Following up on last Thursday’s story … Lady F. now shares some excerpts from the journal that she kept on the set of “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.” Which detailed many of the interesting experiences that this enterprising extra had while working on this Gore Verbinski film:
First some frillies & finery …
11:30 a.m. I sign in to get my SAG voucher, measurement sheet, a plastic garment bag and 5 or 6 tags with a number, which I will drop off with each department I visit. A camera crew is passing through the hallway filming people as they sign in. “Pirates” costume designer Penny Rose (funny, earthy, with a touch of salt) is rustling through the hallways, and fabulous, luscious costumes are walking past me. A dark haired woman in peach satin, periwigged men in cream and gold lace. It’s amazing how 20th century faces are transformed by 18th century clothes.
They say there will be over 60 fittings today. A huge amount of work, as they average almost an hour. We wait on metal chairs in the hallway until our number is called. The soundtrack from the first movie is floating through the air. Everyone who has been fitted stands for a full length Polaroid in the hallway. They are tacked up all over the walls. Dock workers, farmers, pirates, merchants, wenches. Each one fascinating, unique and totally authentic to the period.
Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises
We walk into a large warehouse size room, rows & rows of racks of clothing. 5 small changing tents on the right, which usually take two or three people at a time. As I enter the tent, Penny calls out, “Did I just see a redhead go in? I’ve got just the gown for you!” She did this for each individual who came to the fitting. When you watch the film, take note of how many people you see onscreen and remember that Ms. Rose dressed them all.
As we change with the assistance of 2 or 3 dressers, Penny keeps the pace up. “I’m getting bored. Station #2, where are you?” As each person emerges, she makes any adjustments to clothing, notes any alterations needed, and then assigns accessories: shoes, hats, and jewelry. I am dressed in:
- A cotton chemise
- White thigh-length cotton stockings (with garters to tie them on)
- Red pumps with bows
- A basket pannier (It makes your skirt stand out) with petticoat attached
- An 18th century style corset.
- A rust-colored silk skirt embroidered in green, blue, orange and gold thread with gold spangles
- An over-skirt with bodice attached of the same material with ruching at the neckline
- An open-work straw hat with lace
- And a cameo necklace, brooch and earrings
One of the dressers tells me that all the costume houses in Europe were raided for 18th century finery to dress a cast of thousands (My dress and shoes have an Italian label). As I walk out, Ms. Rose cries:”You’re gorgeous! Here’s your backstory, you’re the Governor’s mistress!”
Penny adds that she hopes that they won’t wig me but use my own hair. Which they do, due to a wig shortage (Tortuga is also being dressed today). I am captured by Kodak and float out the door at 1:30 p.m.
Next, an early morning drive to the “Dead Man’s Chest” set …
6:00 a.m. The moon is still out as I drive along the coast of Palos Verdes and through the gate marked with a “whale tail”, the last vestiges of Marineland. I park in the lot and find my way to a former warehouse that is now being used as a giant dressing area/ holding tank for the extras.
I’m in the first group to get changed. Jessica, my dresser, laces my corset gradually so I’m not overcome with lacing shock. Sunscreen and a very faint make-up are applied. Everyone is so courteous and helpful despite the fact that they have at least 100 people to dress.
As I wait for a hair station to open, I try to think of a great name for my “mistress” alter ego. Celeste? Olivia? Charlotte? I settle on Lady Fanny Beaumont, slightly trampy with a little French for class. The redcoats or marines are having their hair done first, so that they then can get out and drill. Then the bluecoats (officers), and finally the wedding guests.
Michael, who used to work on Les Mis, whips my hair up into a formidable pompadour with ringlets. After one more line-up for Penny Rose (“Gorgeous, darling. Beautiful. Lovely.”), the first group ready heads down to the set. Ladies holding their skirts aloft so they won’t drag in the mud. The men on set are quite enamored of the corseted female form. And there are many offers to help the ladies as they adjust their – ahem – “attributes”.
I end up in the front row of the wedding guests, paired with Michael, a silver-wigged, green-eyed gentleman whose nose is a bit nipped by the cold. Behind me is Kyle (a producer/cinematographer himself) in a long brown periwig. A shoe-button eyed 10 year old and his sister, both adorable in blue, are placed in front of me. I immediately concoct a story in my head that Michael, my lordly husband, thinks that these children are his … But I know better. But who then is their real father? The Governor or that 6-foot-tall, dark-eyed, flirty naval officer in the Governor’s entourage?
We rehearse. And then props are added. At one point, I am holding a fan, hankie and a teacup … Wait … now no teacup … The guests in this particular scene are supposed to be too horrified to be imbibing.
And then comes the call for “First team!” Which means that director Gore Verbinski as well as Keira Knightley, Orlando Bloom and Jonathan Pryce will soon be arriving on the set.
Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises
Once these four arrive, we finally begin shooting. A two shot, then a close-up. Then Jonathan Pryce was shot pushing aside various citizens of Port Royal in order to reach his mark. And among those that Pryce (in a completely gentlemanly sort of way) shoves aside is yours truly.
At 1:00 p.m. we break for lunch. And none too soon. For Sarah — a blue-eyed blonde — nearly faints and has to be cut out of her tightly laced corset.
Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises
Given how many extras there are on hand for the shooting of this particulat scene, we eat in shifts. Which gives us time to sit in the sun and warm-up a bit. Recover from sitting out in the artificial rain all morning.
Giving the setting and the way we’re all dressed, it all seems rather surreal. Particularly when one of Lord Beckett’s marines begins whaling on his guitar, serving up an acoustic version of “I Shot the Sheriff.” Which seems vaguely appropriate, given the Caribbean setting.
Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises
Speaking of serving … The spread that’s set up in the catering tent for the extras is a marvel. An ice galleon laden with oysters and shrimp stands in one corner. Carved hot roast beef, herbed chicken, a salad & hot pasta station plus a table loaded with pastries. This is wedding-quality food. Good wedding-quality food!
Unfortunately, given that I am still tightly laced into my costume, I am forced to behave. Which is why I have a sliver of beef, a tiny chicken leg and the smallest pastry I can find (Corsets are great diet aids).
As soon as we finish lunch, we all head back to the warehouse for quick make-up & costuming touch ups. Once that’s complete, we all troop back over to the set. As the sun gets lower and lower over the Pacific.
During a break, I meet Oroc, one of the liveried servants in this sequence. He is from Cameroon and has a beautiful accent. We both marvel that he, an actor from Africa, and I, an actress from Virginia should end up in this particular place at the same time.
And anytime a break occurs, cell phones are whipped out from costumes. The whole town of Port Royal making calls.
The last shot of the day has the camera out on the lawn pointing inland. Keira in the foreground, while her guests pity the poor girl from a distance …
And then we’re done. A fat moon rises as I walk through the darkened parking lot. As I climb into my car, I leave Old Port Royal behind and begin the long drive back to the 20th century.
Coming on Thursday! Lady F. completes her report from the set of “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” with a few anecdotes about some of the big-name actors in the cast.