Ashley: I did meet a lot of production people on set, I am not good with names or faces. I will say that sadly E.L. James was not one of the people I met on set. We met a few weeks later at a book signing.
3) Did you see Mark Bridges? He is the costume designer.
Ashley: Yes and no. He was there the last day I was on set and he almost told me to go back to wardrobe to change because the girls who were going to set before me where not wearing of what he saw his vision to be. But he gave me a quick glance and was like “sigh ok get on the bus.” I had to run back but when he saw me again he was like “didn’t I see you because you look like somebody I just okayed.” I nodded and hopped on the bus.
4) How did you hear of the casting?
Ashley: I signed up for all the google and twitter alerts for 50 shades I could find in July/August of last year, in hopes to get on set to meet E.L.James. So one day I was at work and I get a google alert saying they were doing “cattle calls” for extras, meaning they need a lot of people for one/two scenes, I applied and I didn’t update my information until end November/December when they started filming.
5) What was the application process like and who was doing the casting?
Ashley: The agency did the casting and since it was a cattle call you don’t have to do head shots or anything else. Just show up the day of shooting and have your hair and make up done before hand.
6) Did you have to sign a NDA?
Ashley: Yes
7) What did it include?
Ashley: You couldn’t talk about what you were doing on set, you could not use Facebook or Twitter about what you were doing and no phones or cameras allowed on set due to the high security of the film.
8) Dates you worked?
Ashley: I worked on dec 5th a day after my twenty-eight birthday, best gift ever!
9) The location?
Ashley: Gastown and the airport. There was two airports used, one was for Georgia, the other for SEA-Tec. I will say I could have been used for the plane but I was engrossed with talking to an editor so my mind blanked out.
10)Who was on the set?
Ashley: Dakota for my first day and Max Martini same day. The second Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson.
11) What part did you play?
Ashley: I played both a passager in the airport, and in the cafe in the blue jean shirt. I was pretending to be an artist talking to my Mother….
12) Were you with a group of extras?
Ashley: yes
13)About how many?
Ashley: The number is rough but I would almost guess that the number was in the low end of three hundred for day one. Day two was canceled due to snow but that was close to about two hundred. Last day no more then a hundred.
14) Where did they have you wait?
Ashley: it was a parking lot they use for the sign in then they kept us either one in the airport. Day Two, in a bar down across the street from where they were shooting.
15) Do you know what part you were in?
Ashley: I’d hope so the air port and the café when he saves her in the street. Also if you look at the airport scene.
16) Long hours?
Ashley: Yes and no. First day was over twelve hours. Second day was four hours canceled due to snow. Last day was four and half hours.
17) Did you get to interact with the cast at all?
Ashley: No, the cast makes it a point not to be social with the extras. My aunt told me you are there to work and only work, only if they see something in you they will talk to you but don’t get your hopes up that they will want to talk to you. I was told to sit down in the airport scene and you can see me gawking at the camera…while Taylor and Ana walk past.
18) Were you supposed to wear any certain clothing?
Ashley: Yes you do. The night/day before they give you a list if what to wear and you have to fit into that list. If you have nothing they will loan you clothes for the day.
19) Have you been involved with other filming there?
Ashley: No, this is my first film other then what I did in film school.
20) Do you have any photos from the filming?
Ashley: Sadly the only pictures you will see, are the ones in the internet I was not allowed to have any tablets, phones, or cameras on set or they would have been taken away. 🙁
She added some more information after I asked her about which airport was used and her experience filming there:
It was at the airport of YVR they used an area that was closed off to the public. They also had us in the area at 7-8 am, to film. They had us also outside for one shot where her mom drops her off however in this shot her mom never gets out but she bounces out walks to the airport. It was minus two and we all had to walk around like it was a hot summer day! There was a lot of people wearing jeans, I was in a brown shirt and blue jeans with a purple bag. I will say there were crew that would come to you as soon as you finished your walk across the airport walkway hug you with a blanket then let go as you’d walk back out again. As they yelled “Cut!” Everybody would run to get they’re jackets.
You can link to Ashleys book right here:
