- I was here for one
reason. Tony Soprano. I've never loved a television
character more. To me being on the last few episodes
of The Sopranos is like being on the last few episodes
of Cheers, All in the Family - hell being in the
lockeroom with Michael Jordan and the Bulls the year
they won 70. Just moments that are etched into time
that seem timeless. Certainly you'll be able to
see James Gandolfini on other sets, but it'll never
again be as this character in this
setting with this crew. I was in a goddamn
candyland and it was about to get even
crazier.
-

-
- Obviously, cameras
aren't allowed on set...but as was the case with
Jordan
signing my jersey in
1995, this
transcends those rules. You risk this. You weigh the
worst that can happen and you jump. These pictures,
souvenirs and memories will mean more than "being
good". And, I'm really goddamn good at finding
"holes" in sets as it was my #1 goal to get
pictures and/or video of as much as
possible...
-
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- ...so
I snuck my videocamera onto
the set while at the bar and just flashed
my jacket open when the opportunity
presented itself. Initially the wardrobe
people just said to wear my shirt, but
I figured I could at least take
the jacket and put it on the back of my
chair. I ended up wearing it for the
scene.
-
- This
is where you realize "The Game" as a
background person. You get seated, but
haven't the fuckiest idea what's gonna be
shot. Once you're there, and they do a
take - you ain't movin', so for the hours
of takes all you're doing is this abstract
form of spacial geometry. Seein' where the
camera is gonna see around the principles,
off certain mirrors and where you should
edge left or right to be in the
shot...somehow.
-
- The
guy I was with, Neil, was quite a bit
bigger than me and had a great shot at
being seen because when he jumped up to
root for the game, he towered over me. In
one shot the camera was facing Tony &
Paulie (where the TV is) so I think
we'll both be very noticeable...as shadowy
figures behind Tony. And that's alllllllll
ya want.
-
- BTW -
the last 2 pictures are of Tony throwing
peanuts at the Directors and then Paulie
pointing at T as if to say: "It wasn't
me!" It was surreal to watch them
interract when the camera was off exactly
as they would in the show.
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-

-
- Then,
on a re-shoot they needed just the South
Side of the bar (I was north side).
Then they weren't sure so they brought the
North side down... then they agreed with
their first thought and sent us all back
upstairs...
-
- ...except
me. I saw a chair open on the North
Side and jumped on it and FROZE. I knew
I wasn't in the shot but if
I just stayed still, no one would
notice and I just wanted to be on-set
as much as possible. So they started
shooting the scene from an angle behind
them and I was able to get the whole
scene from my jacket. I was scared
shitless. After the scene I closed my
coat and kept watching everything when the
unthinkable happened:
-
- Tony
turns around (sorry, Gandolfini) hunches
down on that railing and stares me dead in
the eye. I was only aout 10 feet from
him. As serious as a heart attack he
shakes his head "no", slowly, left to
right about 5 times. He had somehow seen
that I had a camera. I, was, frozen.
I shook my head back to him in the
most submissive: "I understand, I am
retarded, I have piss running down my leg,
please don't whack me" head shake
I could muster and he just kept on
staring.
-
- In my
mind I thought, well this was what
you were risking. You had to try, here's
how it worked out. He then stands up and
I see him talking to one of the sound
guys and then the sound guy looks at me.
I'm fucked. Right at that moment they tell
all background to go back to holding and
I JET.
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-
- Suddenly I'm in a
James Bond movie and I have to get to a private
place to switch out the tapes so if they confiscate my
camera or the tape inside I'll have the real, secret
tape. My heart is pounding through my chest and my
hands are shaking ridiculously. I went into the
bathroom and switched the tapes and then just had to
videotape my hand...
-

-
- To have Tony
Soprano stare me down like that may be one of the
coolest moments of my life. It was like I was at
the Sopranos Theme Park and I had just done the
"Tony scares the shit out of you" ride. Yeah
I was scared, my heart was racing and my hands
were shaking...but it was fun!!! I went out on
the roof (right off the holding room) to call everyone
to tell them what just happened and I saw him
walking back to his trailer - I figured might as
well keep pushing it.
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