Can you walk a bit more aggressively?

Having flown through the traffic to get to junction 10 on the M1 2 hours early, I stopped at a service station (Toddington, if you must know) and had a calming coffee and a bit of a read. The shoot was taking place at Luton Hoo Farm, and following the signs to the location made me feel like I was 'in the know', as all the signs said was "gold". I still have no idea why, but if you notice some signs tied to lamp-posts or trees which seem a little cryptic, it just might be a TV / Film shoot.

The site seemed deserted when I got there - just the expected trailers, loads of cars and the catering bus. Having watched "Extras" on TV, I expected the bus, and wasn't disappointed. As I parked, I noticed a bloke sitting in his car, and ambled over to check that I was in the right place. His name was Peter, and yes, he was to play a Victorian drunk, too. We wondered how many drunks there was going to be.

Pleased that I'd found another extra, I followed him over to the bus, where we found the Assistant Director, Bart, to whom we were to report. On the bus was one guy, called Chris, also an extra, whose role tonight was that of a chestnut seller. We were shown to our trailer, a little cramped for three of us, but we were getting on fine and we were joined by two wardrobe ladies. Much discussion of sizes results in the ladies returning with three outfits, all of which fit perfectly, apart from my frock coat, which I nearly destroy trying to get on. They come back with a huge overcoat, which fits, and of which I will be very grateful for later on.

As this is a night shoot, obviously the crew need to wait for it to be dark. So next is lunch (The day officially started at 2pm, so in effect it IS lunchtime). A Catering truck is set up near the bus, and we queue up (in full costume) to get some hot food. I plump for the stuffed tomatoes, brocolli and mash, and sit with Chris and Peter. We notice that there are no other costumed people around, and are then shunted off to the make-up truck. Chris, a white haired gent with a goatee, gets a full beard, and his long hair teased under his floppy hat, Peter gets some great big bushy side burns stuck on, and I get - nothing. Apparently my hair is 'fantastically' Victorian, my side burns are fine, and all I need is some make up to make me look a little older, and drunker. The make-up girl is new to the job too, but does a great job, and we are sent back to the trailer to wait for our call.

So far, so good. I've been dressed, made up, eaten some good food, and spent a couple of hours chatting to two very interesting people. Chris, it turns out, has only been in this game for a year or so, following a previous life as a Creative Direc tor, and has roots in Melton - a village not far from my hometown. He has appeared in a few things, including The Da Vinci Code, and in the next couple of weeks has a role in the new Harry Potter film - which, in my short career so far, seems to be a bit of a peak in the extras world. Peter, on the other hand, has been an actor for nearly 50 years, starting in the theatre, and has a resume which reads like the A - Z of British Film and TV. Star Wars? did the first three. Carry On films? was in every one. Bond Films? yup. played 006 in one, doubled for George Lazenby in another. Hugh Grant's dad in 'About A Boy'? oh, yes. Porridge? Dr Who? Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em? yes, yes and yes. This man gets invited to fan conventions, and seems genuinely concerned about the sanity of the attendees, and wonders if people really have nothing better to do that create websites listing his work. He makes a living from royalties, but hardly ever watches TV. Or Films. A real old school gent.

We chat for a while before Bart comes and gets Peter and Myself - it's time to go on set. The set is left over from the making of Bleak House, and it's a dingy filthy Victorian street set. You half expect Jack the Ripper's carriage to appear round the corner. The crew are all busy doing, er, something. It seems like a well oiled machine, everyone doing thier job. There's a guy spreading rotten veg around, lights are being positioned, carpenters are finishing off doors, a bloke is hosing down the street and the 3rd Assistant Director, who's job it is to tell us what to do, comes over and introduces himself as Paul. The whole crew seem to be dressed in Skiing gear. Paul tells us that he wants us to walk out of some doors (inside of which the carpentery dept. are set up), stagger up the street and turn right into an alley way. We've had a skinfull, and we're having trouble walking. The main actress will be playing a lady venturing into the dark alleyways of the working class, and I ask if two drunks would look at her. Apparently not, and Peter whispers to me that that would constitute interaction, and we'd get more money. I decide not to ask any more questions. We rehearse a couple of times, so the crew can get the lights and camera positions sorted, and the director walks over, says hello to Peter (everyone seems to know him) and asks us to walk more aggresively. She says that the lady needs to be scared of us, and frankly she's more likely to laugh at us staggering around. After a few more run throughs, we end up just walking normally. In the other direction. I guess we're not drunks anymore!

It's also strange that, considering I've been walking quite happily for near on 40 years without thinking about it too much, as soon as someone tells you to walk from here to there in a certain time and you know it's being filmed, you become obsessively aware of how you walk.

We do our bit to film 3 or 4 times, and after standing around getting very cold for about 30 minutes (at which point I am glad to be wearing the big overcoat), we get sent back to the trailer. Peter says that's it, our bit is done now, but Paul tells us not to get changed. It's Chris's turn as we get back to the trailer, and Peter and I sit and chat for another ten minutes, before Bart knocks on the door and tells us we're needed again. We walk back to the set, which is a good 5 minute walk, in the pitch black, and when we get there, Paul tells Peter he doesn't need him, just me, and sends him back. This time, I have to wait for a cue, and walk across the street, and down another alley. I have one of the runners, Jody, standing behind me and tapping me on the shoulder when it's time to walk. Chris seems to no longer be a chestnut seller, but just a bloke on the street walking in a different direction to me. There are now two proper actors on set, and this is part of a fairly long sequence in which the lady speaks to camera while walking and then meets the other character. We do this 12 times before the director is happy, and Chris and I are then photographed on the set by loads of the crew, and finally, just as frostbite is setting in, we are sent back to the trailer. Peter has had a nice nap, and eventually Bart comes and tells us we can get changed and go. It's ten to one in the morning.

Three or four poeple come up and say "Good job, see you soon" as I leave, I exchange details with Peter and Chris, and head to the car for the long drive home. I'm sure that after 40 or 50 of these it gets quite dull, but for my first experience I found it all very exciting, and frankly for sitting around chatting, doing a bit of walking from here to there, being fed, and getting to see a bit of TV being made, it seems good fun. We'll see how I feel after the next one!