Along one stretch of the street there were police blockades on the street keeping everyone to the sidewalks (the street is usually closed to cars and opened to pedestrians at night.) There was a crowd gathered along the sidewalks, and we could see film equipment, but we didn't think twice about it. We'd already come across a documentary film crew talking to the street musicians in Jackson Sq, so this didn't seem like a big deal. More an annoyance to be pushed through.
But, in a voodoo shop further down the street, the clerk struck up a conversation with us and in the course of it asked if we could verify that it was Hugh Jackman filming down the street. Uh .... no we hadn't heard that!
She told us that sereral of her friends had told her that he was there filming a scene for the new Xmen movie. She was a film student, and seemed far more interested to hear how much equipment they had than if we'd seen anyone famous, heh.
We left the shop, and I told Sara that we'd better head back down to the film site, because a few of my friends here at LJ are HUGE Hugh Jackman fans, and they'd never forgive me if I missed it.
We joined the crowd on the sidewalks and peered over their heads to see what was going on. A flunky kept walking up and down the cleared street announcing that no cameras were allowed, but I snapped a photo with my phone anyhow. I'm just a rebel like that.
[CLICK ON BLOG LINK FOR PHOTO OF FILMING]
A guy standing near us asked if we knew what was going on, so we told him the intel we'd gotten. He decided to stick around and watch, too. [snip]
Around then people began to lose interest in the filming, as nothing seemed to be happening in our area, and most of the crowd dispersed, including this guy and his brother.
Sara and I decided to stick it out a little while longer, and were we glad we did!
Once the crowd had mostly left, another flunky came around and asked some of the people from the remaining clusters to be extras. *woot*
Down the street, out of our view, was where most of the action seemed to be going on. But as each take was filmed, two guys on motorcycles would come riding down the street past us. They were Hugh's stuntman and ... the other guy's stuntman. Since we couldn't see up the street I have no idea who the other guy was! I'm sure we'll find out when the movie comes out.
Anyhow, as they rode past we were all told to casually chat, or cross the street behind them. We were not under any circumstances to look at the riders. Heh.
After about 10 takes we got bored and wandered away. If they weren't gonna let me get a picture of Hugh for my friends then fie on them.
t:
Well to answer your questions. Yes and yes.
how you doing? 
