Tag Archives: Beau Hutton

My Day as an Extra on ‘Country Strong’

Tim McGraw helped bring the production of his new film ‘Country Strong,’ which also stars Gwyneth Paltrow, to Nashville this past February, and that gave temporary jobs and the chance to be seen on the big screen to hundreds of Middle Tennesseans, like me.
The producers wanted Tim in their movie badly enough that they agreed to film it in Nashville, a convenient driving distance from his home which helped accommodate his touring schedule and family obligations.
Prior to arriving on the set of the movie, I had hoped to get Tim’s attention so that I might be offered a bigger part, maybe even a speaking role. He would see me, and say, “There is my good friend! She would be great in a more pronounced part.” And then, Gwyneth and I would be best friends, and we would live happily ever after, trading recipes and tips for living well. However, that was not to be the way things would play out. In fact, there is the remote possibility that I may be seen in the far reaches of the auditorium during a concert scene … or maybe not.

My day began as usual, with breakfast and a shower, and then I packed up and headed to downtown. The rest of my day’s schedule as a ‘Country Strong’ extra follows:

At 9:15 AM: I was rocking along to Foghat’s ‘Slow Ride’ and then ZZ Top’s ‘Sharp Dressed Man’ in my green Xterra to the place I would meet the production folks to head over to that day’s film location.

9:30 AM: I noticed there were more people than I thought would be there, and I suddenly did not feel special anymore as I did a few days earlier when the production folks called to tell me I had been picked to appear in the film. We were loaded onto buses, herded a bit like cattle. There were various types of people ranging in age from 21 to 71.9:47 AM: We arrived at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium and proceeded to get into two separate lines based on the first letter of our last names. We moved along at a good pace to sign in and get our paperwork to fill out.

10:32 AM: I finished my paperwork and got into another line. Handed my paperwork to one of the many production assistants on the film crew, who were seated behind several white tables, definitely keeping their distance from us “extras.”

11:10 AM: After waiting around, I was sent to wardrobe, and the “fashion consultant” had me go into the bathroom to change, even though what I was wearing was comfortable and would go well at a concert scene — jeans, a cute top and most importantly, flip flops. However, she picked out my most uncomfortable pair of boots, even though nobody would ever see them and a little dress over jeans and a denim jacket.

11:45 AM: Now that I was appropriately attired, we were seated and then moved from one section to another located at the corner of stage left. I noticed up in the rafter seats there were some pretty stiff people, just staring ahead, and I realized they were dummies set to appear as people.

12:07 PM: Got a little hungry, so I ate some pop tarts that I brought with me just in case I could not find anything to appease my appetite.

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