In the end, I get to kill Baltar on BSG
So these last few weeks I've been busy. Thanks to my AE connections, I've managed to get onto BSG to do a walk-on part, which grew to something else... I got to play one of Baltar's fanatics and this shit will make you shit bricks...
So the story of how I got on is this:
Because of the ship designer for BSG atttended AE 2005, we had a chat and he said it was all cool that he's doing a local convention. I asked him if was interested in doing more, I can help him, and gave him my card. I honestly didn't expect a call from him or anything and certainly didn't expect him to give me a shout to hang out. Wow... so my jaw dropped when he asked if I was interested in showing up for a BBQ on the set. Of course, no pictures and he could only invite one person, picking me because I am "the person who is considered the main contact for local fandom. Of course I'm just stroking your (my) ego." That and the guys from Arts Institute, where the guy graduated from, recommended that I'd be picked (thank you sponsors :))
So I arrived and talked to a slew of technical directors, producers, walk-ons, and some minor characters. Only two big names talked to me, as the others has left already (booooo!), which were Grace Park (Athena/Boomer) and Katee Sackoff (Starbuck) (squeee!!!). How fucking geeked I was meeting them... especially Grace Park (whettness!), and I think I scared her with me geeking out and bringing up that Stargate episode she was in with the other 4 trainees in the senario that the SGC got taken over by an Goa'uld (and you can see why she got scared if I remembered that).
Katee was cooler. She joked about being named after a coffee chain *rolls her eyes* blah blah blah, her dogs (she brought one of them on set, Meatball I think was its name), and how it was cool how kooky Vancouver was compared to other places she's been. Note: they ain't bringing back the Bionic Woman... as if that wasn't coming.
Anyways, a few weeks later, I got a call from one of the producers to attend AE, and I said, I'll pass it along to my Programming director. (Mel did you get that email?) Anyways, turns out he couldn't come anyways because of the Razor shooting, but made it up to me for a walk on part, instead of rescheduling. I said I'd take him up on it when I got a chance.
Fast forward to my time in unemployment hell and I needed to do something, during January. So they started on production then and I called them up to see if that's still available. And they said sure, come on down to the set on Granview and Boundary, they'll hook me up. Got into the office, the next day, signed some papers and a Non-disclosure Agreement (which ends today).
Day after that I get there, and go into make-up and they give me the script to read for the day. So I go thru the script reading and of course, I don't say anything, I just walk on. Well, about day 6 of the shoot, the actor for the part where Baltar gets shot doesn't show up. Apparently he's off on the Stargate Atlantis set getting make up on for a major scene there (see: last episode of SGA Season 4) where everyone get's blown up, and can't make it.
So they re-write the script to have me (because I just happened to be there and the producer did me a huge favour) shoot Baltar... WOW holy shit!!! So we go thru the rehearsal and I shat bricks (after the scene was done) cuz I forgot my lines. Luckily the cast was supportive as I had NO ACTING EXPERIENCE. Katee and Grace were helpful as they just joked around me. Jamie Bamber (Apollo) was cool as he told me to relax. James Callis kept making weird faces to the girls so they kept making things awkward for me to recall my lines. In the end we finally got it right.
We saw the final product in the end, and we cheered, and I was relieved. Damn that was freaky for me.
We finally saw the final product to go on TV two weeks ago, and it was ok. When it airs you can see me sweat and shit bricks. I was so freaking nervous about it. Apparently out of all the takes, it was the best of all them, something I was proud of.
This was a fracking great experience and geekiness I've gotten this year... I can't top this one...
Oh yeah, forgot to say what happens to my character... I kill myself after shooting Baltar. So yeah, my one and only scene. And the story is this:
I am become one of Baltar's fanatics, I carry out some dirty work for him, only to find out he's boinking my lover. I freak out and I shoot him, being betrayed by him in the middle of main hallway of the deck, and after that, I swallow the gun and pull the trigger (well, it doesn't show it, it cuts away to Starbuck as she runs in).
So yeah, tune in and SEE ME on Sci-Fi!! And in Canada it's on Space!!
And for those who are reading this, thanks for allowing me share my story.
BTW April Fools.