I have been fortunate in meeting so many interesting people. Almost without exception they have all been very nice. Three that were very cool were Tom Hanks, Gary Sinise, and Patrick Swayze - these were folks I spent a bit of time around and I came away the better for it. Today I want to talk about Tom Hanks... In 1996 I was working in Anaheim, CA. One day I heard that Mr. Tom Hanks was making a film in the Historic District of Orange; which was about 5 miles away. The Historic District is several blocks that has retained much of its early 1900 architecture. It is used often for movie, TV and commercial filming. Its most prominent feature is a circular intersection, called The Orange Circle.. One day I headed for the film site. Hanks was both directing and starring in a movie called That Thing You Do! He was using most of the District to represent 1964 Erie PA. When I got there the area was a crowded mess. Lots of security was keeping thousands of onlookers a couple of blocks away. After 10 minutes I headed back to my car. As I walked past an off duty Orange police officer who was working security, I asked if it was always this crowded. He suggested that I get to the site early in the morning. He said that while security didnt report till 7AM, Hanks and his close staff got there around 6AM. They would walk around the area as they prepared for the days shooting. The next morning I arrived at 6AM and sure enough, there was Hanks and about 8 people strolling through the area. Unfortunately it was still pretty dark and I only had a point and shoot 35mm with a minuscule zoom. I took my first shot as the group approached me. As expected it would later be too dark to be useful. As I got ready to take another photo a voice shouted at me: No cameras allowed! No photos! I immediately put down my camera when another and very familiar voice stated: What do you mean no cameras. This is the USA and if he wants to take photos he can! By this time they were directly in front of me. I looked at the first speaker and said: Ah, sorry, but do I listen to you or to Mr. Hanks? The guy smiled and said: Oh, we all listen to Mr. Hanks. Come on. I followed the group. About 3 minutes later I took another photo and a uniformed security guard sprung out of the darkness to say something when my new friend said: It is OK, Mr Hanks has given him permission. After a few minutes my friend asked why I wasnt taking more photos. I told him that I didnt want to disturb the group. He laughed and literally grabbed Hanks by the shoulders and turned him towards me and told him: let him get one good shot of you. Just then a woman, who I learned later was an assistant director, rushed over to stop me when she was told that I had approval to be there. I then thanked everyone and left for work. Of course, I couldnt stay away. Two days later I went back at mid morning, but it was as crowded as before. I started to leave when I heard a : Ah, youre back. Come along. I turned and there was my buddy from the other morning. He passed me through the security line. I asked what was going on? And he said: you have been authorized by Tom Hanks to take photographs and unless you screw up, you now have access to the whole set. I asked if he could get in trouble and he said not a chance. He did tell me that someone before me had been authorized, but became such a pest that she was now banned from the set. My newest buddy was Toby Pollard. He was a Production Assistant on the film. He got his start in film when he was chosen from a local audition to play one of Kiefer Sutherlands gang members in Stand By Me. He also had worked in a couple of Kevin Costner movies, so we had a mutual contact. He is a really great guy with a terrific sense of humor and great knowledge of film making. Toby then placed me near the next scene. I was about 20 feet from Liv Tyler, but completely out of the cameras view. This was pretty much how things went for the next week. I would be placed as close as possible to a scene without disturbing the filming. I got to meet all the actors and crew members. Whenever Hanks saw me he would ask if I got my photo yet. I always replied: Still working on it! After while, I no longer needed Toby to get past security.....every one just nodded me through. The next week was the last they would shoot in Orange. My boss and a national client came out for a quick visit. When they arrived and learned a film was being made down the road, they wanted to see the filming. I gave them the information they would need to get into the viewing gallery. I told him I would follow once I completed some paperwork. When I got there about an hour later, all was not well. They had been standing behind a security tape with some filming going on inside a building across the street. My boss complained no one could tell them if they would ever come out. He was irked. I told him I would find out. I then ducked under the security tape and walked across the street. A policeman greeted and ushered me into the building. I looked around what was basically a small sound stage and saw Toby. I went over and told him my situation and asked if they would do any filming outside. He walked over to a large bulletin board and checked a schedule. He then told me they would be filming on the street in 20 minutes. I thanked him and left. When I got back to my boss he was happy to hear the update, but I also could tell he wanted to ask me just how much time I had spent there since everyone seemed to know me. We waited 20 minutes and then the security detail started to move everyone to an area a block away. My boss was not happy. Then Toby came out and told the security people we were with him. Before we could say much, Mr. Hanks approached Toby and asked him when the actors in the next scene would be there. Toby checked on his radio and said their van had already left the hotel. Toby then said: this is Bobs boss and one of their clients. They just flew in from the East Coast. Hanks smiled and shook their hands. He said they sure had come a long way. He hoped they would see and like his film when it came out. He was very gracious. He then turned to me and said that since the next weeks filming site would be closed set, I should arrange a pass from Toby. I told him I would be traveling and would be away. He then shook my hand and said: Bob it was pleasure having you as part of the team. Good luck. He then patted me on the shoulder and headed back to his crew. Toby gave me his phone number before he followed him. I know for a fact that Mr.Hanks DID NOT know my name until Toby prompt him. I had always been Hey, Camera Guy to him. And yet, although extremely busy, he took the time to be cordial to all of us. It is said the true nature of a person is in how he treats people who cant help or harm him. In my book, Mr. Tom Hanks is as kind and nice as everyone says he is.... We then watched as they filmed a scene which included a speeding car. My boss asked if I really needed to be traveling the following week. We both knew my meetings were too important to reschedule. I also knew he now really wanted to ask me about what just happened; how was it even Hanks knew me. But he kept quiet in the hope of visiting another live movie set.... as it turned out, we would be at a movie premiere and post party in just a couple of weeks! There we would meet Gary Sinise.....
Posted on: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 13:22:33 +0000
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