Last summer I had the privilage of visiting the Red Eye set in Paris. This is my "Diary" of a very memorable trip!

Paris - Thursday June 28th 2001

Armed with my trusty pocket map of the Paris Metro and my camera, I leave my hotel in search of "Porte des Lilas" Metro station. Shooting today is scheduled to take place in the dingy depths of one of Paris' underground stations and I am excited about spending my first ever day on the set of a T.V. show. The station was easy to find. The disused platform which was to be used for the shoot however was more tricky - especially as I managed to totally miss the rather large florescent cardboard arrows with the words "Red Eye" sprawled across them. Spotting a Metro employee, I tried out my rather shaky French and soon found myself in the middle of the action.

It's about 10.20am and everyone is buzzing around, preparing the train and platform for filming. Pretend pillars are being built and the lighting on both platforms is being put into place. Michael appears complete with makeup and gets into a carriage on the train.

Inside the train are more lights, a cameraman who has a rather large camera attached to him and a whole bunch of people. There is a second, stationary camera set up on the platform directed into the train. The lighting is checked and everyone is going over the details of the scene which is to be filmed. Michael is directing as well as acting and talks everyone though their paces. After several run throughs they are ready to go!

The first scene to be shot is full of action and drama. There are two extras dressed as bikers and two "bad guys" as well as Michael who are to take part. The other participant is an old wine bottle which will play a rather significant role in the action. Michael's character, Julian Decker is seated on the train when the wine bottle rolls across the floor towards him. The two bad guys who are looking for him come through the connecting door of the carriage. The first man, Yates played by Emmanuel Crespin, is holding a gun but Julian spots them just in time, smashing the bottle on Yate's arm, he drops the gun and Julian throws a well aimed punch knocking him flying back into his partner in crime, Axle played by Patrick Burnette and onto the train floor. Julian then runs off down the carriage.

COUPER! (sounds like koopay but means CUT).

I am seated behind Janeen, where I'm able to watch the action through two monitors, each representing one of the cameras. Eduard, Michael and Janeen's assistant is in charge of taping each scene as it is being filmed and then it can be played back on the monitors. Michael runs over to check out the video clip. Everyone is happy with how the scene looks and it's time to move onto the next.

After lunch I get the chance to make my "acting debut" as Janeen and Michael ask me if I would like to be in a scene. I find myself saying yes and being escorted onto the train. I am to be a passenger in the carriage where the aforementioned action takes place. Two French girls are seated behind me (also extras) and in front sits Geraldine Sorin-Robbe who plays the role of "Marine Lacombe", which is the female lead of the series. Michael is seated almost at the back of the carriage. I am to be reading a magazine and must start turning the pages when I hear them shout "ACTION!"

Lights are set up in front of Geraldine and the cameraman, still with his camera attached seems to be aiming it at me. We have several run through's and then it's time to rock - literally! We must make it look as if the train is moving and the people outside, push on the side of the train to give it the appearance of motion. I hear "Action!" and immediately start turning the pages of the magazine. I have to fight the urge to stare at the camera and feel relieved when they shout "couper". We run through this several times before everyone is happy with how it looks.

It is now time for the next scene and this time we must act shocked and scared as we hear a gun shot and Julian attacking the man with the gun. This scene is to carry on from the one shot this morning. As Julian runs past me a fire extinguisher goes off in his face, he grabs hold of Marine's hand and they run on through the carriage. There is no time for flicking though magazine pages in this scene and it's quite a shock when the fire extinguisher fires dry ice on cue.

Again the scene has to be run through and it takes several attempts before we are told our job is done for the day. I return to my position behind the monitors, pretty relieved my part is complete but also proud to have been included in the pilot of Michael's new show.

It is now around 5.00pm and there is still lots to be done before anyone can go home. I notice that something resembling a toilet compartment is being built on the platform behind me. I watch as it very quickly takes on the appearance of the original compartment in the train carriage next to us. Michael is in the carriage checking something out, he is opening the door to the compartment, getting inside and closing the door, as quick as possible. He calls me into the train and asks me to do the same, so that he can watch.

Geraldine, the actress playing Marine has some very tricky moves to perform in the next scene and she runs through the details with Janeen. Then the prop guy (nicknamed Q by Michael) brings over a small flick knife and demonstrates to Geraldine how it opens and she practices to make the action look smooth and natural. The blade is not sharp but it looks menacing. Michael comes over and asks if Geraldine would like to run over their lines and they move off into the "toilet compartment" standing on the platform.

The cameras are being set up in front of the open compartment and the lighting as well. It takes time to get everything set up in it's correct position. There is not much room for maneuvering and the compartment in which Michael and Geraldine are to film the next scene is not what one would describe as spacious! Timing is also a major issue in this scene and after some discussion and a few rehearsals the decision is made to film it in two sections.

This scene takes place a little after the ones described earlier. Julian and Marine are running through the train to escape the men chasing after them. They hide from the men in the toilet compartment and when they emerge, Marine's appearance has changed along with her clothes! The little dress which she was wearing when she entered the compartment is now in her handbag, she is wearing jeans, T-shirt and her hair is tied in a scarf. A lot happens in that tiny compartment!

Several hours later, the scene has been filmed and it looks fantastic. Thinking that it was now in the bag I was surprised to hear someone shouting, "now the French version". I hadn't realised before because there had not been any real dialogue but they were filming both in English and French. Michael and Geraldine now filmed the scenes again, this time Geraldine spoke her words in French and Michael still in English. It is not easy to switch from one language to another at the best of times but to reply to someone in a different language,whilst filming a scene from a television show, is even harder. Geraldine made it look simple and demonstrated what an asset she is to the production.

The time is now 9.00pm and everyone is tired and drained from spending the day underground. One scene has to be carried over to the next day as time has run out. Michael and Geraldine pose for some photos inside the toilet compartment and it's then time to go home. We take the elevator up to the street and the setting sun welcomes us after the hours spent in the dimly lit station.

As I am saying goodnight to Michael and Janeen, he breaks the news to me that I have another scene to do tomorrow. I "have to get off the train".........................

All photos in this report are owned by Catherine Williams and may not be used without permission.