Some Extra Costumes

Stuart and Ben in Wardrobe

Waiting for hair and makeup

Bar Mitvah Scene Location

Driving home today, I noticed that the synagogue where we'll be filming tomorrow has been transformed by the decamping of more than a dozen trucks, a crane, a huge tent and about 20 or so production people. After dropping the kids at home, I hopped on my bike and rode back to snap some pics. I was a little shy with my camera phone, seeing as there were a number of security folks around and a couple of St. Louis Park patrol cars cruising the site. As I rode by the first time, I noticed Joel Coen walking around the front of the building, and thought of stopping to take a picture but just couldn't bring myself to do it. I rode past, then swung back around to take a few of the building and the surrounding area.

Building to the left in the foreground is Bnei Emet Synagogue, a Conservative congregation in St. Louis Park, MN about a mile from where I live, and not too far from where the Coen Brothers grew up. All the surrounding trucking crtons, the crane, and white peaked tent in the background have been brought in and set up to support filming tomorrow (11/3) through at least Wednesday (11/5).

Sign near the crew parking area (ASM="A Serious Man").

Warehouse building used for extras cast holding area. In the background is the St. Louis Park water tower.

A Serious Man: New Coen Brothers Film

"A Serious Man" is a film currently in production in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN. The film is being written, produced and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, recently awarded the Best Film Oscar for "No Country for Old Men".

Wikipedia
IMDB
Coenesque

On Monday, November 3, I'll begin blogging about my experience as an extra in the movie, for a couple of scenes being filmed about a mile from where I live.

I don't have a lot of information about the scenes, other than that they take place during a bar mitzvah and a funeral service at a Jewish synagogue. I've already been to a wardrobe fitting and hair consultation (I had to grow my hair out, as I normally shave my head), and had to shave the goatee I've sported for a number of years. I'll be on set with a number of people I know and, as I understand, there will be something like 250 extras on set.

I know there will be more exciting and important things happening the first part of that week, but I thought this would be a fun thing to experience, write about, and since this is my first foray into blogging, learn how social networking tools can be used. I'll be using a mix of Blogger, Flickr, and Twitter, along with my Blackberry, to do live updates for those who may be interested in following along.

Coen Brothers fans, stay tuned!