The wholly Universal experience · 2:36pm Aug 27th, 2014
I've come back from fitting day.
Essentially, fitting day is when you have your cast or troupe members all gather for the initial briefing and get your clothing done up.
It was also my first experience with just how strict Universal Studios is with their 'no photos in the backlot' policy.
When they say 'no photos in the backlot', they don't mean, yeah, but go ahead and take a selfie if you wanna. They mean fuck you, don't take photos cuz it ruins the magic and trust me, there's a lot of magic to be ruined.
Empty, sterilized corridors. Cramped grey facilities. Messy whiteboards everywhere listing down performer acts and schedules.
It's a far cry from the world of colour and fancy that you see when you get to a theme park as a guest, especially one as specific as Universal or Disney or the like. I always expected it would be sort of like that, but not really like that until you get to see it for yourself.
For my original audition, I came into the room prepared with something different. I knew a lot of people would be doing the average screamo act or the generic witchy-poo thing, and I wasn't entirely disappointed. 5 people audition at once. Along with me were people who prepared:
- A generic zombie
- A mirror act (with friends)
- A girl who decided to sing a Disney song for a Universal gig (well done, lads)
All of us got put through the paces, but for me, I wanted to do something a little different. I went in quiet. I prepared a voice (If anyone has heard my voice work before, it's the low narration voice I normally use but more fucked up). I wrote a little character who whispers in the night and calls to the ladies to come back to my house to get eaten.
The head of creative directors... well, he maybe liked it. Maybe he didn't. He was smiling at least. He was British, so it was hard to tell if he was happy or just thinking about pies. He asked me to be more murderous with the character. I did so.
Then of course, to turn me for a loop, all of a sudden he says 'Alright, on the count of three, you're on fire. It's extremely painful, and you're burning up. Alright? Three, two, one, GO.'
Of course, there's no moments to prepare, nothing to really get you ready. One of the others had to ask for time to think about what they would do. I decided to just go with my gut. I started writhing around like a snake with its head caught in a badger's ass and threw myself to the ground, flailing about and screaming at the top of my lungs. At the very end, the director peered over his table and just asked...
"Are you alright?"
Well, at least it was convincing.
And I'm more than alright.
I found out what my appropriation was on Monday, and even if I can't take behind-the-scenes shots of everything, I can at LEAST show this:
Hah! Try to stop me NOW, Universal! Posting a picture of my staff tag on a MLP Fan Fic blog site! Take that, system!
So here's my assignment. This year there's 4 houses and 3 scare zones. I'm assigned to one of the houses, but not just ANY of the houses. It's a house called Jack's 3-Dementia, the first ever 3-D house in Asia. The honour to be chosen to be part of this occasion is pretty awesome. Essentially, from what I understand, the house is going to be pretty damn pitch black. You have to wear those polarized 3-D glasses to get through, and there'll be a lot of effects and shit everywhere to disorient you and make you feel like you're in a weird space. A lot of heavy technology here.
Having seen a lot of the costumes for the house, everyone's got some form of neon on it, and it's basically themed around clowns or evil jester types. I hate clowns, personally, and I'm mildly scared of them. Less scared than cockroaches, but more scared than dogs wearing human clothing. Everyone will get neon face paint and make-up, and have neon contacts in to make our eyes glow in the dark.
And as the picture states, I'm playing a character called the King of Hearts.
I'm not sure entirely what the set will be like ultimately, because it wasn't yet built when I got there, but it seems to be a big-ass role, considering I have a waifu and a jester all to myself to command around and bother others with.
On a funny note, originally another dude was assigned to be my waifu, the Queen, and he was entirely depressed at the start of it. But it was a small clerical error, and it was actually a lady who got the job. He was 'demoted' to be the jester instead, and he was not complaining. We all made friends really fast, too. It seems that this kind of thing really attracts the same sort of crazy person like I am.
The costume was pretty wild, too. I had one of the more complex costumes of the lot. Most of the others had a onesie or something that goes under a bunch of latex (I am extremely grateful that I didn't have to wear a mask, believe you me) but I had the whole king thing going on. Vest, jacket, coat, sash, crown, and for some reason, bright yellow stripey neon spandex for pants and nothing else. He is a very naked king from the waist down. I'm sure it looks a lot better in blacklit darkness, I'm sure, but all of the costumes were extremely strange in the natural light.
On the other racks I saw a bunch of other stuff for the other houses, including a lot of army uniforms with blood on them and a few alien suits and a couple of rubber gremlin props strewn around.
We later had a tour of the back of house of the theme park, which was very surreal as it was... For some reason the backlot staff area of Universal Studios has its own dedicated 7-11, and that just makes me feel weird at the idea. Also I passed by 4 grannies in Jurassic Park aprons, and I couldn't help but wonder if they were helpers or food or something.
But that's all I can get for now. The experience is thrilling, exciting, and overall, I'm happy to be part of this pretty momentous thing.
Oh, also, I was specially invited for a media event this coming week, a one-time thing with a small cast chosen to put on a show or something for youtube, the papers and whatever. So maybe I can't take photos, but with any luck, I might be seen on a youtube spot, and you can laugh at my pants.
So yeah, just goes to show.
If you want to impress the panel at your next audition and be chosen to do awesome momentous stuff, just drop to the ground and start writhing.
Until next time~
To everyone else who responded during my last blog:
I didn't really expect that much of a response. I'm kind of shattered. I won't be leaving just yet! Maybe I made the blog sound a bit more 'final' than I thought, haha.
So, thanks all of you who responded and had something nice to say, and fuck you everyone who di don't worry about it. If I do leave, I'll be definite about it.
I'm probably going to dust off an old thing and maybe have a story completed by Halloween. Something atmospheric, something in tune for the mood of the month. Probably something not everyone is going to like, but it ought to be interesting nevertheless, eh? =D
And to reply to some other people who commented on the past blog:
RandomGuy, I'm always on Skype, just bump me anytime for stuff and shit.
Borg:
I want to say that I'm sorry that I didn't take the chance to get closer to you while you were around here, now that you might be leaving. But I'm just not a very social person, and there's no point in denying that. I can say that you're probably the closest I've ever had to a friend whom I have never met in person, and that's been nice.
Dude, take it easy, lol. Make more friends. Friends are great things to have. I'm not really a very social person either, but, well. It's cool. I'm happy you see me in that way although I never really did anything much, hehe. Well, I see you as a friend too, so is all cool brah.
Esle:
Airfare is too expensive for me to fly to Singapore and tie you to your chair to force you to write, so I'll let you off the hook.
That's a shame because that kind of kinky foreplay is just what I need to get inspired
SongCoyote:
And to land a role with Universal - what fun! I have no doubt you'll rock their world. I'm very curious what you'll be working on, though I doubt you can tell us given the usual NDAs around such projects.
I'm gonna do what I can. Blogs and descriptions will have to do. Pictures probably later. I'll try to sneak what I can although they keep a watchful eye...
MrSpiffy:
I see how it is. Now that you're a big wig movie star, you don't need Fimfiction anymore. WELL FINE. I DIDN'T WANT YOU ANYWAY!
Yeah well. Get on my level, bitch.
Also it's not a movie. It's a theme park thing >_>;
Meridian_Prime:
Sorry if I got a bit too sappy at the end. I'm not crying, I swear.
No, but the weird baby in your icon is.
Congratulations, Rissie. You are now the monstrous scary king-clown creature that you've always secretly suspected you were inside. I'm so proud.
...you're totally going to write a fic about your experiences later where Pinkie is the jester, Fluttershy is Queen Waifu, and your part is...Diamond Tiara
Also, gratz!
Wow. Not what I was expecting (I mean, the scene itself, not you landing a part). That's awesome. (
) My brother once used to work at a haunted house too, although he wasn't so much a character as "that guy who jumps out and screams at people". He said his favorite time was when someone said to someone else "Don't worry, it's just a dummy." I myself used to be terrified of haunted houses beyond belief - bad experience when I was eight - but I got over it when I realized that I was usually the scariest thing in them. I am, as they say, jelly.
Good luck out there in the real world; it's a scary place. Go on and make it even scarier.
Man, I'd say that you've upgraded yourself to at least a rock star at this point.
How much for an autograph?
Congratulations on landing the part, it sounds awesome! Nice to hear you're not gone from FimFic completely, too.
> Instructed to act like you're on fire
> The judge is genuinely concerned by the end
Sounds like a success!
Oh you mother--
Well, at least ye will be still around. Damn near gave me a heart attack!
~Skeeter The Lurker
Seems fun. Wish I could go check it out. Maybe I'll take a vacation next year same time.
Eh, he always is. Needs to grow a backbone.
Sounds fun!
Sounds great, and who knows, you do well enough on this maybe you will become an actor. Also, while I am sure we all appreciate the sentiment of you wanting to take pictures, I would suggest not even trying, as we wouldn't want you to lose your job simply because you wanted to show us what it looked like on the inside. I for one would feel really guilty if you lost your job because of that.
When a British person smiles they are either laughing at you because you're making an arse of yourself or they're thinking about cutting you.
At least, those are the reasons I smile.
I don't do the region between "not actually saying anything" and "overly dramatic." It's just not my style.
That is to say, as an emotionless, cybernetically enhanced being, I don't know how to act without overacting.
Anyway, this gig you've got sounds pretty interesting. I hope we get to hear more stories about it.
2431490
I will certainly take that under consideration. Stories soon.