Yay! We have a day off today! We didn't get home till almost 1:30 am last night so Willy is still sleeping. The plan is to get him to school for his last couple of classes this afternoon. Before we went in yesterday, I did a little more research on the SAG website regarding rules for young performers. The onset teacher, I learned, is also often the child labor law representative which explains why on the previous night she was getting very anxious as Willy and Molly (another local 13 year old girl in the cast) were approaching their 10th and 11th hours on the job. She brought it up to the AD three times and then we were quickly wrapped and sent home.

Our attorney in NY had talked to me about the length of days rules and said that many production companies do not follow them and that it would be up to me to intervene when I felt that Willy had been pushed far enough or was getting so tired he wouldn't be good for the next day. Last night, they sent the onset teacher home long before the kids left. The other two parents and I had been totally cool with the kids staying longer the night before, but the producer made the decision to wrap the kids. Yesterday, we all started much later so even though we ended very late, the kids had not been there beyond their allowed hours. But since both Willy and Molly are local and are trying to also go to school, the latest they are really supposed to be on set on a school night is 10 or 10:30 pm. The kids are so excited to be there though and are on such an adrenaline rush, they never want to leave. And the scene they were shooting was a big one for these kids.

The shot takes place outside the back door of the Rochester Chop House where the boys are hanging out looking into a big window. They rehearse it a couple of times and the boys are all ad libbing and Ezra comes up with a rap song to kick off the scene. Sam, the director, loves when they just go off script so on the third take, the cameras kept rolling for several more minutes and the dialog just got nastier and nastier! At the end of the scene, Willy turned around and gave me this sheepish, embarrassed shrug like OMG, I hope my Mom didn't hear that! He has said that he's more comfortable if his Dad and I aren't watching, so I have stayed away from the actual filming until this outdoor scene came up. I can see how our presence would be inhibiting for him because he is not the kind of boy he has to portray! But, I have to admit, it was hysterical to watch and Eamon O'Rourke who plays 21 year old Brandon (another cousin of the main characters) just killed it last night! You had to laugh but you also wanted to go get a bar of soap and wash out their mouths afterward!

While we were watching the scene, the other two parents and I were sitting at the cast tent with Ellen Barkin and Kate Bosworth. I hadn't had any interaction with Ellen and wasn't sure what to make of her. I have heard rumblings from some of the crew about some difficulties that had arisen. Once she became engaged in the conversation though, she was quite funny and pleasant. You can tell though that she is also a tough bird who knows how to get what she wants. She is also one of the producers of the movie. Kate always seems to be nothing but charmingly dear. She has an assistant as all the major actors on set do, but she doesn't treat her like a slave. When her assitant, Carly, tried to clear her plate after lunch, Kate refused and insisted she do it herself. Demi, I have seen less of, but I trust Willy's judgment of her and he thinks she's great!

One last tidbit before I go wake up Willy. One of the other cast mom's is played by Siobhan Fallon. I didn't recognize the name, but you can't mistake the character. She has bright red hair and played the wife of the farmer who turns into the alien in "Men in Black". Apparently she is also in the movie "Fred" out recently and she's a face you recognize as a very funny character. She's just like that in person as well and is very nice to the autograph seekers and onlookers who want a picture with her! When she popped out of the van last night to return to the set, a crew member asked if she wanted anything from the craft tent, and she said, yes, I'll have 3 peanut M & M's! He asked what color and she said at least one red one! Sounds crazy, but that is how it works. She did it in a very good natured way and it was a little cold last night and she had to go straight in to the restaurant so she wasn't being demanding, she just knew what she wanted and someone offered to get it for her!

I have to go wake up Willy now! I don't think he's going to be as excited to get out of bed today as he has been the last three! Next time, I'll tell you about the proffered Kiss concert tickets and backstage passes for Saturday night! I'm not proofing, so don't hold my typos against me!