ANATOMY OF A SCENE or For Whom The Bell Strolls

TURN: WASHINGTON'S SPIES 

SEASON 2

Episode 2: Hardboiled

I've bumped into my fair share of celebrities before, both in casual and professional settings. I have certainly worked with my share now. 

It is a rare occasion when I can work with a celebrity and actually bump into them. 

I had such an opportunity to do both of those things during the filming of Episode 2 of TURN: Washington's Spies-Season 2. 

If you're not watching TURN: Washington's Spies then...well...what good are you? I'm kidding! Settle your nerves, Nancy. It's a really good show and you should be watching it. Season 2 has just started and already the critics are raving. The premiere was explosive and (spoiler alert ahead) all your favorites are back. This season is going to a roller coaster ride of espionage and romance. It's on NETFLIX. You no longer have an excuse not to watch TURN: Washington's Spies. Unless, of course, you don't have a television. You have a computer but no television. 

I have to ask..

How are things in your bomb shelter? 

You know...that thing in Cuba settled down.

I worked again as a background artist on this new season of Turn. I was fortunate to have filmed four episodes of this new exciting season. 

My favorite day was when I had a scene with Jamie Bell. Jamie, as you know, because you are a loyal Turn fan, plays Abe Woodhull. 

AMC describes Abe as 'one of the true faces of the Revolutionary War'...

a man at war with himself and torn between his ideals and his desires. 

I would describe Jamie Bell as just the opposite of the description above. Jamie knows who he is and who is character is, which is the way it should be, really. He is acting after all. 

People all too often confuse characters with the people who play them. 

Here are some shockers:

Larry Linville wasn't M*A*S*H's Frank Burns. You have to be pretty damn savvy to play someone not so savvy. 

Brian Cranston doesn't make designer drugs or kill people. 

Will & Grace star Eric McCormack wasn't gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that. 

Brad Pitt is nowhere as good looking in person...as...he...never mind.

Jamie and Abe have a couple of similarities. Jamie has an accent. Abe has an accent. Abe is a good father. Jamie is a good father. Who, I must say, has a really nice way with the little ones. Jamie and Abe are both decent men. Neither will be playing in the NBA any time soon.

What? 

I won't be in a swimsuit issue of Men's Health any time soon. 

We all have our crosses to bear.

I think after those things the differences become more clear.

I have worked closely with Jamie over the last two seasons. I have been in scenes with him in which we were just inches apart. 

I find him to be very talented and professional. He is absolutely charming and respectful to those around him. He's also wicked good at trivia so don't even try. 

We did in fact start this new season with a firm handshake and pleasantries. 

Off-camera demeanor aside, Jamie is absolutely focused on his work and it is always a pleasure to not only see him work but to be in a scene with him.

Which is what happened when we shot one particular scene for Episode 2: Hardboiled. 

Let me start this anatomy lesson by saying the following information doesn't contain spoiler alerts. The following photos were taken from a very short sequence that were part of montage. If you haven't watched previous episodes then for Pete's Sake...STOP READING. If you're a regular Turn fan (has the term TURNIE been coined yet?) you know what is going on. Full steam ahead!

The scene we shot has Abe Woodhull arriving in New York City. This is not Abe's first time, but he has traveled to New York with new intentions and a new sense of caution and curiosity. Danger surrounds him. 

From seeing the set up for this scene, I imagined what the director was going for was the classic fish out of water theme. 

The director for this episode was Andrew McCarthy. 

Yes. Andrew (Pretty In Pink, St. Elmo's Fire, Mannequin) McCarthy. I don't have much to say about McCarthy as a director. We really didn't have any chance to talk. He strikes me as one of those if I don't say anything-then you must not be fucking up kind of guys. 

McCarthy liked to say Fuck, a lot. I guess maybe it was his go to word. 

We all have one I guess. 

Mine is nipple. It's just a silly word and it has the power to disarm any situation. 

Bank robbery? Say nipple. Totally changes the situation!

ANATOMY OF A SCENE

Abe walks into a narrow alley that is bustling with all sorts of activity. There are women of ill repute and laborers and soldiers and women of ill repute and...well..you get the gist. 

It must be said timing was crucial in this scene.

It would take several takes to get the choreography right. 

Photo 1

In this photo you see Jamie as Abe walking towards the camera. Abe is looking around at the city around him. Just minding his own business. My back is to the camera. You will see I am carrying a large bag of...well..I can't actually tell you. 

What is in that bag has a major impact on the rest of the season. 

Naah. I'm just messing with you. 

I don't know what was in the bag. It wasn't light. I can tell you that. 

Photo 2

The key to this scene is walking into Jamie/Abe and not looking like it was intentional. 

Again, the timing was so important. For me it was all about watching Jamie's pace and seeing him land on a particular mark. Once he hit that mark, I began walking. I become part of the hustle and bustle* around him, just a faceless New Yorker going about his business, paying no mind to anyone. 

*Hustle and Bustle, of the record, were not the names of the prostitutes in this scene. Hustle and Bustle, however, would be an awesome name for a 18th Century brothel in the middle of a city. The working girls didn't have names. Much like me, although, I think this guy could have easily been a Josiah or a Sam. Chad seems unlikely. 

Photo 3

Abe and I are about collide. 

We've got pretty decent alignment. 

He's looking the other way. I'm staring straight ahead. 

The prostitute seems focused and uninterested. As does the Red Coat. 

As you were, Madam. As you were. 

Photo 4

Wait for it!

Now, I'm thinking to myself "Hit him. Hit him. Don't fuck up." 

I don't know what Jamie was thinking. I can only assume it was "Hit me. Hit me you big fucker. Don't screw this up." 

The prostitute seems to be fairing well. 

Photo 5

Inches away! 

Our footsteps are in perfect sync now. We've got the rhythm down. 

Everything else slows down to 30 frames per second. Nothing exists in the world except for me and Jamie. Obviously our shoulders don't exactly line up. There is a slight dip on my left side as I make sure to make contact with Jamie's right side. At this point, probably Take 8, we had our rhythm down and were concentrating on the minor details of the choreographer. Worlds are about to collide! 

By now Jamie and I have slammed, and I mean slammed, into each other quite a few times. Let me say a few things in regards to that. Jamie is solid and he's packed on some muscle this season. I would imagine for his role as Ben Grimm in the new Fantastic Four movie. Regardless, Jamie is solid and took every slam in stride. He gave as good as he got. Just another day at the office. He's a pro. 

Photo 6

BOOM!

The moment of impact. 

And..obviously the take they liked. 

Photo 7

I think Jamie's face says it all.

"I'm walking here! I'm walking here!"

It must be said that after the collision in one take, I turned back and looked at Jamie/Abe. As soon as I did I heard a voice shout "Cut!" Director Andrew McCarthy then walked over to me and told me not to look back after walking into Abe. 

And I quote: 

"This is New York. You're a fucking New Yorker. 

You don't give a fuck about that guy! Fuck him! Just fucking keep walking!"

(Blane! Such language!)

Got it. Fuck Abe. 

Photo 8

Welcome to New York. You ain't in Setauket any more, Dorothy. 

There's no doubt what's going through Abe's mind at this point. 

"What an asshole!"

Photo 9

Just one more look to make sure that really happened. 

Yes. Yes it did. 

I kept walking until I heard "Cut!" 

After some takes I walked to the end of the alley. If I heard "Reset!" then I hurried back to my original mark, picked up my mystery bag and prepared for my bump into Jamie all over again, all the while trying to remember my steps from the last take and trying to calculate what adjustments needed to be made. Smaller steps? Quicker pace? 

More shoulder? Less spin? More attitude? 

Stop staring at the whores. 

Finally we heard McCarthy shout "Cut!"

Then we heard "New Deal!"  

Well, either someone was a huge FDR fan or we were done and moving onto the next scene to be shot. Before you could say "FUGGEDABOUTIT!" there was a flurry of activity as cameras and lights were moved. Extras were herded away to another location. 

Yes. I said herded. 

That's how it is when you're a background actor. You're herded. They use a little black and white dog to move you from set to set, from the lunch tent back to the wardrobe trailer at the end of the day. I'm kidding. They don't use a dog. It would probably be easier sometimes if they did, but they don't. Not yet anyway. Some day someone who makes such decisions will say "What if we used a dog?"

It must be noted that during the filming of this scene something quite amazing happened. See we were shooting in a part of Historic Petersburg that, although, it was an active set, we were smack dab right in the middle of the city. A city that was very much operational and going about its every day business. 

Along the alley we were shooting this scene, there were some small business and apartments. One of these apartments, it seemed, was the setting for a child's birthday party. So about an hour or two into shooting, after all the angles and lighting had been worked out and we just needed to shoot the scene, people started showing up for the party. 

All of sudden in our 1778 New York alley, people started walking through with balloons and brightly colored gift bags dripping ribbons and streamers. 

It was so bizarre. What can you do? You can't tell six year olds to beat it! That would jus the rude. The production assistants in charge of keeping the area clear were flustered. What were they supposed to do? Taser people? 

Cars were pulling up at the end of the alley and people kept coming out and walking through. Some of them were very apologetic. Some pulled out their cellphones and started taking photos! Some actually took selfies with the background actors! 

I mean...WHAT?! 
"We're working here. We're working here."

We all waited patiently though. Sure there were grumbles and a few expletives. Like I said, WHAT can you do? Eventually people stopped showing up and we were able to resume shooting. Eventually we got the shot and we moved on to other business. 

My work in that scene for Episode 2 was done. 

I rubbed my shoulder and walked away with the other background actors. 

Jamie and I glanced at each other. He smiled. I told him to take care. I thanked him and watched him fade into a sea of bodies. 

That would be my last scene with Jamie Bell for Season 2 of TURN: Washington's Spies. 

My opinion of the man, as an actor and as a human being has not changed. Jamie is a kind, talented man and I'm glad I had an opportunity to work with him in a scene like this one. 

Whether or not you've watched TURN, I'm sure you have enjoyed his work in other films such as Billy Elliot, King Kong, The Eagle and Defiance. I wish him the very best, success and happiness and good health. 

One of my true pleasures of working on TURN: Washington's Spies was the people involved in the show, in front of the camera and in production. 

The principal actors are the kindest, most professional folks you would hope they would be. 

I consider my fellow background actors my brothers in arms. We battled not only Red Coats but long hours and frigid temperatures. We laughed and kept our morale up and saw each other through episode after episode...shot after shot. I have many friends as a result of working on Turn, and I cherish them and my memories from every minute on set. 

These are all good people. 

There is a lot of talent associated with the show. 

You should watch TURN: Washington's Spies.

I'm not saying that because I've worked on twelve episodes. I'm saying it because it's a good show and Season 2 promises more of everything you'd want in a Revolutionary War spy thriller. 

I don't blow smoke. Never have and never will. 

I'm proud of my work as a background actor on this revolutionary series.

I don't know what the future holds but I hope it will include maybe just one more turn. 

Just keeping it reel. 

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