Filming "Memphis Beat" w/Alfre Woodard, Jason Lee, DJ Qualls, & Celia Weston

Actress Celia Weston

Actor Jason Lee

Actor DJ Qualls

Actress Alfre Woodard

March 11th, 2011 was my first day on the set of the Second Season of TNT’s Drama Series, Memphis Beat starring, Alfre Woodard, Jason Lee, Celia Weston, and DJ Qualls. I had the pleasure of interacting and meeting all four of these actors. During the scene where the preacher was reciting some scripture, I was standing next to Ms. Woodard and when the Director yelled cut, I took the time to shake her hand and told her I loved her in movies such as Tyler Perry’s, The Family That Preys, Take The Lead, and Something New. She told me thank you! Also, when we were breaking for lunch and I was in a car being taken back to holding, I was waving at her while driving past her and she was smiling and waving back at me the entire time! It was so awesome! They were all very nice and a lot of fun to film with. Basically, the scene that we filmed was a funeral scene of a Memphis Police Officer. We were at a Veterans Cemetery and there were real dedicated Jefferson Parish police officers there to fire gun shots/rounds to salute the deceased, but with Memphis uniforms on. It looked like the exact same setup you would see in movies such as The Departed, Pride and Glory, or any other film were it is a service for a fellow police officer that died. I was playing the role of a family member/friend of the deceased. We filmed from 7:15am until 6:30pm. Alfre Woodard and Celia Weston were eating lunch at the same location as the extras, but in a different area. That was pretty amazing to see. Unfortunately, I was not able to get any photos with them, but maybe next time. The service was very much like one you would see on TV or in real life. Once the sun went down, it started to get chilly and we wanted to wrap it up so quickly! Lol! There was a scene with Jason Lee getting into a confrontation with someone towards the end of the night and all of the extras had to observe that and react to it as we were walking to our vehicles at the end of the service. In conclusion, it was great filming with these fine actors and actresses and I hope to work with them in the near future. The new season of Memphis Beat starts in June of 2011!

Filming "Contraband"--For The FINAL Time w/Lukas Haas, CJ Simmons, & Marky Mark

Today, March 10th, 2011 was my second and final time of filming on the set of “Contraband” & it was better than the first time. Ben Foster, Kate Beckinsale, and Giovanni Ribisi left New Orleans weeks ago production told us because their scenes were wrapped, but I did get to work with J.K. Simmons from Spider Man, Mark Wahlberg, and Lukas Haas. Mr. Simmons plays a captain on a ship and he was a ton of fun to work with. He is so funny; I thought he was loud and funny with Tobey in Spider Man, but man on and off the set he is a pleasure to work with. He walked and ate and talked with the extras like we had known him for years. The Director even sat down and ate with us. I shook the Director’s hand and told him in advance, that I loved the opportunity to work with him and I hope to do it again in the near future. He is from Iceland and has a strong accent, but I understood all the direction and things he was telling me and other extras to do. I took a picture with the Captain and he was more than eager to take a photo with me. I loved it! He also went on to tell me that no one from the original Spider Man movies will be in the next film in 2012. I was disappointed to hear that news! As filming began and Mark Wahlberg came into the part of the ship that we were filming in, I did not even go up to him, nor say anything—we both made eye contact with each other and he walked over to me and said, “hey, what’s up—you’re back again, huh? That’s great bro!” I was totally speechless, but I did tell him that I am back and was delighted to be working with him again and that I watched the Oscars and was glad to see that his two co-stars in The Fighter, Melissa Leo and Christian Bale won an Oscar and he said thanks man to me. That was so awesome that the last time I worked with him was on Feb. 4th and he could single me out and remember me an entire month later. I wonder how he recalled me. It probably remembered that I showed him the photo of us together on my Credit Card! Lol! I do not know, but I see it as a huge compliment no matter what! During filing when we had to reset, he walked right past me and just tapped me on my arm as he went back to his original position. It was great! I mean, Mark Wahlberg talked to me, he shook my hand, and he touched me like we are close buddies (putting his arm around me/tapping my shoulder, etc.). I will ALWAYS cherish the time I spent working with him. He is a down to Earth and amazing actor and human being. I will always be rooting for him to win awards and succeed in life. He is great! Simply wonderful and kind! A few hours later, Lukas Haas was coming up the stairs to begin filming his scenes and before he did, I went up to him and said, “Hey, Lukas…remember me?” He was like no, not really, and then I reminded him of the scenes that we filmed in Algiers Point and how we were talking the entire night and then he said yes and I told him that I saw and Advanced Screening of Red Riding Hood and he asked me what I thought of it. I told him that I thought it was good, but his character was kind of funny. And he went on to tell me that it was not his kind of role to play! Lol! He was taking pics of the ship with his cell phone and then I asked him for a picture and he said that was no problem and we took a pic together. Originally, I was set to play a Borden Seaman, but then wardrobe changed me into a 3rd Mate and it was so much fun. My name was Joe Sharper, and I had a walkie talkie and looked like I belonged on a ship! Lol! In short, I loved filming with them form 7am until 9pm that night and the final scene we only did once and it was a successful wrap and then production was telling us what an amazing job we all did and how they could not have done it without us and we clapped and gave thanks to one another and Mark and Lukas jetted out and hoped into their separate Escalade’s and left the set! Lol! Guess they wanted to chill out after a long day! Filming will take place for one week in Panama, production told us and then that is it! It was great working with the entire cast and it is an experience I will remember for the rest of my life!

My Badge 2 Have Access to The Ship for Filming!!!

Love Seeing These Things!!!

Actor Lukas Haas & Myself!!!

Actor JK Simmons (Captain) from Spider Man and Myself (3rd Mate)!!!

Advanced Screening of "Red Riding Hood"

I saw the Advanced Screening of this childhood epic story tonight and it was really good, I thought. It catered to both the old and the young because it had that edge of ur seat suspense, it had romance, and most of all, it was not predictable. I was thinking about how this movie is so compatible to Twilight. A love story about a girl who is in love with two men, but in this movie-it is not movie after movie....Lol! I thought so many different people would have been the Wolf, but I was wrong on every last count. The movie tricked me: they showed flashbacks and voices to make the audience think one thing, when in actuality-the Wolf was someone we, at least I, never suspected. I love movies like that-that means it can keep me on my toes and the suspense is great and I am so drawn to that about a movie! It was a very soft suspense/romance film-it was not good or not bad-it was just right. I loved watching it, but Amanda Seyfried needs to learn how to act…her acting was okay-she needs to put more emphasis on making more stronger facial expressions and having more actions with her hands-she is just plain to me, she does not have that spark yet….all in all, the movie was good and maybe they will make a sequel...but from the way it ended, there is always a possibility-I did not like the ending, but it did make sense, too!

First Day of Filming Nicolas Cage's "Medallion!"

The Extras Holding was at the Westin Hotel at One Canal Place and everyone was dressed up with Carnival gear. Some extras were on floats and others were cast as Mardi Gras goers. Mr. Cage arrived at 9:30AM on the set in a black Escalade and as soon as he got out of the vehicle, I went up to him and asked him for a photo. He said yes and I was thrilled. I told him I loved all of his movies and that I just saw Drive Angry in 3D! The whole entire time that we were filming I felt as if I was at a movie premiere because all of the fans were barricaded off form the set and was only allowed to watch, but between takes Nick would wave to the endless and expanding crowds of people and sign autographs and be very sociable. His manager even told me that if I did not get a photograph with him, that my turn would come because he is an awesome guy! I loved hearing those words! I was like, "Christine is going to love this! " Lol! After a few takes in the morning with the floats (only two rented floats not part of the real parade) and one marching band everyone had to change into regular clothing for the next scene which was held on Canal Street with Nick Cage jumping on top of the Medallion taxicab and searching for his daughter or his daughter's kidnapper. The way this scene worked out was that some of the extras used their cars in this scene and it was blocked off as if he was in traffic and it was bumper to bumper and he was chasing after someone. Cage's stunt double was filming as well today was the first day of production for the film. Filming will resume on Fat Tuesday (actual Mardi Gras Day:3//2011) then will be on hiatus until April when it starts back filming up until June of this year. Nick was so friendly and talkative. I love the fact that he took the time to go to BOTH sides of the street and greet his fans and there was a real parade going on but people were more interested in seeing him film than the actual parade itself!

Filming "Treme" w/Steve Zahan & Lucia Micarelli

Filming with a real live celebrity was incredibly awesome! There was fight that had broken out between a crew member & a guy in the parade. I do not know what transpired between the two, but when I looked over into the street, there I saw both guys not backing down from each other. Lucia Micarelli is a violinist for the show, Treme and her lover is Steve Zahn, the guy I am in the photo with. It was really cool to be at a parade filming with a celebrity-it felt as if we were friends and we had known each other for the longest time. All the people that were passing in the street were saying things like: "OMG, that's Steve Zahn!" Lol-it was soo freakin' funny! The crew people were taking random people from the parade and asking them if they wanted to be in the scene that we were filming. Steve and I talked briefly, but he was very funny and sociable. He was taking pics with any and everyone. I love the down to Earth celebs! Really, I do!

"Drive Angry 3D Night" & Krewe of Caesar Parade

At 6pm, there was a parade in fron teh mall where I was seeign the movie for 9:30 and I went ahead and went to that! I really had fun! I love thje marching bands and stuff! I really had pre-conceived notions that this movie would not be good because of how they only showed one 3D effect in the previews and that it was a low-budget film. I was so wrong on both counts. This movie HAD a ton of 3D effects throughout the entire film. I was so glad for that. When the movie first started-there was 3D effects and I stopped myself from getting happy because most 3D films-the effects do not last and when you take the glasses off, the movie is in 2D. It had tons of violence, killing, explosions, action, and riots. There was even a part when Cage was killing people in slow motion while screwing an old lady! That was hilarious! Amber Heard was a force not to be reckoned with in this movie—she was kicking butt & cursing non-stop. I really liked this movie from beginning 2 end. All of the killing was like Saw in 3D. They had some gruesome killing in this film….whew! Go see it….u will love it! I know I did!

Filming on "Looper" & Meeting Bruce Willis

I was called to be an extra on the upcoming futuristic film starring Bruce Willis, “Looper.” I had to report to work on Thursday, Feb. 24th & Friday, Feb. 25th. I was cast to be a basic street background person. Also, on the set on both days were extras who were Gat Men (dressed in all black and long black trench coats), party/club goers (both men and women), vagrants, cops, and Loopers (which are the killers).

When I arrived to Extras Holding on BOTH days, hair and makeup were waiting for us after we had been approved or changed by wardrobe to put dirt on the people who were cast as vagrants, and to do the hair and makeup for the club extras, the cops, Gat Men, & the Loopers. Once all this was completed, the crew started taking little by littler certain people onto the set to get props, if needed, and to begin filming. The only principle cast actor that was on location filming on the 24th was actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I did get a chance to shake his hand and tell him I hope Inception wins an Oscar this weekend! He said that was cool and he hopes so as well. I also met him for the first time on Feb. 2nd when I filmed with Looper for the initial time.

On the set, I was cast to walk along the sidewalk with another lady. And that was all; later after we had lunch, I was cast to sit in a chair and whisper and talk to another lady right next to the club, La Belle Aurore. The scenes that we shot on both days were more catered on the club action rather than anything else. The cars that were used were awesome! They reminded me of the movie, The Italian Job and The Holiday. Lol!

Filming on the 25th was great because that is when I got to watch Bruce Willis act. It was revealed to me that the scenes that he shot on Feb. 23rd, he killed all the Gat Men inside of the club & what we shot on the 24th and 25th was before that. The building that was for the extras was right across that street and all of the photos that I have is from that building on the second floor. The three pictures of Bruce Willis-you cannot make them out, but it in fact him, all the extras were leaving extras holding to come to the second floor hangout to watch Bruce film his scenes and take photos and videos, but if we went outside to see him better and in person, NOTHING was allowed so that is why my photos of him are so tiny because I was zooming my camera to the highest point that it could reach!

The crew was saying we were allowed to watch, but no pictures! I was sad about that, but it was cool to see him in action and when he walked towards me, I id shake his hand and tell him it was a pleasure watching Mr. Die Hard work and he smiled and said thank you and I also told him that I thought he did a great job in The Last Boyscout and The Perfect Stranger. Two of my favorite movies and that was all the contact I had with him and I will cherish it!

That is how filming went for me on the set of Looper for those two days. Not a lot of people were used on the 25th, but to see Bruce Willis-it was a great day because a lot of people were staring at him for however long he was nearby. Tourists watched, NOLA residents watched, he waved goodbye to the crowds when he exited the set.

"I Am Number 4" Tonight!

This movie was explosive! Simply amazing! This is one movie that I definitely thought would have been in 3D because of all the Science Fiction action parts throughout the entire film. It was so loud in the theater, the fighting, the bright colors/lights from the powers that Alex Pettyfer had was phenomenal! I was so disappointed that it was NOT in 3D. It should have been. There was never a dull moment in the film. I never wanted the movie to end. They should make a sequel because of how it ended, truly! This was kinda a love/teenage/sci-fi movie. All three aspects were engrossed in this film & I will be getting this on DVD when it is released! Count on it!

Something is "Unknown" About Dr. Harris Opening

This movie had a good & strong plot-the only problem was that it was not portrayed to its full potential. I felt like I was watching a cheaply made movie that just happened to be good. Neeson playing a guy that can whup some ass is awesome and Jones was not a convincing enough actress if she was supposed to portray a damn lethal assassin. I'm just saying. I felt like this movie was a combination of Inception, the Bourne movies, the Devil's Advocate, & Taken. Each of these four movies, a certain element that was in them was in this film and if you really ponder on it while you watch it, you will see why I used these films to demonstrate my point. I enjoyed the movie, but I felt that it could have been a little bit stronger to be rated 5 stars in my rating. The action scenes and the music that was playing in the background really attracted me! I love high speed car chases and brutal fighting. It is what makes a movie interesting and to stop it from being dull and boring! There should have been more well-named actors in this movie as well besides Neeson and Jones. There was a twist that I thought would not be revealed to me, but I was so thankful that it was because if it was not--I definitely would have called this film dumb and demanded a refund!

Take Me Undercover 2 "Big Momma's House 3" Night

This Big Momma's House movie was NOT all that I thought it to be. I did not even see this preview a lot before its but, so that alerted me that it may not get high ratings. I thought that this movie was partly funny because of how Martin Lawrence was acting as Big Momma. Every scene he was in was extremely funny. Brandon Jackson was funny, in CERTAIN scenes, but not everyone of them. It seems as though when they were acting like females, they had the attention and laughter from the audience; but acting as males, they were lame and did not have that spark. I seriously think that this movie never should have been made. I think that they should have stopped at Part II. I mean, the original Trent and Sherry were not in this movie. What is up with that? Besides Martin and Brandon...no other big names was in the film...that was a huge red flag right there! It was not a terrible movie, but it was not great as the first two....

First Filming Day for Upcoming "Hound Dogs!"

Laura Bell Bundy

Ryan Doom

Rob Mayes

My call time was for 9AM, and filming began at around 10:30am & we were located in the Maple Leaf Bar in New Orleans off Carrollton Av. Me, Harmony, and Dustin love filming together on the same sets so when we saw each other today, we were all happy and we stuck as a team all day today. All the Extras had to go through wardrobe check and the vibe was set in Tennessee. Once wardrobe had completed their walk-through of all the extras, we then proceeded to the set an before we got into the bar, all of the extras were given beverages to use as props the entire time that we were filming. The scenes had Laura Bell Bundy, who will play the love interest of Rob Mayes and the co-star, Ryan Doom. Those are the main three characters that we were working with today.

I was at the bar and then I was mingling with some people outside the bar,an other varied places throughout the bar. I along with other people were given some certain action/direction to perform. There was one scene where Laura was a bartender and Mayes was talking to another guy in the bar and was inquiring about Laura (character name in show not revealed as of yet) because he is interested in her. She would talk to some of the people at the bar before shooting and right before she walked a few inches own to where Mayes was for their particular scene. They also filmed Bundy an Mayes walking out of the bar together and kissing, etc.

There was another scene that we filmed where a band was playing & people were dancing and talking amongst each other-just having a good and fun time and Bundy and Mayes did their scene while that was going on as well. Once lunch time arrived, they ate with us in the Extras Holding area. The stars actually ate with us-the extras! I thought that was simply awesome! Not too may celebs eat with the extras. I was really really impressed by that because that is rare to see, esp. for me.

During lunch, I had researched Laura Bundy because she had looked so familiar to me, I had no idea that she was a country singer, but when I looked her up on the Internet, my suspicions was correct, she was Mara Lewis on the soap opera, "Guiding Light!" I confronted her about it and she told me that was ten years ago and that was in fact her, I was even more stunned, so I sat down by her and Mayes and chatted with them for a few minutes during lunch and it was too cool! Just like Contraband. Being around stars who are that kind and want to talk to you and are own to Earth makes me want to work with them again and again because they are so welcoming and makes you feel really comfortable around them.

After lunch, we did a few more shoots of previous scenes and we wrapped up at 8pm, so today was kind of long-9am until 8pm, but it was fun having people in the streets and on the sidewalk ask what we were filming, who were the celebs, having them watch us film, I love being on the set and taking pics and getting to know the people I am working for/with.

"Justice for Natalee" Is WRAPPED 4 Me!

Today marks the THIRD time I have filmed with the crew for JFN. It will air on Lifetime TV sometime in the Summer. Toady we filmed a little short scene at the Greyhound Bus Terminal and the crew made it look like an Airport. My task was to walk back and fourth carrying my luggage outside of the "pretend airport." We did that about 8 times and at 11am-we were free to leave! Yay! Because I do those long freakin' filming days and half of the time we have to sit for hours and snore our butts off until we are called to do a particular scene-so today was a definite good day!

I'm All Caught Up w/"The Roommate" 2Night

I have been neglecting my movies because I have been filming so much, but this was the last movie that I had to catch-up on and now I am current. This was a movie that was targeted more towards the teenage genre. The killing and threatening tactics in this film was mildly suggestive, I mean if this movie had been rated R an was showing more extensive and bloody images (some of the scenes were gross 2 me-but I like gory), it would have gotten a better rating, but since it was not in all fairness, I have to rate it average. I loved the ending part….the fighting scene with Sara and her psycho roommate!!! That girl was nuts! I LOVED how the audience in the theater was talking and whispering aloud things like, “look @ this crazy girl” or ”this hoe up and went psycho” or “she been off that medication for a while baby!” I mean, it exacerbate my laughing! Seriously! Lol. I say that this film was a re-make of Alicia Silverstone’s, “The Crush.” I say that simply because, Sara’s roommate was schizophrenic & controlling and just plain psychotic as can be as Silverstone was. It always amazes @ how mentally retarded a person can be or slow-they make the best thinkers and they come up with the best ways to seek revenge on people whom have hurt them or someone that they love or is obsessive or controlling over like Rebecca (the roommate) and Adrian (The Crush w/Alicia Silverstone). I think that it had just the right dosage of teen humor, scary images, and frightening consequences to be an average movie!

Someone Has 2 Fix The Problems...."The Mechanic" Arrives!

I waited a very long time to see this movie and it was worth the wait. Ben Foster and Jason Statham work very well together. There is just one little exception—Ben Foster was a fool and a loose cannon in this movie and what happened to him, he was asking to be executed: Bishop Style! Lol. The killing in this movie was awesome & some of the murders were gory as “The Departed.” Gory killing always freaks me out, but for some reason, I love it! Lol. Just to see the brains being splattered all over the screen and in slow motion-it is so intense; imagine if it was in 3D, huh? The whole movie was practically based in New Orleans & they made a part of it look like Chicago. I knew that was a lie because of the scenery. I hate when movies try to pretend to be another place/state…it is so weird to see movies on the Big Screen in your own hometown where it was filmed. The killing was gruesome, the acting was funny and not plain and as always, Statham had that “look” about it that told people-DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE ME….he was not to be reckoned with! As far as Ben Foster’s character, he was kinda cocky and loose, not quite mechanic material-but he did make me laugh on certain scenes—he has the rough exterior-just brought it out too soon and people prepared for me because he was not cool and laid low.

Filming "Justice for Natalee": Take One Saturday & Take Two Sunday!

On Saturday, Feb. 12th...the scene was set in Aruba and I was assigned to be a cameraman and we were filming at the Gretna Courthouse and they had other extras walking around as tourists as we were filming and Michael J. Fox's current wife plays the mother of Natalee Holloway. The actor, Michael Beach play an attorney as well...after that scene finished at around 11am because my call time was for 6:30am--we changed into our second wardrobe choice and we played FBI Agents for the next few hours, I had a gun and a badge! I was looking too cool...they tried the set in different ways. I was pretending to get cash out of the ATM Machine with confidential files in my hand outside of the building, which by the way was in Birmingham, Al. Then I was walking into the FBI Building with another extra while drinking coffee and pretending to talk while Natalee's mother and Michael Beach were outside talking. Then we had lunch, which was catered. Then after that at night between the hours of 3-8pm, I was a cameraman again because Jaren von Sloot, Natalee's suspected killer was being brought into the FBI Building in handcuffs and with secured armed guards and we were supposed to swarm them & take pics-like what real media people do. After that, we were done for the night and this was a long 14-hour day and when we were not filming or were not in a certain scene, we would just sit and talk amongst the other extras and do anything to occupy our time. I had one scene that lasted about 5 minutes where I was assigned to walk with another FBI Agent with important files in my hand down a hallway.

On Sunday, Feb. 13th...the scene that I filmed we were at the Jefferson Parish Prison and we were waiting at the back entrance for Jaren to appear and to be taken inside for booking and processing. I was part of the Media again, but this time I had a microphone and had to hold it high up in the air, not a regular microphone and longer one that extends. We took from 9am-Noon doing that scene and that was the only scene that I was in. For the rest of the day, I was made into a detective, but they did not use me, they used other extras and posed them as inmates. Other people played police & etc. while we just sat and tried not to fall asleep not knowing if we would be used or not. I do know that the others scenes were with Natalee's mother and Jaren. One extra told me that they were just in the room while he was being booked and processed and at about 8:30pm, the inmates were getting read to go down into the real prison for another scene and that is when the crew told half of us that it was time to go home and that was it for me!