doppelganger duties

although we are mired in complications from shoddy renovations, and our home life is dominated by disarray, thankfully there are still activities that occupy our time.

photo doubling requires detailed movie magic. although it is my vague shape appearing in the distant background, within the shadows of a balcony, careful preparation to match my look to the absent actor is achieved. my skin tone becomes paler with make-up, my hair becomes darker and straighter with coloured mousse and a flat iron. for some reason, although i have identical boots and jeans and a sweater to wear, the cuff colour of my shirt sleeves is incorrect. this is where the magic manifests: i was given white sleeves to protrude from under my sweater! the audience will never know it was different material! in reality, the audience will never know i wasn't the actual actor!

last night, at the 13th hour, there was a knock at the trailer door. (yes, i've been designated a trailer, although it's the size of a small cubicle, and i share it with another double. but it's got a small tv and a toilet, so it feels like a glamourous prison cell, if not a potentially stinky sentence). our liaison gestured what i mistook as the "you're out of here" thumb hitch, so i began changing out of my outfit, and mussing my flat 'do back to my typical wavy mess.

i walked around to the back of the large studio to sign out, surprising the confused production assistant at the sign-out table. to confirm my freedom, he contacted the liaison over the walkie. it turns out, that thumb gesture was meant to indicate "come to set". i guess the arc of his arm wasn't precise enough, as i thought his thumbnail pointed to the bus stop, not the studio.

suddenly panicked, i ran back to the trailer compartment, brushing my hair with my fingers through the dark parking lot. at the cubicle, i disrobed, threw on my costume, and scurried onto set, still adjusting my awkward detached sleeves under my sweater. by a stroke of luck, nobody noticed as i arrived just in time to accompany the other doubles to our marks. i then discovered that only my feet would be seen in the next shot. five minutes later, it was announced that i wasn't needed at all.

i made sure to ignore the hand signs indicating "that's a wrap", and relied on hearing the actual phrase before removing my sleeves...