Prison Break: A Look Back ( Bad Blood)

                         

This is the same episode, but a week apart. Well, when they called me they told me the scene was going to be in they said it’s going to be in “Mexico”. I'm like ok, cool. Then they asked me if I wanted to be a Mexican Police officer. I kind of laughed to myself and said sure. Why not? This scene was supposed to be the airport in Ixtapa, Mexico, in reality it was Meacham International Airport in Ft. Worth. When I get there I go to wardrobe and get dressed in my uniform. Then to props and get my side arm, badge, etc. Then I realize, I'm the only white guy that's not a tourist. So I and a couple other guys are waiting to be in our scenes; I go over and watch the others scenes being filmed from behind the director. I was watching Bill Fitchner do his scene. The scene he was shooting was down one of the corridors and it was supposed to be in Chicago I believe. He was talking on the phone to his on camera son. But really it was to the P.A. off camera. What was funny was that when he wasn’t filming talking on the phone, he was on his personal phone have a conversation. Scene would come up, he would put his real phone in his pocket and say his lines. Cut, then back on his phone. Color me impressed.

Then later it came to my scenes. I was going to be at the airport in Mexico chasing Sucre and MariCruz down the hallway. Myself and the other guys were all in our position ready to go and at the very last second the director decided they didn't want to use us. Damn!!! Again, that’s how it goes. I wasn’t that bothered because in between scenes I got to hang out with Amaury Nolasco (Sucre) and Camille Guaty (MariCruz). When Amaury first got there he came up to me shook my hand and gave me a hug. He said "Hey, what's up man how was your new year". So we got to talking for a little while. I hadn't worked with Amaury since episode 1. And even then we didn’t have any scenes together. We just had breakfast and lunch. That morning I asked Amaury if when he gets a minute if he could sign an autograph for me. He said "Sure, would it be ok if I get it later". Of course I said no problem, whenever you're not busy. So fast forward to the end of the day they said that's a wrap. I was walking around telling everyone by and I walked over to Amaury and Camille and proceeded to tell them goodbye, Amaury then said “Hey let me sign that autograph for you. Do you have a photo or something”. I said no all I have is an index card. So he signed that. Then he said "I'll see you again, talk to you later bro". Then I hand one to Camille and she signed it. Then she gave me a hug. I made my way out to wardrobe and props, then on my way home. Though I didn’t do anything acting wise, it was really cool to see everyone again to see the episode being shot from the directors prospective.

     About a week later I get the call to come back. It’s the same episode, just a different scene. And since my face didn’t get seen in “Mexico” they could use me again. This time was really cool. My call time was at 11:00 am. I went to base camp and immediately go to wardrobe. This time I am a chef in a member’s only cigar club (it was really The Old Warsaw restaurant). What was really cool about it was when I arrived at base camp, everyone was waiting on me and making sure I was good and what not. After I got dressed and propped up, they drove me over to the set. I sat around for a little while and then Stacey Keach walked in. Stacey played Warden Pope in the first season then he got fired at the beginning of the second season. I waited a few minutes and then approached him. I started a conversation with him. I told him I have been a fan of his since I first seen him perform in Cheech and Chong’s Nice Dreams as Sergeant Stedenko. He expressed his gratitude to me for being a fan. I then asked him if he could sign an index card for me. Like all the others he said “It would be an honor”. So he signed it and then shook my hand. About an hour later we broke for lunch.

     After lunch, we came back to shoot the scene. I was working with Wentworth Miller and Sarah Wayne Callies. The scene went good, but somehow they always seem to shorten my part. lol I did make on screen, but if you would have blinked you would have missed me. Still, it was a fun, albeit short day. That was it for me. I was the last one on set and the first to leave. Still had a great time. Until next time.                                   

Prison Break: A look back ( Manhunt )

I actually got the call to be on Prison Break on my last day on the set of Walking Tall: Lone Justice. For most of my scenes in Walking Tall I was a Dallas Policeman. We had just broke for lunch, as I was eating one of the casting crew approached me and said someone wanted to talk to me on his cell. I gave a confused look and took the call. It was casting from Fox’s Prison Break. She said she had seen a photo of me and casting told them of me. He then proceeded to tell me that they were about to start shooting the second season of Prison Break and asked if I wanted to work as a Fox River Correctional Officer for a few episodes. Then more other “various” roles if I wanted throughout the season. With zero hesitation I said yes. So I went to go finish my lunch. To my surprise the CD already told the others and I came back to them telling me congratulations. Which was weird, but I just said thank you and finished my lunch.

So after a long day of shooting, we wrapped up. My final scene was my favorite. The cast and crew thanked everyone and it was time to go home. For Walking Tall, I had a mustache and goatee. But for Prison Break I really wanted to impress them. Not only with my performance but with my look. I really wanted to look the part of a Prison Guard. So I shaved my goatee off. I just kept my mustache and soul patch. Didn’t look half bad if I must say so myself.

My call time was 6:00 am in McKinney, TX. This was for the Season Two premier. This episode was called “Manhunt”. I was a Fox River Correctional Officer. I arrived at base camp at 5:00 am. From my past experience on other sets, I find it best to always get to set early. Better to be early than late. So I walk from the parking lot to the dining area and wait for the casting agent to arrive. About thirty minutes later she arrived. I then checked in and went to craft services and got something to eat. They had a rented a building down the street from the set as “base camp”. So the caterers were set up in there and there were tables etc. I sat down to eat and some of the main cast joined me. I was eating with Dom Purcell, Peter Stomare, Wentworth Miller, Amaury Nolasco, and a few others. They were really cool and very nice to meet and talk to. One of the many great things I can say about this production, they seem to feed you well. After I got through eating I went over to wardrobe and got my costume then I headed to props. The prop guy gave me everything I needed, like my badge, keys, gun belt, sidearm, and shotgun. Everything I needed to become a Fox River Correctional Officer. When I was through with wardrobe and props, I and a few others were driven to the set.

This episode picked up from the end of season one with Scofield and the others escaping from Fox River and are now on the run. This day happened to be at a storage facility. This particular storage facility in McKinney, TX in the middle of the Texas summer. On the show it was supposed to be in the winter in Oswego, IL. So all of the Fox River Officers were all in thick heavy coats and long sleeve shirts. Lol Not exactly a comfortable day. The escaped convicts were believed to be hiding in one of the storage units. At first I was with Philip Van Lear aka C.O. Patterson and Wade Williams aka Captain Brad Bellick. Then later we were joined by William Fichtner aka Special Agent Alex Mahone.

The day was very hot. But the other background people I was working with as well as Wade and Philip, made it so much better. I even got complimented by the Assistant Director. I was extremely nervous, especially with it being my first day on this set, and I didn’t want to make a stupid mistake that might jeopardize me coming back. I noticed almost all the other “background” was getting yelled at by the A.D. “Assistant Director” and the Director for not following directions. I was worried I was doing something wrong, so I asked if everything I was doing was alright. Their exact words were “If we’re not yelling at you, you’re doing a great job, keep it up”. Let me tell you, that was a confidence booster. The main scene I was in I even got to improvise most of it, and it made it on the final cut (even though, a lot of my screen time was cut). So we continued do to our scenes, over and over and over and over. It was so hot that day. Between each take the make-up ladies would come by and put sun block on us (it helped, but just a little) and make sure we were hydrated. So we did our final scene for the day and wrapped it up.

Kevin Hooks (director/producer) (You might know Kevin from the 70’s show “The White Shadow”) thanked everyone for doing such a great job and even came up to just me and asked me if I was a real cop in real life. Because of my mustache. Lol. Philip and Wade came over and shook my hand and told me good job. I asked if I could get a quick pic of them and they let me take a pic of the two of them with my cell phone. I was talking to Philip a little and I said “maybe I can get your autograph one day”, he said it would be an honor. All I had was an index card, so he signed that and said it was a pleasure working with me. It was an awesome day, especially for being my first day on this set. Just a really awesome, hot, and great day. I knew that if all the days on set where this good, I was going to have a great time.