by Sharon Delaney
The Chakram Newsletter: Issue 25
I’d asked Renee if she could bring an extra outfit to the filming because we wanted some variety in the photos we were going to be taking during the session. When the doorbell rang, August 22, it opened on Renee in a stunning pink, black and white floral summer dress. She's usually so casual, it caught me off-guard. Also, her hair was platinum blonde - and I do mean platinum!
Last time I saw Renee, she was a redhead. Now she was preparing to start filming a movie and the production company wanted her to go back to blonde. It was being made for the Sci-Fi Channel and they wanted the “Gabrielle” recognition factor. So, she’d popped off to the hairdresser and this was how it came out. Renee wasn’t particularly thrilled with the result - it was too harsh, not enough warmth in the color. Renee went back to the hairdresser before taking off for the London convention and had them work on it some more. She was happier with that result. Ironically, she may be filming a sequel to Diamonds and Guns before the Sci-Fi movie and that would necessitate being a redhead again! Ah, Hollywood.
We'd rearranged the furniture in my boss's apartment to fit in the equipment and Jonathan, my cameraman, had Renee and I sitting knee-to-knee. I thought it was awfully close and asked him if this was the way Barbara Walters sat during her interviews. It looks farther apart on camera, but you have to be really careful about not kicking your subject in the shins!
We plopped down on the chairs and dived in. As I was asking my first question, I remembered something Lucy and Renee had talked about during the 2001 convention - “hand actors.” Actors who have their backs to the camera and wave their hands around which blocks their fellow actors face during the take. Oops! That’s exactly what I was doing. Renee had a great suggestion. “You just sit on it,” she laughed. And I did, until it fell asleep.
We resettled ourselves, I sat on my hand and then repeated my opening remarks. Renee burst into giggles. A portent of things to come. By the time I completed the interviews with both Lucy and Renee, I learned that, during the filming of Xena, keeping two straight faces between them must have been quite a challenge.
The interview proceeded along smoothly with Renee talking about the world of independent films, guerilla shooting on the streets of Los Angeles, how she became the film’s makeup and hair person. Lots of great stories. And then I asked about the dancing her character does in the movie and Renee stood up to demonstrate. The dancing went well, but when she sat down, she flipped the bottom on the dress to keep from sitting on it and it went up higher than she'd planned! I let her finish answering the question and then asked Jonathan if the camera had caught that, shall we say, “lingerie moment.” He said it did and Renee and I both started laughing and she pointed out that I was turning as red as my shirt.
She had an idea that maybe we could cut in a shot of me going wide-eyed with shock over the flip-up of the dress. I thought that was a good idea and, without planning it, we actually did get a shot of me at the end that would fit well there.
But, talking about it with her a few weeks later, after I'd seen the footage and was able to describe it to her, Renee really wanted to use the actual shot. She thought it was so funny, particularly our reactions. The question was, how to do that without “giving away the store,” so to speak. I suggested we put a black band marked “censored” over the “delicate” area and Renee loved the idea. So that's what we did!
We wrapped up the questions about Diamonds and then it was time to shoot generic shots of Renee listening, nodding, smiling, etc. Whatever the editor might find useful. She's not allowed to talk during this, just listen. And I have to say things to get her to react. The first question I ask (to get a “no” headshaking) is, “Can you explain this plot in one line or less?” I not only get a negative shake of the head, but a sad little face and it cracks me up. Which then cracks Renee up. Which leads to the two of us being chided by Jonathan, “You guys, don’t break down to a giggle fest!” Properly chastened, Renee and I take a deep breath and try again.
I go for the dullest question I can think of to keep things serious, “You had a lot to learn about digital filmmaking.” I look up at Renee. She's staring at me, I lose it, so does she. So this is how it starts. Oh Lordy, are we ever gonna get through this? I've gotta find a way to include this stuff in the video. Maybe a mini behind-the-scenes section after the credits roll.
We shake off the giggles and get the nodding and smiling we need. I also get two more questions answered even though Renee’s supposed to be silent, she’s so excited about what she's doing, she just can’t help talking about it. That’s okay, I’ll stick 'em in. Can't let good info go to waste.
It’s time to turn the camera my way and Renee pops from her chair and says, “Now I get to work on you!” as she beguilingly crooks her finger to draw me into the study. She pulls out this giant makeup bag and rubs her hands together with a devilish smile on her face. I can see why the other actors on the movie quivered with trepidation when she came at them wielding her makeup brush. She's really into this newfound skill. It’s fun, though, and I also learn a secret about Renee that I can pass on - she's afraid to have anyone put mascara on her eyes. Always has to do it herself.
There's a quick stop out on my boss’ balcony to take some photos of Renee in the floral dress. I got a kick out of her doing her best Titanic imitation by leaning out over the railing.
Then we head back to the living room and Renee sits down under the camera to give me something to respond to when I reask the questions we covered in the interview. As happened earlier, she winds up imparting new information about the sequels they have planned for Diamonds and Guns and now I have to find a way to incorporate it into the body of the interview.
I’m now delivering my opening line, “Renee, it's good to see you. You’re looking good for the mother of a two-year-old,” for the third time. I did it when we first sat down. We did a two-shot to show the both of us sitting there and Jonathan had me repeat my opening. Now he wants me to do it again with the camera on my closeup. It's not true that practice makes perfect. I start to deliver the line and it sounds so staged, I stop, berating myself. Renee laughs.
I pause, take a deep breath to get serious, begin again and get as far as, “Renee, you’re…” and she bursts out laughing, falling forward in her chair with her head in her hands. Jonathan is ready to fire the two of us. “You are so bad,” he chides Renee. “I like the sigh,” she manages to get out between laughs. “I’ll be good,” Renee promises.
It took four more tries and Renee getting up and pretending to sit down before we both managed to keep a straight face long enough to get these two silly lines. My respect for actors went up a hundredfold!
Renee brings up the fact that the last thing we need is a response face from me for the moment when she flashed me with her skirt. Without warning, she flips the skirt again and gets the saucer-eyed expression she was hoping for. I'm sitting there just wishing we had two cameras so you could see her shenanigans!