My Awesome Experience on Jungle Book!

My experience on Jon Favreau's Jungle Book Disney movie was incredibly awesome!!!  It was truly one of the coolest jobs I have ever done.  I know I say that a lot but I truly mean it.  My mom submitted a picture of me for this job.  The casting company posting the job contacted my mom and asked her to send another picture of me in my swimming trunks.  This was to see if I had the body shape of Mowgli.  We didn't hear back from them again for some time so my mom and I just assumed I didn't get the job.  Thankfully, we were wrong.  They contacted us to see if if I was available for an interview on a Thursday.  My mom said "yes" and the next day we headed to LA Center Studios in downtown LA.  This was the first time I had seen an entire soundstage in blue screen  When we walked in, Neel Sethi (AKA Mowgli) was in the middle of a scene.  Jon Favreau, the director of this film, was telling Neel little notes between takes over a microphone.  Jon Favreau was joking around with Neel a lot and made little heart noises over the microphone to be funny.  My mom tried to contain her laughter.  We sat with the puppeteers and watched Neel in action.  He was amazing!  He had so much energy and acted perfectly even though he was talking to a hand puppet or sometimes a blue wall.  Later, the PA introduced us to the set teacher Lois.  We recognized one another immediately but weren't sure from where.  We all hugged.  We remember her being super sweet and funny.  She was one of the best set teachers we'd ever had the pleasure of meeting.  Eventually through conversations, we all realized we met on the movie "Bad Words."  My mom and I were so excited when I was asked to work the following day as a stand-in for Mowgli.  On Friday, I met so many different people from the actor, to the directors, producers, puppeteers, special effects crew, simul cam crew, stunt crew, electrical and grip crew.  Even though I came during the last week of filming, everyone was very nice, warm and welcoming.  Another perk was that I ate like a king. Everything was delicious!  I had lobster with filet mignon one day.  Every hour there would be new fresh snacks at crafty.  Another day, we had an ice cream truck and a taco truck on the lot.  Jon Favreau is a real foody and made sure his entire team was fed well.  He really set the tone for a super friendly and fun environment.  He would actually DJ between takes.  I also had so much fun with all three Mowglis!  They were nice, witty, and really fun.  Every day after lunch, Neel or Seth (Neel's main body double/stand in) would play football with Travis (stunt guy) and some of the crew.  Seth's nickname was Nowgli which stands for not Mowgli.  They made me feel like a part of the team.  Mateo's (Neel's second body double/stand in) nickname was Matowgli which was a combination of Mateo and Mowgli.  They gave me the nickname Lowgli which stands for late Mowgli.  Mateo and I weren't really that good at football but we still played.  We would sometimes just hang out and play video games which was cool.  We became really close friends on set and stuck together.  Jungle Book had two sound stages on the lot.  While Neel was filming in one, the doubles/stand ins would be in the second soundstage for the setup of the next scene for Neel.  At the end of everyday, I would get a call to come to set the following day.  I was super excited!  I ended up working for six days total.  The last day, they said I could stay for the wrap party,  It was so amazing!  I didn't expect anything.  I ended up getting t-shirts from the different crew teams, hats, a Jungle Book poster signed by Neel, and a commemorative Jungle Book coin from Jon Favreau.  They had champagne for the adults and they did toasts.  Everyone hugged and it was super emotional.  All these people had worked together for the better part of a year.  Jon Favreau DJ'd and the Mowglis did a song and dance.  They gave me a line at the end of their song which was totally unexpected but super cool!  I've never had the opportunity to be a part of something so huge.  I felt so lucky and blessed!  I was only called to set to stand in a couple of times during the week I worked.  I don't think I was really needed but they kept inviting me back.  I'm not complaining because this experience was incredible.  I learned so much from different people including an Actress named Sara who was so sweet and gave me tips for future jobs.  Since the job, I go to Travis's gym called JAM for parkour.  He is a really cool and nice guy.  Just a week ago, Seth and I got called to the same job Jane the Virgin.  The PA MC from Jungle Book works this set so we saw her too.  It was so great to Seth, his dad Kirk and MC.  They all got invited to the crew the Jungle Book premiere in Hollywood.  They said the movie was great!  My mom took my siblings and I to the movie on Thursday.  It is definitely a must see!!

Me on the set with Sean (Stunt Coordinator) standing in for Neel while the cameras reset.  This isn't the completed CGI effect.  Sean was incredibly nice.  I'm sad to say I just came to find out that he recently passed away. 

From left to right: Mateo (Matowgli), Neel Sethi (Mowgli), Seth (Nowgli), and me (Lowgli).

All three Mowglis dancing at the wrap party with Jon Favreau DJing in the backround.

Sarah and I on the last day of the Jungle Book.

Me with a super nice PA at the wrap party. 

A picture of the wrap party inside the main soundstage for Jungle Book.

This is a picture of Allan (puppeteer) and I. 

This is the a picture of me and Sean without all the  cool CGI effects.

Lois and I at the wrap party.

Sarah being funny while giving me a big hug at the wrap party.

A picture of all four Mowglis and the stunt guys. The stunt guys from left to right: Travis, Curtis, and Sean.

The front side of the commemorative coin that Jon Favreau gave everyone on set.

The backside of the commemorative coin.