Barrett B. writes in to say:
I've really been enjoying Lady F. 's series about working on "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." That's always been my dream of mine. To an extra on a big Hollywood film like "Pirates." To stand on the set in costume and watch as the film's cast & crew make the magic happen. Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises Given that you seem to be so well connected at Disney, Jim, I don't suppose that you could help me make my dream come true. Based on what you said in Monday's article, they've still got to shoot another six-to-eight weeks of stuff to finish up "Pirates III." Will they be using extras in any of those scenes? And if so, do you know anyone who's associated with this picture who can help me get a job as an extra? Thanks in advance for your help, Barrett B.
I've really been enjoying Lady F. 's series about working on "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." That's always been my dream of mine. To an extra on a big Hollywood film like "Pirates." To stand on the set in costume and watch as the film's cast & crew make the magic happen.
Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises
Given that you seem to be so well connected at Disney, Jim, I don't suppose that you could help me make my dream come true. Based on what you said in Monday's article, they've still got to shoot another six-to-eight weeks of stuff to finish up "Pirates III." Will they be using extras in any of those scenes? And if so, do you know anyone who's associated with this picture who can help me get a job as an extra?
Thanks in advance for your help,
Barrett B.
Dear Barrett B.
My typical answer to an e-mail like this usually goes something like this: "You do realize that I'm the guy who lives 'way the hell out in the woods of New Hampshire, right? The one that a lot of Disney executives despise? Which is why I'm really not the one you want to talk with if you want special treatment from the Mouse House"
But then -- almost within minutes of receiving Barrett's e-mail -- another note popped up in my in-box. Which read:
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 3 OPEN CALL
Open Casting Call - Through 15 August 2006
Pirates of the Caribbean 3
PIRATES HOTLINE
818.725.2905
Sande Alessi Casting
13731 Ventura Blvd., Top Floor
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
Monday through Friday, 11am – 3pm
Seeking Pirates -- men age 18+, all shapes and sizes, all ethnicities: Asian, Spanish, French, African, Syrian, Lebanese, Middle Eastern, Turkish, Armenian, Arab, Persian, Caucasian, South American, Pacific Islander, Eskimo, etc...
You must be an extreme character type! We need extremely skinny, very tall, very short, hunchback, little people, unusual facial features and body types, exotic amputees, albinos, etc.
Bring your own current 3x5 photo (does not have to be professional). If you do not have a photo, we can take one for you for $2.00
It's weird how the universe works sometimea, don't you think?
Anyway ... There's your answer, Barrett. If you really want to be an extra on the set of "Pirates III," Sande Alessi is looking for some new rogues to appear in "At World's End." So if you're going to be Southern California now through August 15th, why not swing by their office in Sherman Oaks and see if you actually have what it takes to become a member of Captain Jack Sparrow's crew?
Speaking of "Pirates III" ... Last month while Jeff Lange & I were at the Licensing Show in NYC, Jeff was actually able to snag a shot of the teaser poster for the next film in the trilogy:
Photo by Jeff Lange
Pretty neat looking, don't you think?
Also, in this past Monday's story, I mentioned that officials at Walt Disney Studios were being rather closed-mouth when it came to discussing how they thought "Dead Man's Chest" might do over its opening weekend. Out of concern of repeating what just happened with "Cars."
Some JHM readers supposedly thought that I just made up that part of Monday's column. That there was just no way that an official from Walt Disney Studios would actually talk that way to a member of the press. Well, if that were really the case ... Then how do you explain this quote from Chuck Viane, the president of Buena Vista Distribution, which appears in today's "Variety"?
But Disney is staying mum on how big it thinks "Pirates" will be. "I have no idea. I am not even going to fathom a guess," Mouse House distrib topper Chuck Viane said. "No matter how you answer that question, it can come back to hurt you."
That sounds sort of familiar, don't you think?
But JHM readers ... They're not afraid to hazard a guess as to how "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" will do over its opening weekend. As of midnight last night, 170 folks have posted their predictions about this motion picture will do at the box office:
JHM reader's guess at "Dead Man's Chest" opening weekend gross JHM reader's name $46.6 million Chlane $52.5 million Kingmob $61.3 million kingofswing $67.5 million disney my second home $68 million A. K. Hershey $68.1 million Stevie1derful $69.5 million i love donald $71.3 million kelderek $71.6 million Chipnme1962 $72.3 million TerryTiger $74.5 million curmudgeon $77.5 million Topollino $78.4 million Ripthorn $79.5 million TikiBird 73 $80.1 million pfitzsi $81 million ConnerLives $82 million outsider624 $82.5 million colelaus $82.6 million OrangeWhip $82.7 million Gargamike $84.5 million t1carroll $85 million leodavinci $85.3 million Fictitious $85.5 million peoplemover $86.6 million tolkoto $86.9 million kronos77 $87,550,000 Rob $88 million mattyp0119 $88.2 million bigWALL $89.2 million original19 $89.7 million swenocha $89.8 million Oogie13oogie $90.1 million Disneyfamily $90.2 million englishboy $90.3 million LenTesta $90.6 million DizneeProfitEar $91.5 million Lee $91.7 million kgforce $92.3 million wylander $92.3 million Mister Glass $92.5 million nwe $92.6 million Dancing with the Stars! $93 million CraigSam $93.4 million unit42ffd $93.5 million shoewee $93.6 million outsider624 $94.2 million RogerRmjet $94.2 million rjrip $94.5 million peanutj $94.6 million pschnebs $94.8 million abogdan $95.2 million dclyde06 $95.2 million bravesfn1 $95.7 million percy $96.2 million doceagle $96.3 million dsnypaul $96.4 million DwAdale $97.4 million Addie Boy $98.2 million technobrat $98.5 million mschwert11 $98.6 million Moonliner $99 million orljustin $99.5 million NubtheSquirrel $100 million RoadDogBC $100 million N2DVD $100.2 million icrra $100.3 million rricg03 $100.4 million Bixby $101.2 million crow $101.5 million rjrice6173 $101.7 million ESVADJ $102 million thunderl $102.2 million Yensid321 $102.4 million DisneyScott $102.6 million Nitemuze2 $102.6 million brotherdave $103 million ckane123 $103.2 million Cybergosh $103.5 million Electric Panda $104.2 million neon $104 million Bill5925 $104,444,000.44 btbarlow $104.7 million RidePhoto101 $105 million supersanborn $105 million mawnck $105.6 million toddhs $106.2 million DisneyFanatic001 $107.1 million swfanatic $107.35 million jeffsch $107.4 million wolverine92 $108.1 million brer frog $108.5 million RRapier33 $109 million juampi $109.6 million Davidgrahammd $110 million maskdmirag $110.35 million BigDaddy $110.8 million sgtslovak $111 million Smilee306 $111.11 million fliewr $111.12 million craiglisa $111.5 million mickeyfan97 $112 million Abigail's Uncle $112.5 million WDWFanatic $112.5 million a-mad $112.6 million Buck $113.13 million jordn613 $113.7 million k-man $113.7 million volvodrivingdude $114 million anonymouse $114.35 million bhb007 $115.1 million AuntDisney $115.4 million zapatabe $115,527,014 Xited4disney $116.2 million kfrogpaul $116,525,113 RichrayM $116,985,000 cruisedude4 $117,110,708 zenifrax $117.2 million jocksparrow $117.3 million ocjedi $117.3 million mark4407 $117.43 million Tomas Soderlind $117.46 million WelcomeHomeOKW $117.5 million manutdfan $117.5 million POTCgurl $117.6 million greenyskp $117.7 million TZA $118.1 million anthrid $118.215 million Skull Rock Pirate $118.5 million sure $119 million Livia52001 $119.3 million pixiegirltink $119.6 million RenRuiz $120.3 million tericson $120.7 million futureman $121 million Jackthepumpkinking $121.6 million cbissonette $122 million campdisney $122.5 million AlexK $122.7 million JenLoy $123,023,023.42 GeoffreyNeasedotcom $123.6 million PintoColvig $124.3 million Friar Storm $124.6 million Epcotrob $124.6 million ChuckBo $124.7 million pixiesfan37 $125 million Skibammer $126.2 million AnnB $126.3 million indnchf $126.4 million MosquitoControl $126.5 million pacomama $127.1 million juanpablor $127,217,009.42 hagen $128.2 million megaelch $128.4 million jennifer1013 $129.5 million vishazz $130 million brresler $130.5 million mgbrooks $131 million GofForever $132.6 million muppetaphrodite $133.4 million blackcauldron85 $135.63 million aggie96 $136.2 million mnmears $142 million Uncle Ed $144.4 million Gracie $148 million ennsm $150 million Bryangiss $160 million C33 $167.5 million jonyyeh $210.5 million dlr50th $317 million yensidtlaw1969 $321 million otisney
Just a reminder: The JHM reader who comes closest to predicting the exact figure that this Gore Verbinski film earns over its first Friday, Saturday and Sunday in domestic release will win a "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" gift pack. Which includes:
The winner of JHM's latest contest will be announced on Tuesday morning after the final official box office tallies for this upcoming weekend have been posted. Thanks to all of you who decided to take part in this contest ... and good luck.
My apologies if today's column seems to be a bit on the short side. But I now have to go get on line for the first matinee of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." After all these months of yakking about Disney's latest release, I thought that it might be kind of fun to see if the finished product was actually worth all of this fuss.
You folks have a great weekend, okay? We'll talk again on Monday ...
j