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| My Crossing Jordan Experience |
| This is what I wrote after my Crossing Jordan experience. I posted it on a Crossing Jordan message board... HOW... First, let me explain how I ended up with a �walk on role to Crossing Jordan.� In September 2003 there was a �Entertainment Legends, History & Pop Culture Auction� via Julien Entertainment on eBay. It benefited a charity called Artists United. Anyway, it was a live auction with a TON of items being auctioned off. And when it was time for the walk on role for �Crossing Jordan� to be auctioned off, I clicked the word "bid" a BUNCH of times and then within a minute it told me I was the winner- There was this one dude that kept bidding against me. I was in total shock when I won it though. And NO, I am not telling people how much I paid. LOL I am not even telling my family members. It�s embarrassing. But hey, I am a 27-year-old girl with plenty of credit cards, what is a little MORE debt? =0) My student loans are going to kick me in the ass anyway, so who cares man. So that is HOW I ended up on �Crossing Jordan.� WHY... I really only watch a couple shows on TV. �Law & Order- SVU," "CSI," and obviously the other show I religiously watch is �Crossing Jordan.� My friend Jamie in Arizona got me into the show a while back and ever since then I have been addicted. I was already familiar with Jill Hennessy because of �Law & Order� and because, as you know, she is hot. LOL So, no, I don�t want to be an actor, nor do I need to be on a TV show, but I DID want to meet some of my favorite actors and see the set of my favorite TV show. I would have been just as thrilled to sit and watch everyone do their particular job, but I did have a blast being a background person. WHO�. Who was there you ask? Well considering that EVERY cast member is NOT in EVERY scene for EVERY episode I did not get to meet everyone. For example, Kathryn and Jill were only there on two night shoots, so I was not around them as much as other actors. I was in several scenes involving Ravi, Miguel, Jerry, and Steve though. I will talk about the actors later. Muuh-ha-ha-ha. WHEN... I went out to Los Angeles the week of August 8th, 2004. By the time I was on set they were filming the middle part of an episode that will air in late October- Sweeps Week. I was only supposed to be there for one day but they kept offering to let me stay if I was having fun, so I said yeas. I may be free labor to them, but I was SPOILED AS HELL but I will address that later. WHERE... �Crossing Jordan� was being filmed at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. And it was also being filmed at another location in Hidden Valley, I believe? I actually don't remember. WHAT... �What� will take me a bit longer to explain. Since I won a �walk on role� I walked around in the background of shots. No, I did not have a speaking role and I have no idea what shots will make the final cut. I could care less if I was in any of them because I had so much fun! LOL Since I had never been on a set before I felt like a total fish out of water. On the first day I was paired during a shot with an awesome woman named Christie. She does background work for CJ- She is in practically every episode. She is an absolute riot and a sweet chica. I had fun �talking� with her in the shots. I will miss our �clipboard conversations� babe! LOL On the last two days I was with an awesome woman named Val. =0) WHEN I ARRIVED... I arrived at Universal Studios Tuesday morning at 7 AM. You have to have a pass to get on the property. I walked from the front of Universal to the back of the lot where CJ is filmed. I felt soooo out of place. Plus I wasn�t 100% sure where I was going. Anyway, I got to the end of the lot and there were parking spaces for the CJ cast members. I was comforted to know I was in the correct zip code. LOL Anyway, I ran into Derrick. I told him I was a bit lost and tried to explain what I was doing there. Then he said something like, �Hey wait, you are the contest winner. You should have said that.� He took me to the production trailer and introduced me to Craig and several others. Then I was taken to get my clothes. I forget what the man�s name was in wardrobe, but he was very sweet. He handed me a scrubs outfit that fit me perfectly. I am 27 years old and I still can�t find an outfit that easily. Hello?!?! At that point I was introduced to Steve Valentine. He was coming out of hair and makeup. Steve is one badass man! =0) You can tell why he has been snatched up by a woman. He is too sweet and funny. Shortly thereafter I was introduced to Ravi. Another cool dude. Then I was taken to a trailer. They said it was for me. They totally spoiled me! There was no reason for them to go out of their way to be so kind to me, honestly. The crew went out of their way for me. BEING ON A SET... Many things became a blur, so bare with me. I wasn�t exactly eating or sleeping. Hell, on the second day I only ate a Kudos bar and half a quesadilla for food that day because I was so excited. And that was a friggin 16 hour day! LOL I had a blast being a background person. No one believed me that I had flown out from Nashville to be a part of the show. They ESPECIALLY could not believe that I was NOT getting paid. LOL I was too embarrassed to tell them I paid to be there... Makes me sound too pathetic. I was like, �Come on! This is one of my favorite shows!� I just received baffled stares. I was like, �Dude I�m a FAN.� I was also asked several times who my casting agency was, to which I replied with a intelligent, �Huh?� Anyway, the scenes in the morgue were a blast because I had fun folks surrounding me- Trenton and Jeffrey (and Busta Rhymes *winks* Ya-ya YA ya ya LOL) We had fun dancing and singing or lip synching when the cameras were rolling. Everything from Nine Inch Nails to Busta Rhymes. =0) I think we were freaking out Steve M. who was in charge of us. I decided to call us �The Short Bus Crew.� I was captain of course. LOL Go team! LOL (�Let�s give this shot a bit of ebony and ivory baby�- LOL) Steve M. would sarcastically huddle us up like a coach and tell us where to walk like a football play. I was being a smart ass during one of Steve�s �talks� and threw my arms around everyone to make a huddle and I heard someone behind me and it was Jill. I was like, �Nice, let�s continue to confirm that I am psycho.� LOL At one point Jeffrey and I were dancing and carrying on and Jill saw us and told us, �I don�t want to know man, I don�t want to know.� LOL We were able to pick our props for some scenes. I chose the �Specimen igloo� because I thought it looked cool with the words �Specimen� on the outside. *nods head* Awwww yeah. LOL But as I reflect on those tender moments inside the morgue, I realize that I was a definte fan of the clipboard. LOL =0) On one of the nights I asked if I could use my coffee as �my prop� because I felt it was very realistic plus I was trying to keep my caffeine buzz going. FYI- The cast and crew work their asses off into the night, ESPECIALLY the crew. Actors can come and go during the day, but the crew busts their asses at all times. Anyway, when the crew is filming you have to be super quiet. So no matter if you are walking or holding something it has to be Q-U-I-E-T. At one point I went ahead and took my shoes off so there would not be a possibility of ANY noise. Then again it is easier to moonwalk in your socks, now isn�t it? =0) I was having so much fun being background at times I was forgetting that my favorite actors were in the room next to me. It was surreal watching Jill and Eugene shoot a scene in the morgue through the glass of the set window that night. Later on in the morgue, I had to pass Kathryn in the hallway for a shot. On one of the other days I sat on the set and read a script that had already been shot. I could just envision Jill saying the Jordan lines and visualize how it will probably unfold on the TV. Jordan gets the best f***ing lines man. As I read I sat and laughed at the humor, which I hold so dear, meanwhile Miguel walked by in front of me. I was just a bit baffled by the surreal life I was in. I was honored that I got to speak with Scott Williams, the writer of the episode I was there for. I told him that he needs to have a social worker in the morgue because I always fear for my life out I the field. I know I am going to die like Monica Potter�s character in �Patch Adams.� I swear. LESSONS... I learned several things: 1. Background workers RARELY know anything about the show they are on. I described the show to many people. 2. �Cut and print� are good words. 3. The lighting that makes it look like the outside light is hot as hell and would make an incredible reptile lamp. LOL 4. �Vouchers� are important to the background workers if they want to get paid. They are always going on and on about their vouchers. 5. �Sides� are the cheat sheets for the day. They are very helpful to see what scenes and lines are going to be filmed for the day and what actors need to be where at what time. 6. �Video Village� is not so much of a village and it is more of a traveling circus. 7. Hair and make-up people are like magical little elves. I swear they made one of my zits magically disappear. I was in awe. 8. The wardrobe department wears snazzy clothes no matter how long and gruesome the day is. And they have the uncanny ability to look at you and know what out fit will fit you perfectly. It is fascinating! 9. No matter how old you get, you still will have the urge to touch the fake body parts. LOL And some of the "fake things" look pretty, damn creepy. THE ACTORS... So I guess some of ya�ll want the inside scoop on the CJ cast. Now you didn�t hear this from me but.. Jerry O�Connell has three nipples. I swear. I saw it, but I tried not to stare. Okay, okay, I am totally kidding. I am sure they expected a totally fanatical, psycho fan and instead they got a totally enthusiastic smart ass. LOL I had never met anyone in the acting profession before so it was kinda trippy man. It appeared that everyone had been warned that I was on the set. LOL I think the word fan was on the back of my scrubs. LOL The cast and crew of CJ are SO awesome. Everyone reminded me that I was in the middle of a unique situation in which there is an awesome, fun cast and crew that enjoy working together- There is a sense of camaraderie and family. Apparently things are always �nice� like that. For example, the crew would clap for a cast member when a cast member would finish their shot for the day. And before ya�ll ask, no, I did not get any autographs. LOL In hindsight I really should have brought my Komodo DVD. *snicker snicker* The sexy STEVE VALENTINE- He was the first person I met on the set. You can tell why he is married man, he is a total catch. MIGUEL FERRER- He is one funny yet intense dude. He humored me with all my questions. I spoke to him more than anyone else and for that, he holds a special place in my heart from my entire experience. JERRY, "The fat kid from Stand By Me," O�CONNELL- He really is a total hottie.. With like no body fat.. To which I hate him... LOL I asked a crewmember if I had to pay extra for the wardrobe changes on set right in front of me. LOL Every day I got a hug from him! And I *really* enjoyed his sarcasm. He has an *excellent* sense of humor man!! RAVI KAPOOR- I did not get to talk to him much. The utterly adorable KATHRYN HAHN- She could be Lily in real life- I could see her being a grief counselor. I am fairly intuitive and she seems to have a HUGE heart. She seems like the kind of friend that I would be protective of. I let her know that she absolutely cracked me up in �Anchorman.� Note to everyone reading this: Kathryn Hahn is a total sweetheart. �The JILL HENNESSY�- It was awesome to meet her. I know I acted like a complete dork when I was talking to her, but I knew that all the other background guys knew I was excited to meet her, so I could feel their eyes piercing me as I spoke. A few things: A) There is a goofy pic of her in hair and makeup? B) While talking to her I became OVERLY aware of my usage of the words �Dude� and �Man.� It totally tripped me out.. man. C) She reminds me of Amy Grant. And to the wild card EUGENE BYRD- He is one chivalrous, awesome dude! I was thrilled to meet him. There are so many people in a crew: Set construction dudes, stand-ins, director of photography, dolly grip, hair and make-up, wardrobe peeps, etc, etc. It is crazy! Do ya�ll even know how many people it takes to synchronize a shot?!!? It is unf***ingbelieveable! So, I also want to mention ALLAN A- *bows down* It was an honor to watch him work. I have such a respect for what he does. He spent a lot of time talking to me between takes. I love telling people how he walked me into Jordan�s office and asked me where I was and it took a second for me to figure it out, and then I shouted that it was Jordan�s office with absolute delight because- A) I figured it out and B) I was in Jordan�s office! LOL PICTURES... I did take a couple pictures. I was unsure if I could take pictures and then I got all shy; which is an emotion that few people believe I contain. I felt like a freak enough being the �fan on the set.� Anyway, there are a couple pictures are on my web site at: http://www.geocities.com/complicated_texan/Crossing_Jordan.html Overall I had a BLAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want this show to stay on for as long as the cast and crew want it to work. Everyone was too awesome!! I spoke with an anonymous crew member and I told her I thought it was so cool how everyone got along so well, and she said that "everyone had worked really hard to get where they were.� I still can�t believe people get paid to do that!! The first night I went to bed, my brain was on overload. How does a girl process so many new experiences in one day?!!? For a self-confessed list maker, it was hard to fall asleep. =0) The End |