Crew sets up for commercial. Firemen’s Park in Ocean Grove.July 16, 2o15.  Blogfinger.net photo  Click for details.

They started to arrive around 8:30 am, unloading equipment from a truck.  Within a short time a number of trucks arrived along with about 30 people including directors, cameramen, lighting, hair and makeup, shleppers, gofers, actors and actresses.  Their purpose was to make a commercial for the New Jersey Lottery.  The crew set up at the east end of the park, while the filming aimed towards the northwest.  On arrival, a food truck was present to offer them breakfast.

They filmed one segment over and over.  A young woman in a dark blue dress and heels stood on the sidewalk and waited for her cue.  A production guy hid behind a car with a walky- talky. When the director said “action,” the woman started walking, and a couple started jogging around the bell.  The woman in blue was just to add interest.  The main action was running around the bell in shorts and T shirts.

Over and over again. I hope they don’t find me in the commercial. Blogfinger.net  photo.

Meanwhile Grovers were wandering into the park, walking dogs and cutting through to Main.  The crew waited patiently until the locals went by.  When the scene went well, the crew started to applaud.  They were lucky with the weather and the light.  It was one our best weather days so far this summer.

I spoke to the woman in blue in the foreground and kidded her, “Are you the star of the show?”    She laughed and said, “No–far from it.”  I asked her how many times they would shoot that scene, and she said, “One more take and we are done.”   I said, “Break a leg.”   She laughed as I got out of the way.    They did two more takes and they were done.

It wasn’t exactly a scene from “Stardust Memories,” but everyone who walked by thought it was exciting.

After a couple of hours it was over, and the crew packed up and left the park exactly as they found it.

ETHEL MERMAN