Debut

It’s late at night and freezing cold, and I’m standing in the middle of the street, screaming at Sarah Michelle Gellar at the top of my lungs. How did I get here?

Flashback about ten years: back in Orlando, in addition to writing screenplays, I was also a professional actor. I learned improv at SAK Comedy Lab (where Wayne Brady got his start) and co-founded a 5-man sketch and improv troupe called THEM. We did weekly shows, Fringe festivals, corporate gigs, and even toured Canada for one glorious summer. In addition, my regular-guy looks got me a steady series of bookings in commercials and industrials training films.

After moving to L.A., I supported myself for a summer as Captain Rustworthy, Disney California Adventure’s favorite boat captain. I had to wear plastic lobsters on my shoulders. Thankfully, they closed the show. After that, I spent more than a year doing corporate comedy gigs and monthly shows with THEM. Eventually, I sold my first screenplay and I was thrilled to put aside the acting and be a full-time writer.

But occasionally I’m lured back into the acting world, and that’s okay, because I have exactly the kind of acting career I want. Basically, cool directors ask me to do stuff, and I say yes. For example, any time director Ben Rock has a TV or theatre role for me, I’m there, and Dan Myrick (co-director of The Blair Witch Project) cast me in his Internet television show The Strand and I got to improvise a scene with Kevin Smith. Fun times.

But I’d never been in a feature film before, and I was always hoping to have a cameo in THE AIR I BREATHE. Jieho’s very careful with his casting though, and I knew that if he used me, it would be exactly the right role, one that would showcase my unique acting gifts.

So on a cold, desolate city street in Mexico City, we were shooting the scene where Sarah Michelle Gellar’s distraught pop star finds herself suddenly cornered by a throng of over-zealous fans. There were two other main actors involved in this scene, but I don’t want to say who and ruin anything. Just know that it’s a pivotal scene, with lots of extras and stunts.

And in this moment of need, Jieho called on me to play a role that only I could play, a role of such groundbreaking importance that this casting decision might affect the entire film.

He cast me as a paparazzo. A celebrity-stalking, snapshot-stealing creature of the night. Sweet.

First, I reported to the set for rehearsal. They had built the exterior of a club, complete with velvet rope. A long line of extras in sexy clothes snaked along the sidewalk, awaiting entrance to the club. I was perched near the valet, pretending to hold a camera.

In the scene, Sarah races down the street, right past me, trying to catch someone. Before she knows it, she’s surrounded by her fans and I utter the line, “How about a picture?” before I start snapping away, blinding her. As we ran through the scene, I realized Sarah probably had a lot of pent-up frustration towards the paparazzi, as she would pass by and slam into me. This petite young lady hits HARD. Then again, maybe she just likes knocking me around.

From there, I went to wardrobe. The jeans and hoodie I was wearing were deemed acceptable, and our amazing costume designer added a black photographer’s vest. I had a choice of two caps: one was pretty hip, one made me look dorky. Common sense prevailed and I was dorked out, ready to go.

Suddenly, we were whisked back onto set. Along for the ride was executive producer Tai Duncan, drafted to play an affectionate fan. Right before our final rehearsal, I was given a digital camera with a lens as long as my arm and MUCH heavier. I was instructed, “This lens is very expensive, so be careful.” That’s when the rain began to fall. So we ran the scene in the rain, me leading the charge at Sarah, snapping off pictures and blinding her with the flash, yelling at her to “Smile!” Then someone would yell cut and I would scurry back under the overhang, as our props master would help me dry the camera.

The rain mercifully stopped. The shooting didn’t. We ran the whole sequence, oh, about a billion times. Every time, I was in Sarah’s face, screaming at her, snapping away. As the takes wore on, she would grab the lens, shoving me away, harder and harder each time. Meanwhile, Tai’s job was to sneak in and steal a kiss. That was our night. Tai getting kisses, me getting my ass kicked by Sarah. Over and over.

The night wore on, and the temperature plunged, and all the extras in their tiny dresses shivered between takes. Each take, I’m flush with the excitement of getting into the action, with a front-row seat for the scene’s breathtaking conclusion, where Sarah stumbles back into the street, as headlights approach and…sorry, but that would be telling.

Finally, we wrapped, far past two in the morning. My back and neck were aching from the constant standing and the heavy camera. I was ready for bed, which was great, because our other exec producer Christopher had already arranged a late-night excursion to find a place that had the reputation for the best tacos in the world.

As we drove off into the night, I left behind the sleazy paparazzo persona that had consumed me. I was lucky to have spent a night as a true player in this movie, in there close, watching Sarah craft a performance that will completely amaze her fans. And as for my deeply realistic portrayal…don’t blink, and you’ll witness greatness.

You may think I’m just hyping things, but I’m not. And the tacos? They were the best in the world. Really.