Daniel Dreifuss here. The movie Whalefall has been in theaters for almost two weeks now, and you may have recognized me in the distance in one brief scene filmed at Monterey High School. It is my big-screen debut as an extra in a major motion picture.
Last year, I saw a post on the Monterey County Film Commission’s Facebook page calling for extras. I thought, “Why not?” and applied. A few weeks later, on June 10, 2025, I got an email asking if I was still available.
And just like that, on June 11, 2025, I showed up at the wardrobe bright and early, ready to go. I was to play Teacher #3 (Teachers #1 and #2 were actual Monterey High School teachers). After a few costume changes, I was all set in a green puffy vest, tan slacks, and a dark plaid dress shirt.
Once the rest of the extras were in costume, we headed over to the Monterey Police Department for lunch, which was catered and pretty good. It was almost time to film, so we were whisked over to the high school, where we got accessories; mine was a laptop case.
All of the extras were placed in their positions. An actual teacher from Monterey High School and I were placed at the far end of the football field and told to walk up and down the ramp during filming. I can honestly say that we acted our hearts out—Oscar-worthy performances from both of us. Filming took about 45 minutes.
When our scene was over, we were escorted into a classroom with snacks. We were told we might be needed for another scene; however, a few hours later, we were driven back to the wharf parking lot by bus, where we changed back into our regular clothes.
I had never been part of a major motion picture before (I had previously been in a commercial and a TV documentary), and I had a lot of fun. If you see me out and about, I am happy to sign autographs.