Shooting: "WaMu" @ Sunset-Gower Studios. For me, the moment of truth arrived at 9am on Stage 7. I had to deliver the goods and to be honest; I was nervous. I didn't think I would straight up fail; I just didn't want to be the weak link.
So I check-in with the 2nd AD and get nourishment in the form of breakfast. I wanted French toast, but I didn't want to take a chance on feeling “all blah” from the sugary syrup.
About an hour later I'm finishing make-up and called to wardrobe. I didn't totally know what to expect as far as my costume because they were redoing my top and altering the pants.
Yesterday, when I tried on the pants, I was wearing boxer briefs. Since the pants are so tight, things got kinda bunched up under there. So the wardrobe person suggested I wear a thong or go bare back for the shoot. WHAT!?!?! Thong-th-th-th-THONG?!? I don’t know about that. I am definitely not going commando or bare back, the thong-th-th-th thong….I admittedly thought about it. Hey, it would have been part of the job AND it would’ve given me and my brothers something to laugh about. THAT, in itself is worth it.
Anyway, I elected to just wear brief underwear….and bring a back-up pair that I could cut into a thong-th-th-th-thong if my “panty lines” were showing. What the heck have I gotten myself into? So I tried on the top and it fit like a glove. I looked in the mirror and was like “OH SNAP!!” I felt like a freakin’ starrah, LOL! …until I looked down and saw the “snap-crotch” dealio hanging in the breeze. Not this again…yup I reached down and snapped myself up. I just shook my head.
Now for the pants. OMG!! They were SO tight after being altered, they actually made the crotch tighter. A brother had NO room down there…none. I felt asexual. There was no way I’d be able to fit my David Lee Roth “bulge sock” in there now…ya know how rock-stars do it. Whatever….
So I get them zipped and snapped up and …oh sh*t I look kinda aiight!!! I mean I can really wear this get-up. I turn around to check my backside in the mirror to see if there are any panty lines…butta! I FEEL GOOD! I’m tellin’ ya; this suit was fo real!!! Flare legged pants, V-neck, tight sleeves…and accented in rhinestones!!! I’m ready. Let’s not forget that I’m still in the dressing room…by myself.
LOL! Now it’s time to walk from stage 8 where we filmed the bank stuff to stage 7 where the dance sequence was to be shot. This meant walking past normal people while, basically, wearing a clown suit. I must admit it felt a little weird at first. I now have an understanding when women tie sweaters or jackets around their waist so their a** isn’t completely on display for men to google at. At least that’s why I think they do it. For the record, I’ve never once turned back and looked at a woman and wondered what was under the jacket tied around her waist…never. I wouldn’t do that…that would be so wrong of me. What woman, in her right mind, would want a man to wonder what was under the jacket around her waist?
The walk to Stage 7 took, what seemed, an eternity, but I made it. I got the once over, from the directors, Will & Josh, the creative team and the crew. Everybody seemed very happy with how the costume came out. The wardrobe person asked what I was wearing underneath…I just smiled. So I linked up with the choreographer, Eboni Nichols, for some warm ups to get in the space to perform. My wife showed up looking fabulous in her dress and we were ready to rehearse.
My mind was racing a mile a minute. What a minute – “A mile a minute?” I’ve been saying that for years, but what does it really mean? That’s only 60 miles an hour. My mind was racing at least 150 miles an hour. So, here we go; my mind was racing “2.5 miles a minute” as we set up for the first dry run. I do my dance move and my wife and I come together for the lift. It doesn’t go so great, but it’s not bad for the first one…to get us in the mood. Will comes out from the video village to give notes and we go at it again – better, but still not there.
About now we starting actually filming, getting notes, filming, getting notes, etc. Obviously, my wife was rigged in a harness under her dress, but there was definitely some lifting on my part involved. Plus, the moves were super complicated in order to sell it. Part of the joke was the fact that I am a little guy and my wife is a larger woman. That coupled with the fact that we are running together for me to lift her in this dance sequence was challenging to say the least. Stay tuned.
Between camera set-ups I checked my voicemail and my agent had called with a last minute commercial audition for this afternoon. I don’t think I’ll be able to make it, but I’ll keep it in the back on my head. I love that about them; even though I’m working they are still trying find new work opportunities for me. We are on the same page with that sort of thing. On the day that I had a 1pm call time I let them know I was available from 10am until 12 noon for appointments. Gotta run a tight ship.
The really important thing for me to do was to get a good grip on her thighs to support her. Much easier said than done; the material of her dress was so slippery that my hands kept sliding. On most every take I would get a face full of rhinestones from her dress, breasts from her chest or something hard from the rigging apparatus underneath her dress…or a knee. Trust me; I was earning my stunt pay bump.
Quiet on the set! We’re Rolling! Speed! Action Eboni! 5-6-7-8 and 1…
My wife, Shante, does her spin…On the other end of the stage Stephon does his “cool dancer guy” move. Shante begins to move toward her loving husband in the center of the stage; Stephon does the same.
It was around this time that my life went into slow motions. I was determined to “grab those thighs with meaning” and get it right this time. My game-face was on and I was mid-stride coming toward my loving wife. Still in slow motions; I went low for the perfect grab and that was when I felt rhinestones, flesh, chest, breasts, my glasses become one with my face. Right about then is when I saw the white light. The sound of my neck cracking seem to go on forever. At this point I was standing completely straight-up getting ready to fall completely straight down. I instinctively grabbed onto her as the birds started chirping and flying around my head. I just held onto her because otherwise I was would fell the eff out right on the stage. My a** was Dazed and Confused fo real!!!
Everything shut down for a moment while I sat and gathered my bearings. I was twisted. Will came over to check on me and said that, funny enough, until the collision that that was the best take of all. Still dazed; I laughed and said “At least I know where I need to be now”. I chilled for another 5-7 minutes and was ready to work again.
It reminded me of an incident several years ago on a shoot. This acting/stunt stuff ain’t easy kids.
Back to the task at hand; things started to come together. I felt better with each take and I eventually heard that great phrase, “We’re moving on!” YES! I did it! I delivered the goods. But I wasn’t totally finished; there was a little more dancing to come.
I have to tell you; I really felt like a performer while doing this. I mean, my wife had pretty dress on which was slightly odd, but what I was wearing was out of this world. I became completely comfortable in my costume and my work; not self conscious at all – no jacket around my waist! I even had one of the female crew members tell me that I had really “nice buns”! WHAT!!!! I couldn’t believe it! Now that I think about it I’ve been told that before, but I never took it seriously. Oh sh*t. Watch out for Stephon in the ’08 – professionally and personally. “Nice buns” get women all kinds of attention – for better or worse.…I wonder what it can do for Stephon…
Thankfully, the one hour lunch was upon us. I felt great, ate, read and relaxed because I knew my little dancing part was to be filmed soon. I went back to the stage early to get warmed up and ready. The dance moves were constantly changing so me, not being a dancer, really had to be on my toes.
We shot two different versions of my dance moves; one for each commercial and it went well I think. With that, I was wrapped for the shoot. I got back in my street clothes and the PA who walked me back to set to sign out didn’t even recognize me once I got swagger back. No more rhinestones, no more crotch snaps!
I didn’t make it to the audition that my agent called about earlier; I’ll try to get into callbacks tomorrow. But I will be able to make it to my training tonight; I’m really tired and sore, but I gotta do what I gotta do…I even did a couple of drop-offs before leaving the lot.
The screen on my digital camera finally broke so I didn’t get any great photos like usual, but hopefully a few will be sent to me.
Ironically, I auditioned for and had a callback for the last “WaMu” campaign back in February ’06. This isn’t a campaign, but it’s a great feeling to book something – especially something I didn’t even have an appointment for.
I know I shouldn’t be, but I’m still in complete amazement that these new strategies have paid dividends in such a direct way and in such quick fashion.
So I check-in with the 2nd AD and get nourishment in the form of breakfast. I wanted French toast, but I didn't want to take a chance on feeling “all blah” from the sugary syrup.
About an hour later I'm finishing make-up and called to wardrobe. I didn't totally know what to expect as far as my costume because they were redoing my top and altering the pants.
Yesterday, when I tried on the pants, I was wearing boxer briefs. Since the pants are so tight, things got kinda bunched up under there. So the wardrobe person suggested I wear a thong or go bare back for the shoot. WHAT!?!?! Thong-th-th-th-THONG?!? I don’t know about that. I am definitely not going commando or bare back, the thong-th-th-th thong….I admittedly thought about it. Hey, it would have been part of the job AND it would’ve given me and my brothers something to laugh about. THAT, in itself is worth it.
Anyway, I elected to just wear brief underwear….and bring a back-up pair that I could cut into a thong-th-th-th-thong if my “panty lines” were showing. What the heck have I gotten myself into? So I tried on the top and it fit like a glove. I looked in the mirror and was like “OH SNAP!!” I felt like a freakin’ starrah, LOL! …until I looked down and saw the “snap-crotch” dealio hanging in the breeze. Not this again…yup I reached down and snapped myself up. I just shook my head.
Now for the pants. OMG!! They were SO tight after being altered, they actually made the crotch tighter. A brother had NO room down there…none. I felt asexual. There was no way I’d be able to fit my David Lee Roth “bulge sock” in there now…ya know how rock-stars do it. Whatever….
So I get them zipped and snapped up and …oh sh*t I look kinda aiight!!! I mean I can really wear this get-up. I turn around to check my backside in the mirror to see if there are any panty lines…butta! I FEEL GOOD! I’m tellin’ ya; this suit was fo real!!! Flare legged pants, V-neck, tight sleeves…and accented in rhinestones!!! I’m ready. Let’s not forget that I’m still in the dressing room…by myself.
LOL! Now it’s time to walk from stage 8 where we filmed the bank stuff to stage 7 where the dance sequence was to be shot. This meant walking past normal people while, basically, wearing a clown suit. I must admit it felt a little weird at first. I now have an understanding when women tie sweaters or jackets around their waist so their a** isn’t completely on display for men to google at. At least that’s why I think they do it. For the record, I’ve never once turned back and looked at a woman and wondered what was under the jacket tied around her waist…never. I wouldn’t do that…that would be so wrong of me. What woman, in her right mind, would want a man to wonder what was under the jacket around her waist?
The walk to Stage 7 took, what seemed, an eternity, but I made it. I got the once over, from the directors, Will & Josh, the creative team and the crew. Everybody seemed very happy with how the costume came out. The wardrobe person asked what I was wearing underneath…I just smiled. So I linked up with the choreographer, Eboni Nichols, for some warm ups to get in the space to perform. My wife showed up looking fabulous in her dress and we were ready to rehearse.
My mind was racing a mile a minute. What a minute – “A mile a minute?” I’ve been saying that for years, but what does it really mean? That’s only 60 miles an hour. My mind was racing at least 150 miles an hour. So, here we go; my mind was racing “2.5 miles a minute” as we set up for the first dry run. I do my dance move and my wife and I come together for the lift. It doesn’t go so great, but it’s not bad for the first one…to get us in the mood. Will comes out from the video village to give notes and we go at it again – better, but still not there.
About now we starting actually filming, getting notes, filming, getting notes, etc. Obviously, my wife was rigged in a harness under her dress, but there was definitely some lifting on my part involved. Plus, the moves were super complicated in order to sell it. Part of the joke was the fact that I am a little guy and my wife is a larger woman. That coupled with the fact that we are running together for me to lift her in this dance sequence was challenging to say the least. Stay tuned.
Between camera set-ups I checked my voicemail and my agent had called with a last minute commercial audition for this afternoon. I don’t think I’ll be able to make it, but I’ll keep it in the back on my head. I love that about them; even though I’m working they are still trying find new work opportunities for me. We are on the same page with that sort of thing. On the day that I had a 1pm call time I let them know I was available from 10am until 12 noon for appointments. Gotta run a tight ship.
The really important thing for me to do was to get a good grip on her thighs to support her. Much easier said than done; the material of her dress was so slippery that my hands kept sliding. On most every take I would get a face full of rhinestones from her dress, breasts from her chest or something hard from the rigging apparatus underneath her dress…or a knee. Trust me; I was earning my stunt pay bump.
Quiet on the set! We’re Rolling! Speed! Action Eboni! 5-6-7-8 and 1…
My wife, Shante, does her spin…On the other end of the stage Stephon does his “cool dancer guy” move. Shante begins to move toward her loving husband in the center of the stage; Stephon does the same.
It was around this time that my life went into slow motions. I was determined to “grab those thighs with meaning” and get it right this time. My game-face was on and I was mid-stride coming toward my loving wife. Still in slow motions; I went low for the perfect grab and that was when I felt rhinestones, flesh, chest, breasts, my glasses become one with my face. Right about then is when I saw the white light. The sound of my neck cracking seem to go on forever. At this point I was standing completely straight-up getting ready to fall completely straight down. I instinctively grabbed onto her as the birds started chirping and flying around my head. I just held onto her because otherwise I was would fell the eff out right on the stage. My a** was Dazed and Confused fo real!!!
Everything shut down for a moment while I sat and gathered my bearings. I was twisted. Will came over to check on me and said that, funny enough, until the collision that that was the best take of all. Still dazed; I laughed and said “At least I know where I need to be now”. I chilled for another 5-7 minutes and was ready to work again.
It reminded me of an incident several years ago on a shoot. This acting/stunt stuff ain’t easy kids.
Back to the task at hand; things started to come together. I felt better with each take and I eventually heard that great phrase, “We’re moving on!” YES! I did it! I delivered the goods. But I wasn’t totally finished; there was a little more dancing to come.
I have to tell you; I really felt like a performer while doing this. I mean, my wife had pretty dress on which was slightly odd, but what I was wearing was out of this world. I became completely comfortable in my costume and my work; not self conscious at all – no jacket around my waist! I even had one of the female crew members tell me that I had really “nice buns”! WHAT!!!! I couldn’t believe it! Now that I think about it I’ve been told that before, but I never took it seriously. Oh sh*t. Watch out for Stephon in the ’08 – professionally and personally. “Nice buns” get women all kinds of attention – for better or worse.…I wonder what it can do for Stephon…
Thankfully, the one hour lunch was upon us. I felt great, ate, read and relaxed because I knew my little dancing part was to be filmed soon. I went back to the stage early to get warmed up and ready. The dance moves were constantly changing so me, not being a dancer, really had to be on my toes.
We shot two different versions of my dance moves; one for each commercial and it went well I think. With that, I was wrapped for the shoot. I got back in my street clothes and the PA who walked me back to set to sign out didn’t even recognize me once I got swagger back. No more rhinestones, no more crotch snaps!
I didn’t make it to the audition that my agent called about earlier; I’ll try to get into callbacks tomorrow. But I will be able to make it to my training tonight; I’m really tired and sore, but I gotta do what I gotta do…I even did a couple of drop-offs before leaving the lot.
The screen on my digital camera finally broke so I didn’t get any great photos like usual, but hopefully a few will be sent to me.
Ironically, I auditioned for and had a callback for the last “WaMu” campaign back in February ’06. This isn’t a campaign, but it’s a great feeling to book something – especially something I didn’t even have an appointment for.
I know I shouldn’t be, but I’m still in complete amazement that these new strategies have paid dividends in such a direct way and in such quick fashion.
P.S. Everyday, including the last day I left the set and forgot to return the prop wedding band I was wearing. It looks okay on my hand - maybe I'll continue to wear it. If I only could of kept my dancing costume! It would have been perfect for Halloween in West Hollywood.
http://www.stephonfuller.com/consultations.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hRX79E75yA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vMXinr1N9w
4 comments:
brother, you never fail to crack me up with your on-set tales. congrats on "WaMu" and if that prop wedding band ever turns pro, i for sure cannot wait to hear all about your adventures in married life ;-)
Hi,
I like the profile pic. Is that you?
Thanks Frances!
Also I like that phrase "turns pro". It has a nice ring to it.
Yup TB, that's me on my 'lil brothers' RM after blowing the top end on my CR. Can't wait to get back to Virginia and go ride some more.
Happy Holidays!
Stephon
Hahahahahahahahaha...
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