We drove along for close to forty minutes. We left the city and took a small winding road up into the hills. I have to say, I’ve never really been an outdoorsy nature person, but the view as we drove out was nothing short of magnificent. First of all the hills were the deepest, richest green you could imagine, and they seemed to roll on and on into the horizon. Diana pointed out Guinness Lake cause it had a slight tinge of brown that made it look like beer! We finally pulled into a big open gravel parking lot where there were a bunch of huge trucks and trailers.
“Are we shooting here?” I asked Diana.
“No, this is base camp. It’s where everyone gathers before we go off to shoot on location.”
“Where’s location?”
“I don’t know, probably in the hills somewhere close by.”
“What’s here at base camp?”
“It’s where the production keeps everything the movie needs.”
“Like what?”
“Well, there are tech trucks where they carry all of the lighting, sound, and camera equipment, the wardrobe truck where all of the costumes for the show is stored, the hair and make-up trailer – self explanatory and uhhh, what else am I forgetting? Of course! The trailers for the actors,”
“You’re forgetting the most important truck!” Exy said.
“What’s that?” I asked. Exy mimed shoveling food into his mouth.
“Yes,” Diana said with a laugh, “the craft services truck.”
“What’s craft services?”
“It’s where I’ll be spending most of my time!” Exy said with a big smile.
“It’s where all the food’s kept. You can go in and grab a snack or drink whenever you want!” Diana explained.
“That’s awesome!” I never thought that this was how movie sets work! Everything needed for a movie could be packed up in several semi trucks to be taken anywhere they needed to film!
We unloaded out of the transport van and immediately everyone seemed to know where they were going. I followed everyone who seemed to be going in the same general direction.
“Where we going?” I asked Diana.
“To eat!” Exy blurted out even before Diana had the chance to respond. I followed everyone around some trucks to where there were several chairs and tables set up and a buffet style table with cereals, milk, juice, fruits, and cutlery on it. Nearby was also a truck where people were lining up. The person inside the trick seemed to be cooking! When I got a little closer I found out that each person would give him an order and he’d cook it right up! Eggs, sausages, bacon, ham, and potatoes! Delicious! Little did I know that this would be our breakfast every morning for the next month! I followed Brad, Paul, Exy, Diana, and everyone else to line up for food.
We sat down at the table with some other people from the Irish crew. Right away Diana dove right into a conversation with them as if they’d known each for years! I was amazed at Diana’s unique ability to befriend people. Maybe that was what Jackie saw in her at that first interview. He sure knows how to surround himself with gifted people – the stunt guys for one, but Diana as well!
After about fifteen to twenty minutes most of us had finished our breakfast and we saw Dorothy walk over to the food truck to get some food.
“Go see if she needs any help,” Diana nodded in her direction. I nodded and headed over.
“Hi Dorothy, good morning!” I said cheerfully.
“Good morning,” she said in an abrupt but kind way.
“Do you need any help?”
“Okay, you take this to Jackie’s trailer,” she handed me a plate with some eggs and bacon on it and pointed in the direction I was to go.
“But,”
“And you pour him a cup of juice too,” not wanting to defy Dorothy who seemed busy enough as it was, I followed her instructions and nervously walked over to Jackie’s trailer. I got to the trailer and was a little confused at first. The door had a sign on it that said, “Eddie Yang”. This was exactly where Dorothy had pointed me, and there were no other trailers around. I knocked on the door lightly just in case I was disturbing some stranger, unsure of whether this was Jackie’s trailer or not. Jackie opened the door and looked at me. I froze for a second then came to my senses.
“Dorothy told me to bring you this,” he nodded and motioned for me to come in. I walked in carefully holding his juice and plate of food not wanting to spill it all over the place my first day on set in front of Jackie Chan of all people. I looked around, his trailer was HUGE! It had a couch, a small kitchen area, a door, which I assumed had a washroom in it, and a bed in the back! I put the plate down on the counter and looked at Jackie who was sitting on the couch reading a magazine.
Jackie looked up and said, “Thank you,” with a smile.
“Y-Y-Your welcome,” I stammered nervously as I opened the door and left the trailer. I couldn’t believe that I had just brought JACKIE CHAN himself BREAKFAST in his TRAILER! I still couldn’t bring myself to accept that I was working intimately with Jackie Chan as part of his inner circle!