kissing scene." lol! Although I've known Sylver for ever it seems, we only briefly talked before this and so we were getting comfortable with each other... which would prove very helpful to me for when we shot the scenes.

Here is Rich, our awesome camera man.

Here I am toward the end of the shoot.

About 10am, Joe calls us over and the camera guy, Rich, shoots me shooting a few games of pool while they shoot "Michael" coming in to the pool room while the "waitress" checks his ID. I play pretty good for a camera on me and feel pretty comfortable.

Here I am watching the first scene - "Michael" getting his ID checked.

"Michael" and I then talk about our first scene together and then we shoot it three or four times. This is the pattern for the next two hours or so: We talk about the scene, shoot the scene, talk about what we could/should change, then shoot the scene two or three more times and then move on.

"Michael" and I talking about our first scene.

Most of the lines I practiced do not get in the scenes. Joe forgot to bring the "Laser Rack" and so I didn't have a line about that and we decide not to talk about One Pocket like we were going to. It was a lot of ad-libbing.... and that's what probably made it comfortable as well. We changed lines to things that seemed more like what we would do (in real life) if him and I really did meet in a pool hall for the first time - me knowing the players and him looking for action.

I got very comfortable and I didn't giggle at all like I thought I might! Sylver is actually a very good actor and so it was easy to play my part. At the beginning of the very first scene I thought a giggle was coming on, but Sylver was so serious, so it didn't happen - I was glad!

Laughing again.


There, more serious!

Another shot we were discussing.

This is the scene where I rack the balls, Joe is showing me where one of the cameras will be.

Joe (on right) putting the microphone on the pocket.

And here I am laughing again.

So, all in all it was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed working with Joe, Rich and Sylver and appreciated a local player, Ryan, taking photos with my camera so I could add these photos for the blog writeup.

I found myself laughing a lot which is a good sign for me - means I'm comfortable. I also know from experience (I give a lot of presentations for work) that I don't do well memorizing lines so I just reviewed the script and then I was in my element quite easily. Although I laughed a lot, that was between takes. I can look too serious when I am not smiling, so I am hoping I don't come across to "mean" looking in the scenes because there wasnt't a lot of lines to smile to. lol

As I left, Joe and Sylver gave me a hug as they shot a few more scenes they needed with "Michael" and I said good bye to the camera man, Rich, and immediately got on the phone to my agent/acting coach (Mom) and told her all about it. My Mom was tickled when I told her my photo would be added to the back of the DVD cover and also to the poster. I kind of smiled myself when I heard that. :)