Fourteen months ago, I was filmed as an extra in a scene for Public Enemies. I made the cut!

It's the scene of the Senate hearing. I am the senator (Sen. O'Mahoney - just the part for a Jewish guy with a big nose) just to the right (as you're looking at the screen) of the senator with the speaking part who is played by Ed Bruce who was the Sheriff in the remake Bret Maverick TV movie and series in 1981-1982. The only other speaking part in the scene is J. Edgar Hoover, played by Billy Crudup.

When we first sat down, I was going to be Sen. Harry Truman and was seated two places to the left of Ed Bruce. Michael Mann switched some of us and placed me in the better position.

I had to shave my beard, get a goofy 1930s haircut and Michael Mann told me to take off the period glasses they had given me. I was directed by Michael Mann!

Please refer all future requests for my acting services to my agent.

Can I have your autograph?

E

Awesome man! I'm guessing you kept your,"Global Warming is a Lie and Al Gore is a Fatty!" rants to yourself since you didn't get tossed off the set and you made the cut..

Yes, I behaved.

Is this your first appearance as an extra?

Yes. Like many scenes in the movie, it was filmed in Wisconsin. This scene was filmed in a hearing room in the Wisconsin State Capitol.

Sure but it will have to be one of those mechanical reproductions. Demand is just too high.

Was it a fun experience?

That's awesome, man!

So, how was Michael Mann on the set, doing what he does best?!

It was fun but kind of exhausting. It was a 15½ hour day with most of it waiting around. Still, we were in that room for several sessions for a total of at least 3-4 hours. There must have been at least 50 takes for a one minute scene. Mann is a perfectionist and very detail oriented. At one time we thought we were done with the scene and Mann called us back in at about 2:00am for one more session. Everyone who was there, for that scene or a couple of others, had to stay the entire time in case they were needed again. One of the most difficult things was that there was a ton of smoking going on which wasn't very pleasant for this nonsmoker. But smoking was obviously rampant in the '30s and everywhere, even at a Senate hearing so Mann wanted that. One guy got sick constantly smoking a pipe.

He was the dictator but very benevolent. Always polite, never raised his voice, but got exactly what he wanted at all times. Really good guy.

Cool. Thanks for sharing.

You should have told Mann to get better cameras.

I agree.

If your gonna shoot digital you should at least go with Red............

That's awesome! The fact that you actually made it into the movie is pretty freakin' sweet, but even if you hadn't made the final cut just having a front row seat to see the filming of a major motion picture (even if it was just one scene) is cool in and of itself.

at least you weren't directed by Kubrick who was known for doing hundreds of takes

I'd hate to be an extra in a Kubrick film. Though I'd love to see him film a film. RIP Mr. Kubrick

My friend was in Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. You couldn't believe how different the experience sounded. The director wanted a more natural feel to a "ricer" meet so he had a basic outline of where the camera, lighting, and equipment was going to go, and let people just hold a "car meet". It went horribly, and it took hours to set up the scene. When everything got finalized he only bothered with a few takes.

His shots were always so sparse, there were hardly any extras.

So, how does the payment for that workout? Do you get extra as time goes on?

IIRC, it was about $8.00/hr. Straight time for eight hours and then time and a half. They also fed us. I also got paid for a little time going in a few days before filming for wardrobe fitting and getting a haircut. All in all, less than $200 and I would have done it for free.

Oh yeah, one other thing. The period shoes they gave me (which, of course, were never on screen, being behind that big table) were a little too big. They bit into my ankles whenever I walked. They got pretty sore. Still, I wouldn't have passed this up for anything and I would do it again in a heartbeat.