The 80's called and wants its clothes back...

No really, if you don't turn in the clothes, you will get fined beaucoup de dolars by wardrobe.  Had the best gig so far today as a business traveler for the TV show, The Americans.  I have been wanting to be on a period piece since starting the Extra work and today was the day. The first of many I hope. I didn't really appreciate that 1983 is considered a vintage year in need of very particular hair, make up and clothes.  I guess it is over 30 years ago and no doubt fashion has changed but the level of detail hair, make up, and wardrobe puts in to making us look authentic is so impressive and FUN! There were about 100 extras that needed to be made up and about five stations at each place for getting our hair done, make up applied, and wardrobe assigned. Production staggered our call times so we were arriving in batches of 20 or so every half hour for a couple of hours. They had commandeered lots of older model cars and taxis for the exterior shot at the "airport" which was really a big conference center here in NYC.  I love Keri Russell, one of the principle actors, all the way back from her Felicity days so it was very fun to be on set with her.  I was positioned quite close to her for both of the airport scenes we shot today.  I love being more up front than banished to the Background wasteland.  It much more fun to be where the action is, though I do know some background actors who like being way, way, way off camera so they can essentially just do their own thing like talk on their phone, play games on their phones, etc.

Hair put so much hairspray and gel to get my hair to stay wavy the whole day.  We had to walk for several windy blocks to get from holding where we were being made up to the actual location of the shoot.  My hair person told me not to worry, my hair wasn't going anyplace....It felt like a helmet!  And sure enough, it looked great even after walking 4 blocks in the wind.  I don't know if aerosol cans still damage the ozone but if they do, the amount of hair spray used for that one shoot no doubt widened the hole in the ozone by a measurable amount!! Only the skirt and pumps are mine, everything else came from wardrobe or props, including the purse and suitcase.

Here are a few fun pics of my first period piece.

before

after

The full effect for the interior scene 

For the exterior scene

I am having so much fun with doing the Extra work.  It's adding such a whimsical dimension to my life.  I highly recommend it if you can put up with the hours, logistics of getting to the shoots, some of the tedium and the low pay.  For me, as I've said before, the good totally outweighs the bad.  I really don't understand people who show up for work with such bad attitudes, complaining about this and that.  This is totally voluntary, if you don't like, don't do it.  It's such a bummer to have to be stationed near someone whining all the time.  I try my best to keep my distance and not give them any reinforcement for their commentary.  I'm booked for the Good Wife next Monday.  Another show I'm excited to be on.  I'll be a reporter at a press conference for that shoot.