Like a Guy in a Movie… a Bad Guy
July 31st, 2006 by MarkI’ll never forget the first time I met a conversation partner in Taiwan. She said, “你看起來像電影裡面…的壞人!” Not sure whether I should take it as a compliment or not, I asked her why. She said that guys with shaved heads and goatees and darker skin are always the bad guys. At the time, I was a bit concerned my appearance could be hurting my job hunt, so I grew out my hair a bit, and shaved the goatee.
Well, now my goatee’s back, my hair’s short and I am going to be a bad guy in a movie! On Saturday night, I headed into town, met up with Poagao and friends, and they filmed me in a bit part as one of the evil madman’s private guards. They dressed me up in black pants, a shirt three sizes too small, a flack jacket and a beret. The flack jacket hid my pudge and the tight shirt showed off my fairly large upper body. I got to forcibly restrain the super-spy (before he cut his bonds with a knife he palmed without my noticing, killed one of the villains and escaped), lug around an automatic and look imposing. Yeah. I’m a 電影裡面的壞人.
The only problem is that filming went from 10PM to 5AM, and I pretty much lost coherence at 3AM. I sure hope I didn’t look like a tired evil guard. Also there’s the issue of the fact that my character failed absolutely and completely. Allowing the hero to palm a knife, cut his bonds and kill fellow bad guys sure isn’t likely to fly well with most ruthless overlords. I’m sure my character will be executed for his incompetence.
See the trailer for the movie on Poagao’s site. No, I’m not in it.
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July 31st, 2006 at 9:18 pm
[...] I’m impressed at the dedication these guys have for their craft. They all work normal jobs during the week and the film is something they can only manage in their spare time. Yet it’s plainly evident they are committed to putting out the highest quality product they can. It was the first time I’d ever been ‘on location’ and there’s a definite rush that comes from being around so many creative folks. Until around 3:30am, anyway. At that point my batteries begin wearing down. I gamely struggled on, however, and it’s my hope I made a decent enough impression so that they’ll have me back. As I told Poagao, what I lack in talent, I make up for in obsequious, fawning, celebrity worship. At least once my car is squared away I can help them lug around equipment to their various shoot locations. My friend Mark was there too, and he’s written a post of his own about the experience. [...]
July 31st, 2006 at 11:49 pm
Thanks so much for helping out on that long, long night. By the way, your link is to the trailer for the first movie. The current teaser trailer for the one we’re working on now is at
http://www.poagao.com/videos/cs2trailer.wmv
I’m working on a better, more complete trailer and hope to have it up soon-ish. Again, thanks for your help.
August 1st, 2006 at 3:08 am
I fixed the link. It was fun!
August 1st, 2006 at 3:15 am
Prince Roy! I thought your involvement in this was completely anonymous. I would have mentioned you otherwise.
August 1st, 2006 at 6:32 am
not completely anonymous, just low key.
August 1st, 2006 at 9:43 am
Nice Mark! In a movie? I’m jealous.
Evil is a good look for you. I always thought you looked a little sinister…
I had a professor (worst professor I ever had, actually) who got to be an extra in a James Bond flick. He said they were offering free sandwiches, so he couldn’t resist. Sandwhiches or not, I’d be there. Bad prof, but he was a funny character.
August 1st, 2006 at 11:31 pm
Haha, I too have a slight goatee and a shaved head. (althoguh lack of dark skin) When I was in China this summer, I also heard, on numerous occasions, that I looked like A) a zuifan-criminal, or B) a daitu-(gangster?). It was great, I ate it right up.
August 1st, 2006 at 11:50 pm
Yeah, it can be fun. Unfortunately, I was looking for a job teaching children at the time, and it wasn’t the image I wanted to project during interviews.
August 2nd, 2006 at 12:27 am
I’ve updated the production journal with an account of the evening.
http://www.poagao.com/2006/08/fine-evil-dining.html
Thanks again for your help.
February 18th, 2008 at 1:43 am
[...] in the army there. The look on his face when I told him I knew the guy and played a bit part as a bodyguard in his movie was [...]