Adam Sandler, Jack Nicholson and I made a movie in 2002
I got the call that would be my “big break,” to see what life was really like on a film set.
Having done theatre for years, I knew it would be a “hurry up and wait” situation with getting all the lights, cameras, set pieces, costumes, makeup, hair, talent, microphones and more set before you even begin filming, but I had yet to experience it myself.
I was selected to be an extra, now “background performer,” on the set of Adam Sandler’s film “Anger Management,” which was filming for four nights at Yankee Stadium.
We prepared to film from 9 pm to 4 am. The company in charge of the extra talent offered food, drink, experience, and raffles for the 80 of us who stuck through the four days of filming.
Prepared for the monotony of sitting around and waiting until the four seconds we are needed, I packed extra snacks, a book to read, my discman, and my notebook. Remember, these days were not smartphone days in 2001. They were flip-phones-at-best-unless-you-were-a-lawyer -and-had-a-Blackberry days.
I was in the minority of prepared folks, and several left early after the initial excitement of “being on a movie set” wore off and the evening of setting up and resetting up stretched out.
I took copious notes on how things were being handled, who was responsible for what, the actors and notes, what I could observe, hear, feel, all of it.
After all, I was studying for a future profession, I assured myself.
The assistant directors moved us around the stadium after we signed waivers that they could “duplicate” us with CGI, computer-generated imagery, to make it look like there were thousands of us in a packed stadium, when in longer shots, there were less than 50 of us, propped between cardboard cutouts of people. We were given the instructions to make the cardboard move with our arms outstretched, with the hope that the background image showed a blur of “fans” at the fictitious game with its movement.
I was thrilled to be a part of movie-history, even as the sun tried to creep out of the darkness and I knew I would be late for work if I didn’t leave immediately.
On the final day of shooting, fewer people showed up and the deadlines neared all the closer. Our last shot was of Adam Sandler running up the stairs through the crowd to kiss Marisa Tomei at the top of the bleachers.
They told us where they had positioned the cameras, one from the ground, one from the balcony overhang, and one at Marisa’s shoulders. We only had one chance to get this right as the sun was coming up, potentially ruining the take with the lighting changes.
They asked us to not look at the cameras.
Everyone else obliged, but I was overwhelmed with the movie-making process, and looked directly at the balcony camera during that final shot. I really didn’t mean to - and I realize that doesn’t change things.
Thankfully, I was far enough away from the process that they didn’t reshoot, but when the film released in 2003, I saw myself on the big screen making that blunder, and I laughed.
That experience was enjoyable because it was a distraction, I knew I was helping the filming community and learning at the same time, and it was an escape from the constant pain I and others were feeling. For NYC, and across the country, we were continuing to move, creating new things in the middle of sadness and sorrow, and helping to launch the career of Adam Sandler.
I think he’s done okay for himself.
I still haven’t received any thank you card though.
If you pause this clip at 2:35, Adam is running up the stairs to kiss Marisa, but I’m about four people to the right of the aisle in row 6-7 - tan, mullet hairstyle, blue Yankees tshirt. If you watch, you’ll see her bob and weave and then look directly up at the camera above.
