http://wadeonbirmingham.com/2005/10/25/dega-comes-and-we-wanna-go-home/ News, features and essays about Birmingham and Alabama Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:15:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 http://wadeonbirmingham.com/2005/10/25/dega-comes-and-we-wanna-go-home/#comment-39 Wade on Birmingham » Blog Archive » Going in circles, starring Will Ferrell Wed, 02 Nov 2005 05:25:49 +0000 http://wadeonbirmingham.com/?p=43#comment-39 [...] Steve had already worked the previous two days, and he and I shared the ride for my sole day on set. Our morning began at 5:30. (It really began at 4:30, in time for the bleary-eyed stumble to the car, followed by the bleary-eyed drive to ‘Dega.) So early is the shoot that I can barely get words out, much less full sentences, during “breakfast.” “How man- many. ex.tras. (pause) do. doya. do you. think. wil- are. here?” I mutter. Steve knows the drill. Sit, eat, wait. Sleep if you can, chat up the others, snap a few photos. Unlike “Big Fish,” we had the comfort of waiting indoors while the crew prepared for the day’s shoot. Outside was overcast with threatening rain, much like “The Amazing Race” shoot. Because of the dicey weather, the crew brought the racecars into the garage where we were hanging out. They would test the engines at full throttle. If you think they’re loud out on the track, try being 10 feet away from them in an enclosed space as they let ‘er rip. Yee haw. Shattered eardrums aside, we spent seven hours killing time along with the other 100-plus extras. Steve almost nabbed a sweet role as a sheriff, but was demoted to race fan at the last minute. I, with my sole wardrobe piece, a cap, also played a race fan (don’t fret, I was wearing clothes, too). [...] [...] Steve had already worked the previous two days, and he and I shared the ride for my sole day on set. Our morning began at 5:30. (It really began at 4:30, in time for the bleary-eyed stumble to the car, followed by the bleary-eyed drive to ‘Dega.) So early is the shoot that I can barely get words out, much less full sentences, during “breakfast.” “How man- many. ex.tras. (pause) do. doya. do you. think. wil- are. here?” I mutter. Steve knows the drill. Sit, eat, wait. Sleep if you can, chat up the others, snap a few photos. Unlike “Big Fish,” we had the comfort of waiting indoors while the crew prepared for the day’s shoot. Outside was overcast with threatening rain, much like “The Amazing Race” shoot. Because of the dicey weather, the crew brought the racecars into the garage where we were hanging out. They would test the engines at full throttle. If you think they’re loud out on the track, try being 10 feet away from them in an enclosed space as they let ‘er rip. Yee haw. Shattered eardrums aside, we spent seven hours killing time along with the other 100-plus extras. Steve almost nabbed a sweet role as a sheriff, but was demoted to race fan at the last minute. I, with my sole wardrobe piece, a cap, also played a race fan (don’t fret, I was wearing clothes, too). [...]

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