SuNsHiNe DaIsY

June 13th, 2008

Three years ago I was getting mentally prepared to die in a 7.9 earthquake that hit Iquique at 6:44pm. Today I was remembering that day while enjoying my life as a High School Musical 3 extra.

Call time was 8:00am, we were happy they hadn't gone as insane as the day before. I had a cap and gown, and I had a number, so I got to stand in the huge lines with the rest of the people, which made me feel great (I'm so easily amused). There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, and it was quite warm even that early in the morning, so we bathed ourselves in sunblock.

To the field we went again after breakfast, this time we had chairs. I got to be in the far right seat of row #4 --to the right looking towards us. We had a lot of fun, this time the actors were really close to us, two of them were two seats directly in front of me. Maybe I can find myself when the movie comes out... then again, maybe not. They handed each of us a "prop diploma", which was a plastic tube wrapped in paper and tied with a red ribbon.

That scene didn't take long, and after that we had to go to the stands and be "audience". Only the Dancers where in the next shot. Kenny pointed out that when we watched the movie, we could say, "Hey! There's me... looking at me!" It was quite a thought. Again we had to clap, dance, cheer and WOOO!! to the music.

Every once in a while the actors would wave at us, and both cast and crew would tell us how awesome we were (Kenny said it all the time), and how they couldn't do a movie without us (which is so very true). When Bart Johnson (who plays Coach Bolton) went up to us and started spreading the love, he clapped and thanked us, and then started walking back, away from us, but still looking and waving. He wasn't looking where he was going, because suddenly he tripped with a rail and almost fell. We all laughed.

On one of the breaks, I was looking for the tent were the snacks were, but I wasn't really watching were I was going. I turned my head and noticed someone not wearing cap and gown was walking right past me. It took me a second to realize it was Zac Efron. I had almost bumped into him. He was walking with Vanessa.

At the very end they needed extras who weren't Dancers to... err... dance. We wore our gowns (not our hats), and moved to the music, while the Dancers did the real choreography. Then we ran around like crazy. I really think --and hope-- I'm in this scene.

Then the day was over, it was 8:30pm and we were done. It was time to say goodbye, for I still am not sure if I'll be able to go next week.

These five days were definitely one of the best experiences of my life. Being an extra is not as easy as it looks, it's tiring, and sometimes even exhausting, but it was awesome. High School Musical 3 premiers on October 24th, and I'm anxious to see how it turns out. It was looking pretty good, GREAT, actually.

I hope to find myself in the big screen.

June 12th, 2008

We had been told the night before, that call time on this day would be 7:00am. After a moment of shock among us --the extras-- they said we had to check the website in the morning and see if the call time had changed.

At 5:20am I got out of bed and went directly to the computer, hoping with all my heart to read something like "Call time is now 9:00am"... but I didn't. It said exactly the same as the night before. 7:00am. Crazy, I thought. Oh well, it was 5:20 and I was already awake, so I had little over an hour to get ready for the long day ahead.

After breakfast we walked across the street and up the block to the football field, were everything was neatly arranged for the Graduation scene. There was a big cloud above us, but as soon as it passed, we could see it would be a clear day, for there wasn't any other cloud behind it.

I sat in the stands along with the rest of the "audience", sadly looking at all the Graduates lined up in front of us, wishing I could also be wearing a cap and gown along with them. Suddenly I heard someone say, "For all the Graduates that were here on Tuesday for the rehearsal, we have new people joining you today, so please explain to them what we practiced". As soon as I heard this, I rushed to ask if they needed more people down there. Third in the short line of "new people getting their robes", the woman said she only had robes for people 5'8" and up, so she sent the two girls in front of me back to their seats. I was a lot taller than them, but still too short for what they were looking for (I'm 5'6"), so they also told me to go back. I told them I really wanted to be in the scene, and that the 5'8" robe looked good enough for me, but they insisted, so I sat down... close by.

Not even a minute had passed when I walked back towards them, and just stood there, "hanging out". One of the ladies spotted me and signaled to get closer. They asked me how tall I was and I repeated "the 5'8" robe looked good enough", so I tried it on and it fit. The silky white robe reached a little past my ankles, but I didn't care: I was going to be a High School Musical Graduate!!

I am not disclosing what was filmed on that day, I am only saying that it is AMAZING. I'm really anxious to see how it turns out... I think it's going to be the best part of the movie.

The most exciting thing for me was throwing my cap into the air. For my real graduation (November 2007), we weren't given permission to do it... for a whole number of lame reasons. And now, on the set of High School Musical 3, I got the chance!!! Actually... a lot of chances. We had to do a lot of takes for that scene, and after every "CUT!" came the part where we all yelled for our hats. Getting all of them back from the huge crowd took probably even longer than the scene itself.

For the last scene filmed that day, those of us who weren't in the Dancer's group had to go be part of the audience. That was also so much fun. Lots of cheering, dancing, clapping, and going WOOO!!!!!!!

We were done by 8:30. The sun goes down at 9:00 at this time of the year in Salt Lake City, and we needed the light. We would finish filming the Graduation the next day.

June 11th, 2008

Call time was 8:00am. However, at 8:15 some people told us --a very large group that had already arrived-- that last night they had changed it to 8:30 and that they had posted it on the website. Apparently a lot of us didn't check the website.

We were filming the Graduation Scene. Although I wasn't going to be a Graduate, they needed people as "audience", so we all had to change into our formal clothes, and then go get breakfast... which was outside... and it was COLD.

We waited... and waited... and waited... and, yeah, waited some more. Then Kenny (the director) told us that since it had been raining the night before, the football field was wet and muddy, so instead of filming the Graduation Scene, we would go to the auditorium and be the audience for the East High "Talent Show".

They needed the public's reaction. We needed to clap, cheer, laugh, laugh some more, FREAKIN' LAUGH, act surprised, act confused, etc. But the show wasn't really going on, so we had to imagine it. Of course, Kenny would explain what was supposed to happen, and to dramatize it a little more, he stood behind the camera and made quite a good show of his own. He would imitate Sharpay (just imagine that!) by wearing a red wig and blue boa, and just act like a snobby teenage girl, he would shake his butt, clap, dance around, jump, throw himself on the floor, and just basically make us laugh. You had to be there, it was the funniest thing EVER!

After those great moments, we had lunch and went back to the gym.

There wasn't much more we could do, so at 6:00 we were told we could go home.

June 10th, 2008
Graduation Rehearsal... supposedly

Call time... what was the call time?

I didn't know, and as long as I hadn't received the text message with the info, I figured out I could keep on sleeping. At 11:42 Jo texted... apparently the web site said "Call time is 12:00". I took the fastest shower in my life and by 12:45 I was running into the basketball court, outside which was a giant sign that read "EXTRAS".

Everyone around me was wearing caps and gowns. I rushed to a desk and asked for a voucher. They said they were out of space. I explained that I hadn't received an email or text message with the call time, and that was why I was late. They said they couldn't do anything about it. But I wasn't going to go back home and give up, so I stayed there arguing and explaining. Then another lady walked up to the desk holding her cap and gown, and said she could give me hers. So I happily took it, thanked her as many times as I could, and hurried to the door, where a group of "graduates" was standing. As I was leaving with the group and putting on my cap, I realized the tassel had fallen off, so I went back inside to find it and put it back on. Then I sat on the bleachers and waited for the next group to form, so I could leave with them.

Then the lady that had handed me her cap and gown walked up to me, and said she had been told that the responsibility of the clothing was hers, even though I was the one holding them. I told her she could have them back, but she didn't want to receive them. Finally, after a long talk about "What should we do?" I told her that she should have them, because this was her first day on set, and I had already been there on Sunday. I convinced her that it was okay, and handed the things back.

Back at the desk, the lady in charge told me I could stay for the prom scene. It was 1:15pm and the call time for that was at 2:30. A while later I went back to ask a question... "about the prom scene..." to which she interrupted saying, "Oh no, you can't be in the prom scene, I only need 20 people and I have them already".

"But you just told me I was going to be in the prom scene"
"No, I didn't say that."
"So what should I do?"
"You're going to be a student extra"

So I waited until 2:30 and signed up in the auditorium. It was quite a cold day and we had to film an outdoor "morning" scene. No actors, just extras. It was very fun, except for the fact that it started to drizzle.

Later in the day there was another "morning" scene, this one with Vanessa and Monique. Along with four other girls, we had to stand in front of a planter and pretend to talk. The camera was on a dolly and would move directly in front of us, they even came and did our makeup. After a few takes, the person in charge of the extras said there were too many people grouped in front of the planter, so she moved three of us to another spot. On the very last take, I got to walk right past the camera, seconds before the director yelled "CUT!", so I don't know whether I'll be in the scene or not.

That was all we did. At 9:30pm we were dismissed.