Along with my friends Nettie and Sara, I’m seated in a Winnipeg church sanctuary as an extra in the new TV sitcom, “Maria and the Mennos.” Lucy, the Artistic Director, rearranges us numerous times before she’s satisfied. The Director, Paul, instructs us to mouth conversations but not release so much as a whisper. Every sound will be picked up by the boom mic and only the main actors’ voices should be recorded. We repeat the same short scene about four times and are sent downstairs again.
Over the next four hours, we wait—going dead silent whenever we hear the command, “Rolling!”
Once the scene is captured, they holler down the stairs again. “Cut!” and we are free to speak. The longest of these silences lasts perhaps three minutes, but by the sighs of relief around the room, you’d think we’d been asked to hold our breath the entire time.
The craft services crew feeds us a fantastic Mennonite lunch of borscht, perogies, farmer sausage, coleslaw, and pie. The cast and crew join us, and we get to chat with Erna, who plays Sarah, Maria’s mother-in-law. Erna fills us in on some of the joys and challenges of making a TV show. After only nine weeks of shooting, they’re already starting their final week of filming 13 episodes. I guess that’s how it works on a shoestring budget. Director Paul is a lovely man who repeatedly expresses his appreciation to us.
We wait some more. I finish reading my book. Someone finds a Crokinole board. Other extras get their chance to go upstairs. Finally, around 3:30, they call us all up. This time, we will stay for a full singing session. We’re rearranged based on the colors we wear and our height while seated (I assume. No reasons are offered). In some cases, extras need to straddle two chairs to get the shot just right. I’m impressed by how tightly all the people and equipment are squished together. How do they shoot the scene without capturing any of the other cameras, light stands, or mics? It’s an art, for sure.
After being moved four times, I end up in the front row of the congregation. I’m not privy to the camera’s view, so who knows whether I’m in the shot? One crew member reads out the scene and “take” numbers. Another responds in what sounds like their own filmmaker’s language. I hear words called out like “Set” and “Rolling.” The slate claps. And finally, “Action!”
I’m relieved when the first hymn we’re asked to sing is familiar but surprised when they provide no opportunity to rehearse or even warm up our voices. They simply roll the camera and the piano player starts in.
I needn’t worry. The crowd of Mennonites surrounding me can pull off four-part harmony at the drop of a bonnet, apparently. Clearly, I’m in the midst of experienced choir members. The second song is new to me, and I’m more grateful than ever for the ability to sight-read, weak though it is. I mostly lip-sync my way through the first take.
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| On the set of Maria and the Mennos |
Because they might splice together clips from different takes, it’s imperative that the tempo of the songs be exactly the same on every take. To accomplish this, a real-life music director stands slightly to the side, off-camera. Using a metronome app, she holds her phone to her ear with one hand while directing us with the other. She wraps that hand in fluorescent tape to make it easier for us to see in our peripheral vision. We pretend to focus on the actor who fake-leads us. We sing both songs four times each, interspersed with the actors’ bits.
Our day ends around five o’clock. Nettie’s excited to be in one additional scene on the sidewalk before we pack up and head home. How cool will it be if Nettie appears in the show’s opening title sequence?
I’m glad I said “yo” to this opportunity, but I’m not eager to be an extra again. That much waiting around felt too unproductive—even if I did get two columns out of it! However, if you ever have the opportunity (and you’re confident the show won’t compromise your morals) I say go for it! At the very least, you’ll eat some great food, maybe learn a new song, and finish whatever book you’re reading.
That’s a wrap!
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