Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Have you had a 'special' trainee?

This is topic Have you had a 'special' trainee? in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=001684

Posted by Chris Byrne (Member # 1563) on 01-25-2003, 12:04 AM:

My biggest claim to fame was training a girl waho was an extra in the first 'LOTR' - 'Fellowship of the Ring' and a guy who played in the NBL (Australian basketball equivilant of the NBA.)

Someone must have trained some brighter prospects? [Big Grin]

Posted by James R. Hammonds, Jr (Member # 673) on 01-25-2003, 01:37 AM:

I was an extra in Rushmore.

Posted by Ron Lacheur (Member # 1126) on 01-25-2003, 02:44 AM:

I was an extra in the last episode of X-Files shot in Vancouver. It was called " The End " and it involved 12,000 extras at GM Place for 8 hours ( only 30 seconds of it was on the air ) watching a chess game underway.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 01-25-2003, 11:43 AM:

I had a guy I was training in the booth at a drive-in. He was a friend of the manager's, so I figured he'd do good, since he evidently asked him for a favor, to get his foot in the door. And earlier, he had begged and pleaded with me to teach him the job, when I worked matinees at the downtown theatre.

He didn't stay through the night. Instead, opting to go hang with some of his friends, and taking a job at Dominos Pizza.

That's not what you asked, I know, but he was the only really unusual person that came to mind.

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 01-25-2003, 12:31 PM:

I played the second sonar officer in "Das Boot - The Boat".

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 01-25-2003, 01:52 PM:

I've attempted to train lots of "special" people, but we don't need to go there! [Razz]

Posted by Aldo Baez (Member # 790) on 01-25-2003, 02:22 PM:

At the end of spiderman when spiderman is swinging down on the streets if you look close I'm one of the people crossing the crosswalk on the right side (my tiny few seconds of film time!)
When they filmed that they had this huge camera swooping down in the middle of downtown la and we had to do like 30 takes.

Posted by William Leland III (Member # 1400) on 01-25-2003, 03:49 PM:

I never trained anyone famous, but I did show Chris Rock our booth one time. [Smile]

Posted by Brad Haven (Member # 954) on 01-25-2003, 11:47 PM:

micheal said

quote:
I played the second sonar officer in "Das Boot - The Boat".

wow, that is one hell of a film to be associated with, a definite classic in my book [thumbsup]

James, did you get your noggin on screen for long and which scene? i love rushmore!

Posted by James R. Hammonds, Jr (Member # 673) on 01-26-2003, 03:12 AM:

I can be seen in a few places, but the most obvious is when Max Fischer first meets Margret Yang in the hallway at Grover Cleveland.
I think its in Chapter 11 on the dvd.
I walk right past him on the right side of the screen near the end of the scene.
I am wearing a green shirt, a backpack, and am carrying books.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 01-26-2003, 05:07 AM:

quote:
I played the second sonar officer in "Das Boot

Wow, no kidding?! I love that movie! Michael, you're now my hero! [Smile]

Did you have any lines? What's the best scene that you're in?

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 01-26-2003, 08:40 AM:

I was kidding of course! When "Das Boot" was filmed in 1981, I was just 12!

Posted by Brad Haven (Member # 954) on 01-26-2003, 09:50 AM:

Michael, i thought you looked a bit young, but photos can be deceptive, and the lack of a smilie next to your post [Wink]

Posted by David Favel (Member # 1125) on 01-26-2003, 05:45 PM:

I was the Cinema owner in "Snakeskin" plus we have hundreds of people in our town who worked on the "Edoras" set in The Two Towers.

Also some of those extras travelled south to be Riders of Rohan.

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 01-26-2003, 06:07 PM:

When part of "October Sky" was filmed in Knoxville, Tenn. - a few of my employees were extras.

If anyone has seen the pilot and first few episodes of "Miami Vice" the little boy in the show worked for me in Ft. Lauderdale - he ended up an assistant manager for Regal - His name is Matt Hines.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 01-26-2003, 06:47 PM:

quote:
I was kidding of course! When "Das Boot" was filmed in 1981, I was just 12!

Oh, you dog! [Smile]

I would've never known. I ran that picture when it first came out and I was about 20... you look to be about the same age. Okay, I fell for that one hook, line, and sinker!
[Big Grin]

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 01-27-2003, 01:25 PM:

If I had put a smiley next to my post, I couldn`t have torpedoed Tim. Stealth and surprise are the chief weapons of the successful sub commander.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 01-27-2003, 02:33 PM:

My Dad was an extra in "The Natural", with several full-frame close-ups as a fan in the final championship game. He was about 78 years old at the time when the old-time stadium scenes were shot in Buffalo NY. He died three years ago, and it's nice to be able to find him on my DVD of the film. [Smile]

BTW, my Dad's cousin was "Frankie" Pytlak, who was catcher for the Cleveland Indians, and caught for Hall-of-Fame pitcher Bob Feller:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/pytlafr01.shtml

http://www.pubdim.net/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/P/Pytlak_Frankie.stm

http://www.pubdim.net/baseballlibrary/sabr/tbi/P/Pytlak_Frankie.tbi.stm

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=pytlafr01

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/all_time_stats/players/p/44788/

http://www.baseballhistorian.com/html/american_heroes.cfm?page=113

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 01-27-2003, 02:56 PM:

I wonder why Tim didn`t tell us that he appeared in "The 13th Warrior...

Posted by Michael Barry (Member # 237) on 01-28-2003, 06:31 AM:

James: I just cued up 'Rushmore'. Is that you with the mohawk? You pass him in the same direction he's walking, right?

That's very cool! How did you get involved in that? Great movie, by the way. I have the Criterion. Certainly one of my most treasured discs!

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 01-28-2003, 08:01 AM:

quote:
Tim didn`t tell us that he appeared in "The 13th Warrior...

Oh, no, I'm exposed! There are some things you'd rather not have anyone know about. [Big Grin]

Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 01-28-2003, 07:18 PM:

Back in the 70's when I was working at the Cinema III in Red Bank, NJ, we had a relief manager/operator by the name of James Randi. His stage name is "The Amazing Randi".

Posted by Michael Barry (Member # 237) on 01-28-2003, 07:22 PM:

It might be a different James Randi to the one I'm thinking of, but there is one that exposed Uri Geller in the 70's, and continues to de-myth-ify (that's not a word!) other 'quacks' claiming extraordinary things.

I suppose there's more than one Randi.

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 01-28-2003, 09:18 PM:

Randi is still out there, and heads up an organization that will pay $1,000,000 for "evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event".

He writes a weekly column for his fascinating website:

James Randi Educational Foundation

Posted by Daniel Boisson (Member # 1027) on 01-29-2003, 09:43 PM:

Well the other projectionist (just put in his 2 weeks) and his brother sold their movie to a large motion picture company, and began work on the script last month.

As for me, you'll be hearing about me in a few years.... [Smile]

Posted by Pravin Ratnam (Member # 1417) on 01-30-2003, 12:49 AM:

well, i never had a special trainee, but I had a "special" trainer. In the late 80s, I worked as an usher in a long island cineplex odeon multiplex( i think 4 or 6 theaters). We had this middle aged short usher who looks a little like a loser version of Buck Henry. Since I was new that summer, he latched on to me and kept putting me to sleep on how to tear a ticket the most efficient way and point the customers to the right theater in one elegant swoop. I felt sorry for the guy. He must have been 50 and was working as a career usher. Maybe that's why I never asked him to shut up.

Posted by James R. Hammonds, Jr (Member # 673) on 01-30-2003, 12:35 PM:

Michael:
Yep, thats me.
I actually found out about it from a small blurb in the news paper that said they were holding a casting call for extras.
My then girlfriend and I went up, filled out some papers, gave them pictures of ourselves, and they called us back.
She is in there at a couple of parts too.
It was really fun.

Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 01-30-2003, 06:29 PM:

Michael Barry: You are correct- that's him.

Mark Lensenmayer: You're on track, too.

Randi began his career as a magician. He's quite a character. Still lives here locally. He likes to refer to himself as James Randi: Charlatan.

Posted by Kristin Wahlund (Member # 922) on 01-30-2003, 07:57 PM:

A good friend of mine, Luke, and his brother are the guys playing guitar when the parade explodes in Drop Dead Gorgeous.. Also the gym shots of Sugar and Spice were filmed at my high school... Looks like we have a reputation for bad teen movies here...