Ellevee

I'm sorry for my hanging post earlier. I posted that on my break and with co-workers around so I had to keep it short and apparently not sweet. I just hope I don't get kicked out early using the computer today.

It was a blast having seen Lauren again after just a few weeks. If it's meant to be... My cousin in New Jersey phoned me at work saying she got an email from a friend who lives a couple of blocks from the movie location. Excitedly, soon after work I lost no time going to the library and mapquested the street. I was quite discouraged bec I had no clue where it really is. It's hard mapquesting with just the street name. Calling the transit company wasn't great help either. I decided to just forget it. The shoot may very well be a closed set, I convinced myself. But then I was booted out of computer use at the library around 5:30 pm. It ws too early to go home so I decided I'd better check it out nowithstanding a closed set. After profusely begging and tons of bribes (costing an arm and a leg; but I was desperate!), a friend of mine agreed to drive me. I almost blew it when I said I just knew the street name and in effect we'd be on a physical mapquest search. I got a lecture on what a big waste of time, gas and energy this trip was. Luckily, I convinced my friend it wouldn't be that hard to find the place. I figured once we're there all we need do is drive through Snowcrescent and we'll eventually hit the FOG set. And at the back of my head I was hoping and praying and crossing my fingers that they're stilll filming there. I forgot to ask my cousin when she got the email.

There was traffic indeed. As soon as I saw a traffic cop I knew we were in the right place. However, we were not allowed to turn right on Snowcrescent bec there's ongoing movie shoot. Bingo! Boy was I glad! Otherwise, I'd hear it from my friend for years to come. We made a u-turn and drove through some side street. As we walked closer to the set I could feel my heart pounding. And as we made the turn, I searched for a familiar face. Then, lo and behold, Lauren's right there across the street. She was reading something, presumably the script, that a lady handed to her. It was quite a sight, so gorgeous in purple top and skirt. At this point I had forgotten about my friend (poor thing, after all the hassle...) I was def starstruck. It was an amazing feeling. I thought I was going to faint; I felt my feet wobbling. She was seated on a "director's chair" and once she's done reading that thingy she turned to Greg who was sitting behind her. They chatted quite a bit. The shock/excitement combo made me to almost forget to take photos. As I struggle to grab my camera, Greg moves to sit next to her for more chatting. Tough luck! By the time I got my camera out it's all Lauren's back that I managed to take pics of.

I also saw her "5 kids", 2 girls (5 & 8) and 3 boys. Two older boys (10 & 11?), the youngest, maybe 2. The younger girl was Drew Barrymore's age whe she did ET. In fact she looks like her. At one point Lauren strokes her cute curly hair, very motherly, I should say, no, more like a doting aunt. A bit later the little girl sits on the floor and Lauren bends down, talking to her. Lauren also gets to carry the little boy, who amazingly enough is not the tantrumy type. While waiting for the cue to start rehearsals, the kids were a bit noisy playing around and behind Lauren. Lauren affectionately shhushhes them out saying "quiet, you guys".

They went through at least 5 rehearsals and more than 10 actual takes. And in between, waited 5 - 10 minutes for everything to be reset. I overheard one production staff saying he had worked at Gilmore Girls where the scene called for the "grandmother to open the door to let her daughter and granddaughter in" and went through that scene 22 times. And, just the day before, they apparently shot a raining scene so you can imagine the actors going through countless rehearsals and takes and drying off and getting wet time and time again. At one point during camera roll a chainsaw was suddenly heard in the backgroud. Someone from the crew made a dash to the neighbour's house to gently shhussh him off. And then after a while the director yells "cut!" bec the same neighbour was in camera range while sitting in front of his own property.

It was one hell of an experience. I can never tire of Lauren. I was grinning from ear to ear on our way home. I think I may have converted my friend to at least liking Lauren, gushing over how pretty she is and how awesome it was to watch a movie being filmed and is in factinterested in watching FOG when it opens next year.