Nothing says Hollywood glamour quite like the Oscars, the dresses and the diamonds, the tension and tears, the ambition and the accolade, make it an awards ceremony like no other, and this year’s show was no exception. Amy Adams was unflappable in her feathered number and Jennifer Lawrence dazzled in Dior, while Helen Hunt was literally illuminating in $150 thousand worth of jewellery. Even the men upped the fashion ante; Eddie Redmayne looked marvellous in McQueen.
But acting isn’t always that alluring, as I discovered this weekend.
On the set of Forgotten Land
Somehow, despite my lack of experience and apathy for acting, I landed myself a part in a short film called Forgotten Land. Set in post apocalyptic Britain, I played the mother of a child whose health had been affected by the disaster.
So at 9.30 on Saturday morning I arrived on the Rhigos Mountain in the Rhondda where we were shooting all my scenes. As the car pulled into the car park it started to snow and I prayed it wasn’t an omen – was I going to freeze with fear, unable to play my part? As I was introduced to everyone there I tried to get keep my nerves in check, hoping that I wouldn’t get found out.
As I stepped on set for the first time my heart was in my mouth, fearing that I’d forget my lines or worse still trip over a wire from the tent that formed part of the scene. Thankfully the other actors were true professionals, and the 12 year old girl who played my daughter, Jess, is a real star in the making, so watching them gave me the confidence I needed to do the best I could.
With the first scene in the can I headed back to make up, where a transformation took place. I’d like to say that Molly, my make up artist, made me up into a true starlet of the silver screen (unfortunately I think that may be beyond even her talents!) but instead she worked her magic to turn me into the victim of a brutal attack. Her work was so realistic that when I text a photo to my father it was quickly followed up by a frantic phone calling asking me if I was OK – he’d forgotten that I was filming!
The magic of make up!
As the day progressed I found myself running frantically through the forest, shouting at the top of my voice, and pretending to be terrified, before lying motionless on the freezing floor (desperately trying not to shiver) because my character had been killed – not the cheeriest way to spend the day!But despite the cold and the constant repetition of rather depressing scenes, I actually had more fun that day than I’d had in ages! The cast and crew were a joy to work with, and after a few takes I really got into the role forgetting any worries of my own.
So, while it’s not something I plan to do again anytime soon, I can see the appeal. I loved playing the role of an actress, even though it was just for one day.
Recent Comments