Working it all out!

Yesterday was the big day, the R scene ... The River Wild ... pics to follow and lots of them.  It all started when I got up and decided I better get into shape for the shoot.  I originally imagined that I would work out for a couple of months before this shoot and really be buff but nope, I decided the morning of, would do.  Here's how it went.  I went across the parking lot with every intention of overworking my biceps, triceps, lats ... upper body.  I started with a two handed rows, figuring that would be good for the rafting scene.  Then I wanted to do lat pull downs. It was on 60 pounds and I knew I could pull that so I stood up to grab onto the bar and pulled ... and pulled .... and pulled ... until I was hanging from the bar, yes all 110 pounds of me, hanging!  I quickly figured I better lower the weight to 40, and I pulled ... and pulled ... and pulled ... and started hanging some more.  Wow, am I weak or what?  So I put it on the lowest weight, 20 and pulled ... and pulled and thought, what the hell?  That's when I looked up, the bar had been on an iron shelf that prevents it from moving so I took it off the shelf realizing I'd be able to do the exercise and while leaning over to choose the new weight it fell square on my head.  It only had 20 pounds on it but that was enough!  I was laughing so hard the people on the other machines stared looking at me.

I did my lat pull downs, then went straight to the dumb bells ... insert joke here, after super setting my biceps, triceps and lats ... I wrapped up with a brisk walk outside to my apartment where I realized that one day isn't really enough time to appear cut.  Oh well, my bad.

Then I got to the shoot, Andy, Brian, Matt and Peter were there all ready to work, setting up.  Fred, John, Mick and Ian all showed up eventually and we started the prep work for the scene.  There was a raft to be blown up.  There were lines to be run with other actors.  We even watched the original scene to give people the idea of what we were going for ... it was just me and all these boys trying to make it work. 

I am so grateful for the hard work and poor Brian has more ahead of him.  I will do my best to bring you the best scene possible. Meryl Streep actually was on the rapids when she did this film, no stunt double, and she said there were times where you're simply seeing her face brave the class 4 rapids, no acting involved. I admire the hell out of her for her performance in this role.