"And that, as much as anything else, led to my drinking problem..." *throws drink in face*

--Airplane!

Movie Production Update #8

Actors are strange folk. Let me go ahead and apologize to any dramatic type of person who may be reading this, like David's cousin, my cousin, or even the lovely Keira Knightley because I know she's secretly in love with me too and reads this blog like some people read the Bible...

Anyway, all people involved in the arts are weird in their own small, or sometimes overdramatic, way. Film geeks go nuts when anyone screws up their favorite comic book property, and they know every alien's name in the "Star Wars" films, even if the creature flashes onscreen for less than three tenths of a second. Painters and visual artists can be very emotional. Actors are always larger than life or extremely shy.

This is something most of us on the crew know because, well, we are all one of them. All of us love film. Most of us love to draw. Some of us even act from time to time.

And all of us love to party down.

The reason I brought all this up relates to the actors in our film and the product placement with Chateau St. Michelle wines that my father and I arranged. He was able to secure for our production four cases of wine from the Washington state based winery: a case of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Gris. In exchange for the free wine, we place the wine in whichever scene allows for it, thus getting the wine seen by people who watch the movie.

But also, I've been giving out the wine to members of the crew, people in town who have helped our production, and I planned to hand a few bottles off to actors like _____ (name deleted to protect the innocent) as well.

So I ask (let's call him Mickey), "Hey Mickey, do you like wine?"

"Do I like wine?"

"Yeah, do you like to drink wine?"

"Oh yeah..." he says, "I like wine; Im just not allowed to have it."

Now I learn later that Mickey is on a strict diet because he has to be in the best shape of his life for a lot of fight scenes he will film in his next movie (which I have just learned is ROADHOUSE 2. Seriousy, a sequel to "Roadhouse"? And he's playing Patrick Swayze's brother. I'm amazed). So, a few days after that revelation I ask him "So, can you not drink wine because of the diet, or..."

This is always tricky, asking someone if they're not allowed to have wine for, shall we say, personal reasons. I would hate to have a few bottles of Chateau St. Michelle sent up to an actor's room only to learn later that he is a recovering alcoholic.

So I can't give any wine to W-- I mean, Mickey. Yesterday we shot a poker secene with four other actors. I ask each of them in private, "Do you like wine? We're having Chateau St. Michelle do some product placement and I'd love to give you a bottle or two as thanks for working on our movie," only to receive the reply "Oh no, I don't drink," or "I can't drink anymore; haven't for a long time," or "I have not had a single drink in twenty years."

Funny how that works out. Five of our big actors, sitting around this poker table, smoking, pretending to drink beers, and not a single one of them imbibes anymore.

Must be an actor thing. Must be a crazy life, pretending to be someone else all the time. I imagine that catches up with you after awhile as does the hectic, hyper lifestyle actors sometimes lead.

Oh well, I tried, and they were all nice about it at least; none seemed offended. All this means now is we have more free wine for the wrap party, which is a great way to make these young people on the crew aware of my father's great wine.

And by the way, that label again is Chateau St. Michelle, in case you missed it.

(jeez, my dad should be paying me for this)

--Cbake