Monday, 10/22 Beltana Station to Farina Ruins - Our day in the movies

A gecko asks for the time, and Diana hangs with movie stars

      We made coffee in the kitchen of the shearer's quarters and talked to a woman working in the art production team of the film crew. She looked rangy yet stylish, and moved with efficiency. Her rental ute was loaded up with various pieces of scrap metal from around the station, and after filling up her thermos with coffee she drove off in a dusty cloud. It was a creative job we could easily imagine Kelly enjoying. We packed up our stuff, visited with a cute little gecko, took a look at the camels corralled there, (extras for the movie) , and drove off to make a quick visit to the nearby ruins of the old rail town of Beltana before heading off to the filming location.

"Excuse me sir, but could I interest you in some insurance for your car?"

Backstage with the stars

Our big moment arrives!

     We drove out about 25 km along a sandy, dusty track, going 80 kph most of the time to keep from being overtaken by other film people heading out to the location. A few times I was wishing I had put the LC into 4WD with the dry sand and loose bull dust but soon we saw a long line of rental Landcruisers, which meant we were finally at the location.

     We were shown to a tent, where we waited to get our costumes and makeup. While we waited, a young guy talked to the extras, about 15 of us, giving us a few instructions on filming protocol and sketching out what our role in the film would be. As 'Robyn' was crossing the desert in Western Australia a group of tourists drive up and pester her and her Aboriginal guide and bother the camels, asking questions and taking photos. An obnoxious group. I wasn't too thrilled about being an Ugly American in my first major role.

     Then we got our costumes. As I suspected, Diana came out looking cute, and I got a stupid Florida T-shirt, double knit shorts, and an orange terry cloth hat. Things were were looking worse. [Diana note: I had the distinction of being the only extra allowed to wear some of my own clothing – my shirt. I say 'distinction' as I doubt anyone would consider that a compliment.]

Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy?... anyone?... nah, I didn't think so.

     Then one of the costumes woman came over to me and said, “You'll have to take off those glasses during filming, they're not 'period'”. Anybody who knows me can tell you that I've been wearing basically the same style of specs since the '70s, so yeah, they are probably close enough, but who am I to argue. I figured I'd still be able to find my way around, even with 20/200 vision.

     As we were standing around where our scene would be shot an assistant director came up to me and asked if I would be able to drive the lead vehicle, a great old Land Rover Troop Carrier. All of a sudden, the whole episode was looking up! Not only would I get to be in a movie, but I'd get to drive a classic 4WD truck in the process. I couldn't believe my good luck. 'Sure', I said.

The tourist's cars, I'm asked to drive the lead Land Rover

     But a few minute later I remembered to my deep chagrin that I wasn't allowed to wear my glasses during the shoot, and there was no way I could drive the LR, filled with people in the back, down a dusty road, following the directors cues, and not either kill someone, or at least run over a camel. With indescribable sadness I walked over the the AD and told him the bad news. That was the first time I ever regretted never getting contact lenses!

     So instead of driving the lead vehicle I was stuffed in the back with three other 'actors' sitting on a metal seat sideways. At least Diana was in the same car as I. The old canvas top radiated musty heat in the 94 F sun. The director wanted to run through the scene a couple times to work out the logistics of 15 people jumping out of the three vehicles, rushing up to the travelers, and making idiots of themselves. Diana and I both felt the scenario was a little ridiculous, way too many people being much too asinine. I guess the director thought so too, and after a couple 'takes' he eliminated half of the extras. Diana and I were standing on the wrong side of the semicircle of people he chose, and our film careers were cut short, right there on the desert floor. Diana was disappointed, but to tell you the truth, I was relieved.  I like to limit the number of people who see me playing a fool.

     We (un)lucky extra extras were ushered back to the tent where the film crew protected themselves from the bright Aussie sun and got to watch the proceedings from there. It was all terribly interesting to me. I'm a sucker for watching the extras on DVD's on how the films were made, and now we had a tentside seat.

     There seemed to be a real caste system in play during the shoot. At the very top was Mia Wasikowska. She's 23 or 24, only David's age, and looks that young. I never saw her talk to anyone except the director.  The makeup women made funny faces about her behind her back, although they were solicitous when tending to her hair or reapplying hand makeup after she washed her hands to get a snack or after going to the bathroom. Even the director spoke to her with deference. He's only done seven films, nothing too big, I assume a more experienced director may have acted more imperiously.

Film crew and all the extras watch from here protected from the sun

     The camera man and sound guy were near the top of the pecking order order, then their assistants, then the prop people, costumers and makeup. After that were the crew moving cables and lighting apparati, and finally the caterers, refilling water jugs, and taking drinks and snacks to the crew and cast. The crew handing the camels and the two black labs that took turns appearing in the scene were separate from the main hierarchy. Of course we double extras weren't even visible now that we were cut from the film, but that was OK with me, I like being a fly on the all.

Sound director on left, assistant director on right watching monitor

Getting the camera ready

"Quiet on the set, camera rolling!"  "Robyn and Rollie walking through outback"

 

The woman holding the umbrella stayed with the dogs
 the entire six hours we  were out there

   Some of the remaining extras actors began to look as if they envied us after a few hours of running through the scene. They never got to retreat from the sun, standing around between takes, or waiting inside the vehicles as the repetitively backed up the road to the starting point, then drove down past the camels to their stopping point, where they exited to dash over to the travelers and play out their parts. A couple of the extras were over weight and moved slower and slower each take. Maybe that's what the director wanted.

     After we were eliminated the rehearsals continued for about five more takes, then filming began. It didn't seem like a terribly complicated scene, which in total probably lasted only about two minutes. But the director and his assistants must have seen something they didn't like in their playback monitors, and kept running through it over and over. The first five takes included the camels, then they were moved off and the camera angle changed a bit, and another four or five takes were made.

That's Mia W. on the right

       It seemed like the more time they ran through the scene the more unhappy the director got. A couple more takes without Mr. Eddie, the Aboriginal actor, but including Mia Wasikowska finally brought us up to lunch time, at around 3:30 pm. We super extras were told that we were dismissed, and were shuttled back to the main location area for lunch, after which we would turn in our costumes, get paid, and depart. 

    After the nobles and their minions went through the lunch line we followed. Quite a nice spread, those caterers were a busy bunch. The extra table was full so we sat near Mr. Eddie and his wife and a good looking older guy sitting by himself eating and reading a book. We sat and he pleasantly greeted us. We chatted about various inconsequential things, then he asked me what I did for living. We talked about carpentry and different kinds of woods etc, then I asked him what his calling was. It was a complicated answer about living along the Gold Coast and doing some woodworking but mostly creating art. Diana asked him what he was doing there at the filming and he answered “Oh, I play Mia's father in the film.” We talked a little about the working conditions in the desert and green screen technology, and then we were all finished with our food, and he wished us happy travels and we said goodbye.  I hope he wasn't too disappointed that we didn't recognize him.  His name is Robert Coleby and has made numerous appearances on British TV.  

     So that was it, we turned in our dorky costumes, got our paychecks ($145 each, plus I got a $50 travel bonus, and drove away. Our film career had ended as quickly as it started.  By  way, it looks like it might be an interesting movie, and when Diana and I watch it we'll wonder 'what if...".  By the way, here is a link to the movie on IMDb; "Tracks 2013"

Diana takes a shower with a donkey and we learn that butts are an athletes best friend

     We drove for a couple hours, then stayed at a campground in Farina, another old rail town, where Diana took a shower powered by a 'donkey', which is simply a wood-fired hot water tank, and we heard the following priceless phrase from a chunky guy about thirty camping near us,

     “What they don't tell you is that smokers have an expanded lung capacity because they draw in more air when they inhale. … I've gained a couple stones from when I was younger but I'm just as fit as I ever was.”

Hot water donkey