Chasing my Dreams!

After being on the road for about half an hour or so, and me looking around like a little kid (this was my first visit to Melbourne)…we arrived at Nunawading Studios – we were HERE…it IS happening, right now…OMG..haha.

As we drove in past security, we were asked to drive around the front, as there was The Circle film crew waiting there, ready to film my ‘grand entrance’ of us driving up, and me getting out of the car (lol…another surreal moment). My driver and I adjusted our hair and lippy (typical girl thing to do when a camera is in sight, I know!…)…then she drove me around the front, with the cameraman and sound guy right there, filming us as I arrived. This continued all throughout the day, through being shown past some of the rooms, where it all happens behind the scenes, right through to wardrobe, hair and makeup, then when actually in ‘Studio A’ where Neighbours is actually filmed, and for my scene. I must admit, it was kind of fun having this film crew with me…bizarre, but fun at the same time. I was starting to feel like a bit of a ‘celebrity’! (even if I was only pretending this, in my own head lol..I do have a visual, imaginative mind, after all!)….And also, having them there, and hearing them talk and discuss how they wanted certain shots filmed etc, I found this really fascinating – Ive always had an interest in what happens ‘behind the scenes’ on television shows, how the crew all works together, to bring together the ‘final product’ (the show they are filming). This interest I have, is part of what influenced this particular Tick, so my own/The Circle film crew were an added bonus, in that respect….awesome!

After meeting the wardrobe crew, (which was a lot of fun!) and getting dressed in the clothes and jewellery I would be wearing for my scene, then into hair and makeup (I must admit, Im not a real ‘girly girl’ who wears a lot of makeup and spends hours getting ready to go out….but I was really loving this experience of being ‘made up’, it felt really pampering!) I was taken down through corridors and past rooms where it all happens (me taking quick peeks as I went past rooms with equipment, screens, and various elements of the show behind the scenes, and feeling my creativity sparking big-time inside of me when seeing all this, was awesome!) and headed towards Studio A – but first not letting the ‘Extras Green Room’ sign on a door, get past me…”hey look, that’s for ME!”…haha. Then we arrived at Studio A – ‘wow, this is it..!’ – where Neighbours (indoor) scenes are actually filmed.

I was taken past the different sets and rooms of the show, and had various aspects of the set-up explained to me, got to see the ‘beasty equipment’, the massive cameras and lighting, which was absolutely awesome – this really peaked my interest, as this was part of what I was there for, why I wanted to ‘tick’ this off, not just for ‘my scene’. Seeing how the sets are, in real life, and not on the telly (which we see at home), and having explained to me how they put various sets together, to create the illusion of eg. Erinsborough Hospital, was really fascinating to me. As a creative person with a visual mind, and someone who is also into photography – this really got my ‘creative juices’ and desires on the inside, flowing…hmmm I was really enjoying this atmosphere…’is this something I would like to have more of in my life, this ‘creativity’ that was flowing all around me in amongst the staff and crew and this amazing set?..I think it very well could be’….I was gaining even more than I thought I would, leading into this! I was exactly where I wanted to be….I was in an environment that made me feel truly alive! And THIS is what 100Things (to me) is all about…doing things which bring you the feeling of REALLY being alive…THIS is what a ‘tick’ is all about – Life itself, in its purest form!

So now it was time to prepare for, and film ‘my scene’ – here was me thinking that, as someone I know was also an extra on Neighbours, he was ‘part of the background crowd’, and that’s what I thought my role would be as well…I almost died (but secretly was also thinking ‘this is AWESOME!) when they told me that I would be wandering into the front of the scene (which was in Charlie’s Café) from the side, to sit down with ‘my friend’ at our table – another ‘extra’ who was filming the scene with me. It was explained to me that we were to pretend that we were talking amongst ourselves as other diners in the cafe, as the actors were filming the actual ‘storyline’ scene behind us – that was bizarre, ‘silent talking’, as if we were having an actual conversation, and ‘ordering our meal’…haha..but hey, I love a challenge…so that was very cool, something I hadnt done before. I have trouble staying silent at the best of times (as many who know me, know all too well..haha)…so it was..err..interesting having to do this!

True fulfilment right there…

There were a number of ‘Takes’ as it was a very precise endeavour, to get the scene ‘just right’ – whether it was the lighting that was off, or a shadow, or something not said clearly, or little miss ‘extra’ (me) mucking up her scene….oops lol (I wandered into the shot before ‘Action’ was said….oops…haha there I was, just casually strolling into the shot like I knew what I was doing…when in fact I wasn’t meant to do that…yet…lol). But, after a number of Takes, it was a WRAP – my scene was DONE!! Yayz!! 

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience..and with talking a little with ‘my friend’ (the extra sitting with me at the table) who has done this a number of times, it made me wish that I could do it all over again!

I also got to meet actors Ashleigh Brewer and Christopher Milligan, and felt blessed to meet and sit down with Collette Mann, and have a bit of a chat with her (which was also filmed by ‘my’ film crew’…that was very, very cool!). Collette Mann is just as you see her on telly – shes georgous, and so funny! Another ‘bonus’ for my adventure that I wasn’t expecting – wow! I was loving this…

As we made our way back out to the car, Kate, the The Circle staff member who had been looking after me, right from day one of this all unfolding all those weeks ago, broke the news to me – I was asked whether it would be OK if, tomorrow when I went to The Circle to sit in the audience, for my ‘#4. Be in the Studio Audience of a TV show’ – whether it would be OK for me to sit ON the couch with the girls, on the actual show, and share my Bucket List journey with them, and the viewers. OMG…haha…but, typical of my new mindset that this has all brought me – instead of hesitating, I immediately said an enthusiastic “Bring it ON!” (even though the nerves kicked in, I wasn’t going to say no to an opportunity that showed up – the one thing that ‘Chasing my Dreams’ has taught me, its to say ‘Yes!’ to opportunities…YES to Life!)

So that was it..that was #13. Be an extra on a TV show/movie – Tick!   (Well, ‘half a Tick’ – I found out that I now had to wait a couple of months to see it on the actual show – I was SO excited to have this happen, in my future!)

I was then driven into Chapel St, to the Como Hotel, where I would be spending the night…all I can say is Wowzers!, this Hotel is amazing – and again, I had to stop myself from thinking that I was dreaming…’this is all happening to ME?’…total amazement at this point..again! After going out for a wander down Chapel St…which was amazing – I wanted to see a tram, all I wanted to do was to see a tram…lol…I finally found a TRAM – yayz!! Haha…how CUTE are they??….I then went back up to my room to order Room Service then have an early night – ooooh…ANOTHER exciting day in the morning!…

…little did I know what was about to unfold….

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