Neighbors

 South Carolina ETV was filming a PBS program on race relations in the South during the 1950's.  It was called "Neighbors", and I had a role as a bus rider.  This was in the fall of 1983.  There was a director, and then there was a consulting director.  His name was Laszlo Benedek.  His name might not be familiar to you, but he directed many Hollywood movies.  Probably his most famous was "The Wild One" which starred Marlon Brando in one of his early roles.  Mr. Benedek was called in for two reasons.  First, his work during the 1950's.  Second, he was a stickler for details.  I dare you to find a mistake in "Neighbors".
 They put me on a city bus, which was also from the 1950's.  I was dressed in a short-sleeve white shirt and dark pants.  My hair had to be short, too.  I was placed near the front of the bus and told how to sit.  They then took a Polaroid picture of me to see where my hands were, and where I was looking.  Each day of the shooting, they referred to the picture, and I had to sit that way again.  They also trimmed my hair each day, in case it had grown overnight.  We went all over town in the bus, but the most tedious scene was the bus going over the Gervais Street Bridge.  Either it was too fast or too slow.  Or, someone had moved out of position.  We did that one scene for the better part of one day.
 After my scenes were done, I was asked one Saturday to watch their movie equipment, while they were filming elsewhere.  I became a Production Assistant.  I was at a church on River Drive guarding their things.  It was a long wait, because they were gone for hours.  Fortunately, my brother had given me an assignment, too.  He was hired to do the five-year plan for the Columbia Urban League, but he didn't have the time to do it, so he farmed it out to me.  I did a lot of research and wrote the plan, while waiting on the film crew to come back.  Later that day, I gave my report to my brother.  He put his name on it, and gave it to the Urban League.  I don't think they liked it, as I suggested they reach out to the growing Asian population in Columbia.  But, I got paid twice that day--sitting around in a church parking lot and writing a report that I don't think was ever used.