Picking up where “A member of the wetting … er … wedding party” and “Do you like pain? Try wearing a corset” left off, Lady F. now describes her last day on the set of this Gore Verbinski film:
A later call this morning – 8:30. The rain that has been drenching Glendale lifts by the time I get to San Pedro and the sky is full of mountainous, puffy, white clouds. The temperature is cooler today, the sun weakly warm. I see fellow “background artists” trickling in to have a forage at the breakfast wagon. I forego the made-to-order omelettes, waffles, and blueberry pancakes, and have tea and fruit (Corset!)
Off to the warehouse to start the dressing procedure. It’s funny how eager the men are to see the ladies dressed. I’m sure it would be a different story if they had to endure tight lacing for a 12 hour day! There are fewer of us here today, so we’re dressed faster. I go over to hair and make-up and wait for a free chair. A man with a steadi-cam swoops down the line of extras, more DVD footage perhaps.
Elizabeth’s shoes
Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises
Martha does my make-up this morning (Beautifully, I might add) even though there’s so little of it. We are warned several times not to add lipstick, mascara, or eyeliner. Apparently there were several ladies yesterday who improved upon the make-up artist’s craft. I do remember one silver-haired woman with bright pink fingernails and matching pink lipstick.
Michael re-does my hair quickly. I actually slept with it up. I was too afraid to take it down. Of course back in the day, you might keep your hair like that for a week before combing it out.
Down to the set, where we find Gore Verbinski decked out in a black slicker with silver clasps and matching rain hood. Kind of like the Gorton Fisherman in negative.
We get rolling with more close-ups of Gov. Swann’s confrontation with Lord Beckett, who is ably portrayed by Tom Hollander. He has fantastic comic timing and a delivery so dry, it’s perfect. He is deluged with the ever-present movie rain. This and a stiff wind blowing in from the sea, make it a very muddy, cold morning. The first set-up with dialogue is more intimate and nuanced, both Jonathan and Tom doing slightly different takes.
Lord Beckett
Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises
A couple of funny moments where Tom is stopped mid-line by Jonathan saying “Raindrop!” as a huge drop clings to the tip of Hollander’s nose. Tom is burdened with some important exposition and — after beginning with a commanding “Governor Wetherby Swann …” — goes up on his line and then lets loose with a choice expletive.
It’s hard to hear a lot of the dialogue, due to the rain. One of the musicians drops the bridge from his viola. Jonathan Pryce picks it up for him, and Orlando –seeing that this movie musician doesn’t actually know where a bridge goes on a voila — says helpfully “On the bottom.” I smile and catch his eye briefly. My only scene with Orlando Bloom.
Take after take. Keira Knightley is out on the lawn again, drenched and shivering, wringing water of her drowned veil. The lakes on the lawn grow larger. The chairs are overturned and thrown aside, as though the wedding party tried to get to safety by climbing over each other. The delicate cakes and pastries on platters are now pitted with rain; some tartlets are starting to liquefy.
We do more shots of Keira running to the arcade. Make-up and hair give out chemical hand warmers and towels for the little ones to wrap around their shoulders. The sea wind continues to blow the rain further in, and we get wetter and wetter. We have nothing on Keira though, who is near the front of the windy bluff, on her knees being pelted with rain hoses … And then they turn on the giant wind fans! Which are strong enough to knock over 1 … 2 … 3 full flower urns, and even billow her sopping wet veil. This continues for at least two or three takes. In between shots, Ms. Knightley is covered by a fleece blanket and bundled into the sunshine.
Keira Knightly
Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises
We work through the afternoon. A few quick breaks to hit the catering stand, where snacks of cereal, Danish and PBJ sandwiches can be consumed while our feet are thawed on sun-warmed tiles. Jonathan Pryce has a camera with him and is shooting pictures of “Dead Man’s Chest” wedding guests juxtaposed against 21st century objects.
A few words about Mr. Pryce: He’s a complete gentleman. Both days that he was on the set, he made a point of saying “Good Morning” to all the extras. Jonathan also made an effort to try & keep things amusing during those two long, wet days at the set. At one point cracking up both the cast & the crew by doing a gleeful dance as he pantomimed eating an entire tray of tarts.
But what most impressed me about Mr. Pryce was his professionalism. Even when his character was supposed to be off-camera (Meaning that Jonathan didn’t really have to be on the set), he stayed close nearby. Feeding his character’s lines to those performers who were still on camera. Though I guess I should point out that — at moments like this — Pryce would shuck his Governor Swann costume & wig and do his dialogue while wearing a rain jacket & gumboots.
Jonathan Pryce as Governor Swan
Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises
Back to the shooting of “Dead Man’s Chest” now … At one point in the afternoon, I look around the set. To my left, Orlando Bloom is in chains. To my right, Lord Becket stands with his full entourage. Then it hits me: I’m actually in one of those old-fashioned costume pictures that Hollywood (now that we’re in the age of CG) isn’t supposed to make anymore. How very cool!
Orlando Bloom as Will Turner
Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises
Speaking of costumes … The ladies on set continually marvel at the effect that our tightly-laced-up outfits have on the male members of the cast & the crew. The guys continually shower us with attention. They regularly offer to retrieve garters that spring off, pick up fans that have fallen away. The men even offer to do whatever they have to in order to recover earrings that have dropped down into bodices …
But there is no time for any bawdy behavior. For — late in the afternoon — “Pirates” producer Jerry Bruckheimer appears. Camera in tow, Jerry begins shooting candids of the cast, crew and extras … But only when people aren’t looking at him.
As the production day draws to a close, I chat with a few members of the crew. Who cannot resist cluing me in on some of “Dead Man’s Chest” ‘s plot. What little I hear makes me laugh a lot.
Mind you, I don’t mean it to sound as if all the “Pirates” production team did was stand around goofing off & gossiping. Even during those rare moments when the cast & extras could kick back a bit, rest, maybe grab a snack … The crew was in constant motion. Adjusting camera angles, tweaking the lighting, shifting the camera position, redressing the set, freshening hair and make-up. As chaotic as it may all look & sound to someone just arriving on the set, the truth of the matter is that the film production process is incredibly organized. As an extra, my main job is to be ready to work as soon as the crew has completed all of the necessary prep work.
Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises
And then — suddenly — the production day is done. The extras for the Port Royal wedding sequence are all finally released at 6:00 p.m. As we walk off the set, I notice that the crew is already striking the wedding banquet set and getting the San Pedro location ready for its next set of shots. I’m told that the arcade set will soon be fitted with sets of iron bars that it can then be used as a prison setting for the film.
l wander back back to the warehouse, hoping to find someone who can then help me get out of my costume. Sadly, wardrobe is on a break at the moment. So I have to dine in my corset … Drat!
This time around, though, I do eat a lot. Knowing my 18th century torture device will soon be removed. At the back of the dining tent, I notice a laptop with a ship schematic revolving on it. Given all of the designers that are clustered around this machine, I assume that a mini “POTC” production meeting is now underway.
Making my way back to the warehouse, I finally change out of my costume and say goodbye to my fellow Port Royalers. The stars are sharp and bright, Orion twinkling overhead as I walk to the parking lot.
I have to admit that I feel a little melancholy. For 48 hours, I was a part of this amazing project. The cast and crew would go on for another year or more before they finally finished these two “Pirates” sequels. But as for me, my tiny part in this enormous motion picture is now complete.
Just like the rest of the world, I look forward to seeing “Dead Man’s Chest” on the big screen tomorrow. And maybe — just maybe — if I’m lucky, I’ll catch a glimpse of a gossipy, 18th century mistress who just looks like me in the background of a few key scenes.