A muddy day on the set on ‘Taking Woodstock’

By Andrew Amelinckx

SCHODACK — My feet were stuck in the mud and I was surrounded by about 200 hippies.

No, this wasn’t some sort of weird nightmare, it was how I spent Thursday.

Wednesday afternoon I received a phone call from the casting office for Ang Lee’s new film “Taking Woodstock.” It’s being filmed in Columbia and Rensselaer counties. Shooting began in late August and continues through the beginning of October.

The film is based on the memoir of Elliot Tiber, an aspiring Greenwich Village interior designer who was running his family’s Bethel motel in 1969. Through his efforts the Woodstock music festival came into being.

“Call this number between 8 and 8:30 p.m. and listen for your instructions,” Richard, the guy from casting, told me.

It seemed rather cloak and dagger, but when dealing with hundreds of extras it made sense to communicate via phone messages.

The next morning I was in New Lebanon at the headquarters of the film crew on Route 20. After filling out personal information, I was directed to the costume department.

One of the costumers, Chuck, looked me over and then began rapidly throwing cloths my way to try on. “No, that doesn’t work,” he said as I stood before him in a sweatshirt and blue jean shorts. “I need some inspiration,” he yelled.

After 20 minutes I was dressed in cowboy boots, jeans and a cowboy shirt. I looked like I generally do when not at work (except for a hat), so I didn’t particularly feel like a hippie.

The hair and makeup crew slapped on some hair gel, sunscreen and a little cover-up makeup for a visible tattoo and I was ready.

Filming took place about 20 miles away in Schodack. Getting on the bus, I noticed that the seats were covered in plastic. I soon found out why.

The day’s filming consisted of a scene in which two of the main characters — a Vietnam vet played by Emil Hirsch, and Tiber, played by comedian Demetri Martin — join others as they slide down a huge mud slide and ending in a mud fight.

I played a hippie cheering the action on. The part wasn’t as dirty as the mud sliders’ roles, but when you’re standing in ankle deep muck within a few inches of mud covered bodies whizzing past, you don’t exactly stay clean.

The mud was pervasive as well as slick. At one point during shooting Lee slipped and landed in the mud. He was given a rousing round of applause for this. He smiled and went right back to directing the scene.

Before the actual filming began, and between takes, there were long periods of down time.

“We’re on movie time,” said one of the production assistants. “We’re not curing cancer, just making a movie.”

This was in response to a question of how long we would have to remain on set.

I sat with three other extras — Zach, a nano-technology graduate student at the University at Albany; Steve, a wisecracking and energetic UA undergraduate; and Nate a 6-foot, 5-inch 22-year-old from Massachusetts, dressed in overalls and with nothing else on but a fake sunburn provided by the makeup department.

“Man they did a good job. I expected you to smell bad,” remarked Steve.

The four of us spent most of the day together standing around on and off camera. We were referred to, as all the extras were, as “background.” The crew didn’t mind letting us know we were on the bottom of the social hierarchy.

The production assistants varied in their attitude towards the extras. Some treated us with disdain. “I said move! Clear a path now!” yelled one.

“It’s like he’s herding cattle,” commented Zach.

Other PA’s were more like kindergarten teachers. “Maybe I didn’t make myself clear. I want you to stand over there,” I overheard one tell two girls during shooting. Another tack was that of the fun loving pal who just wanted us to have a good time while we followed his direction. “Come on guys,” he would extol us. “Let’s have some fun.”

On one of the final shots filmed Thursday, the camera was set up directly across from where I was standing, so, unless they happen to cut the scene, you might be able to see me — if you pause the DVD at just the right moment, that is.

I was asked whether I wanted to come back, but after 12 hours in the mud I declined. “Say good-bye to Hollywood,” I thought.