MI5

Request from an agency - could I play an MI5 officer in a feature film? No problem - I dug out my black suit and dark shirt, black boots. I even had on a black coat with a large black handbag. Well, I couldn't imagine an MI5 Officer in bright red, blue or orange!

Breakfast first and then in to hair and make up. I love having my hair done. I always turn up on set with it styled but I love it when they want to do something else with it so I was more than happy to jump in to the chair and have what can only be called, ringlets put in to my hair! I wasn't too sure about the look but they were paying more than the average shoot so compliance was the answer. Into the mini bus we went with Ben, the 3rd A.D shouting in to his  walkie talkie "S.As are travelling" meaning the Supporting Artists are on their way. We got out of the mini bus and Into an office building  where we were to be for most of the  day.  Now, although being an MI5 Officer sounds exciting, well, I thought it sounded exciting, it amounted to nothing  more than being sat behind a computer screen looking for terrorists.  The screen of course, having been preloaded so the same scenario was running over and over again. 

One  person however, sat opposite me, couldn't quite get the hang of the screen and after it had been reset several times, still managed to have a blank screen even though he was not not to touch it  - Ever. Having made himself known to the Director, you can imagine how we all squirmed when a mobile went off and who was it? You guessed it.

Lunch time came and we headed  back to base to grab lunch. The minibus doors opened and  I stood up and went out of the back. As I held on to the handle ,I some how twisted my arm badly and this searing pain went through my shoulder. I was later to find out that I had torn my ligaments. Not one to cause a scene, I grabbed lunch with my one good arm and crunched down on some painkillers. Back to the office again and more looking at computer screens with the odd walk  about thrown in for good measure. This shoot stays in my mind not only because that's where I wrecked my shoulder but because the leading actress couldn't remember any of her lines.... Dear God, we all knew the lines by the end of the day! But hey, we all have off days....but we could have finished an awful lot earlier.....